These days, to lureMilwaukeeans who want to take advantage of the brief warm-weather bliss, manylocal restaurants are going above-and-beyond setting out tables on thesidewalk. Here are a few of the locally owned restaurants that offer a properpatio, a defined outdoor space elevated or set apart where customers can eatand drink. We took note of features that provide comfort, convenience andpleasure (think spectacular views, comfy furniture and outdoor heaters),elevating these outdoor oases far above their brethren.
Alterra Humboldt
2999 N. Humboldt Blvd.
414-292-3320
Beneath the rusted steelbeams of a sawtooth pergola, people from all walks of life gather (often withdogs lying at their feet) in Alterra’s spacious courtyard, sandwiched betweenthe coffee roaster’s café and Loop Yarn Shop. Among weatherworn wood, nativeplants and textured concrete, diners can enjoy Alterra’s wide selection of FairTrade and organic coffees and teas, as well as a creative menu brimming withlocally grown ingredients. There are plenty of bicycle racks for commuters,and, on some days, you can catch a heated game of cricket unfolding across thestreet at the Pumping Station Playfield.
Anaba Tea Room
2107 E. Capitol Drive
414-963-9510
Visitors to Anaba TeaRoom’s rooftop greenhouse and garden will feel elevated in both body andspirit. Located on the roof of a Shorewood building that houses a retail storecalled the Garden Room, the space offers a true escape from the commotion ofthe ground level. Customers can choose to sit either in the glass greenhouse orat one of the four outdoor tables overlooking Capitol Drive for a selection of delicatetea sandwiches, robust salads, homemade soups and a wide variety of teas.
Barnacle Bud’s
1955 S. Hilbert St.,
414-481-9974
Tucked away in asecluded industrial area along the banks of the Kinnickinnic Riverin Bay View, Barnacle Bud’s has a gem of a patio that springs to life in thewarmer months. The restaurant resembles a deep woods crab shack, girded with alarge wooden deck and crowned by a tin roof. The menuequal parts surf andturfis served in plastic baskets on picnic tables shaded by colorfulumbrellas. The casual atmosphere draws an unpretentious crowd, with manyarriving by boat and tying up at the boat slips operated by Skipper Bud’s Marina.
Brocach Irish Pub and Restaurant
1850 N. Water St.
414-431-9009
Brocach’s large rooftoplounge has the feel of a fortified Irish castle, complete with an ample supplyof Irish food and dark stout to sate any visitors. Located on the roof of a130-year-old Cream City brick building, the backside of the patio isbuilt into a landscaped hill, while the front overlooks Water Street and, beyond that, the Milwaukee River. Long wooden pews, a number ofmetal bistro tables and a big picnic table mean favorable odds of finding aseat.
The Horny Goat Hideaway
2011 S. First St.
414-482-4628
The folks at Horny Goat Hideaway have a long-term plan totransform the banks of the Kinnickinnic River in Bay View into a full-blownentertainment experience. They constructed a seawall on the waterway and addedan expansive patio and dock made of ironwood, complete with 14 boat slips. Thebrewing company’s recent expansion also includes an outdoor covered bar withsix large flat-screens, four bar stations and seating for 50. Four sandvolleyball courts, a live music stage, gas-fed fire pits and a corn-holinggreen will have you working up a thirst for Horny Goat’s six craft beers.
La Fuente
625 S. Fifth St.
414-271-8595
La Fuente adds to thethriving tradition of local Mexican restaurants that offer prime outdoorpatios, one started by the old La Casita on Farwell Avenue. Located in the heart ofthe Latin Quarter, La Fuente’s patio embracesthe architectural elements of a classic Spanish courtyard, complete withfountains and walls decorated with colorful tile. Speedy service and awell-placed outdoor bar mean that one of La Fuente’s fruity margaritas fuertes can be at your umbrella-toppedtable pronto.
Meritage
5921 W. Vliet St.
414-479-0620
Chef Jan Kelly couldn’thave picked a better place to operate a quaint, creative, moderately pricedrestaurant than in a revitalized section of Washington Heights, an ethnicallydiverse, laid-back neighborhood on the far west side of Milwaukee. When it’swarm, diners from both the city and the suburbs flock to the calm respite ofMeritage’s secluded backyard deck, where they can indulge in Kelly’swell-rounded, compelling dinner menu and ample wine list under a canopy ofdelicate garden lights. Kelly’s contemporary American cuisine consistentlydemonstrates her talent for highlighting the best of what the seasons (andlocal food producers) have to offer.
MilwaukeeAle House
233 N. Water St.
414-226-2337
Boating enthusiasts willtell you food just tastes better after a slow cocktail cruise on the river,which is exactly why the six boat slips outside the Milwaukee Ale House aresuch valuable commodities during the season. The Ale House takes advantage ofits location on the popular RiverWalk, luring in thirsty boaters and passers-bywith six, sometimes more, freshly crafted beers and a menu full ofgroup-friendly appetizers, a slew of sandwiches and hearty entrees. The AleHouse offers seating on an upper deck beneath a bright red-and-blue-stripedawning decked with lights, and below on a shady recessed brick patio where thelower level bar is just steps away.
Roots Restaurant and Cellar
1818 N. Hubbard St.
414-374-8480
Whether sitting at oneof the bistro tables on the restaurant’s upper deck or relaxing on the cushylounge furniture outside of the cellar, a visit to Roots in the burgeoningBrewers Hill neighborhood is accompanied by a phenomenal view of Milwaukee’s skyline. Theoutdoor patio is carved into the hillside, where diners enjoy Chef JohnRaymond’s seasonal menu surrounded by a lush garden filled with organic herbsand native plants.
Sheridan’s
5133 S. Lake Drive
414-747-9800
Sheridan House, anupscale boutique hotel with a dozen guest rooms, isn’t near Milwaukee’smore popular Downtown tourist destinations, but it does occupy valuable realestate very close to Lake Michigan, just south of Milwaukeein Cudahy.Ample, comfortable seating under fabric umbrellas, free-standing heaters, ababbling fountain, a brick fire pit, a pergola wrapped in vines and stonegarden boxes planted with fresh herbs make this picturesque patio popular withSheridan House guests, as well as cyclists from the nearby Oak Leaf Trail andgolfers playing the course across the street at Warnimont.
Trocadero Gastrobar
1758 N. Water St.
414-272-0205
By opening Trocadero ina refurbished corner tap, the Diablos Rojos restaurant group gave something noveland spirited to a diminished industrial neighborhood south of the Milwaukee Riveron the city’s East Side. They were ambitiouswhen it came to offering outdoor dining, first with a comfortable year-roundheated patio, then a more secluded covered structure wrapped in grapevines, anda charming multi-level stonework patio with a tranquil fountain that speaks ofa Parisian courtyard café. Trocadero recently underwent a transformation from aFrench bistro to a gastrobar, and the new menu reflects it with an emphasis onwildly hand-shaken margaritas and dishes from various ports of call.
The Yard at the Iron Horse Hotel
500 W. Florida St.
414-374-4766
There are a number ofviews to behold from the swanky confines of The Yard, the tremendous outdoorpatio adjoining the Iron Horse Hotel in Walker’sPoint: the soaring cables of the Sixth Street Viaduct Bridge, the occasionalfreight train passing by, and those looking to see and be seen. Blazing firepits are set in a bank of immense rocks that offer seclusion from the road, andcolorful “sails” of fabric provide shade to visitors and locals alike who sippricy drinks and dine on a small but select outdoor menu that includessophisticated starters and spreads, as well as a few entrees like a burger andribs.
