Photo via Facebook / At Random
Since the pandemic began, the survival of restaurants and bars has relied heavily on figuring out creative solutions to bring in revenue. That manifests itself in various ways, like total menu revamps and pop-up events, and now that winter is upon us, outdoor eating and drinking bubbles.
I like to call them bubbles because there are so many variations on the concept of a private safe space for small groups of people. Not to mention that most are made of clear plastic, which makes them feel more spacious and open, but also pretty bubble-like. To ensure social distancing, the majority of businesses require that you reserve them ahead of time, and sometimes with a deposit. And to keep any contact minimal, you can also book food and beverage packages for groups of various sizes along with your reservation, so everything is planned out before you get there.
First there’s the dome type, which looks like an old school playground jungle gym frame with a skin of clear plastic-like material, resulting in a kind of glowing igloo. They’ve actually been around here for a couple years now, most notably at Cafe Benelux in the Third Ward, which has them set up on the rooftop patio again. They’re fogged with a disinfectant between groups and you can order group drinks and food platters.
Holiday Experience
Zisters in Elm Grove also has domes, along with a bunch of outdoor holiday decorations and lights for a very festive experience. Public Table in West Allis, Hubbard Park Lodge in Shorewood, Bass Bay Brewhouse in Muskego, Braise in Walker’s Point and Eldr+Rime in Wauwatosa also have reservable domes.
Greenhouse-like clear huts are also an option at some places, like on the Magic Forest (aka patio) at At Random, where they're called cocktail huts, appropriately. Or you can drink yourself merry in similar digs set up at Zocalo food park. That operation is run by Bryant's Cocktail Lounge, so the classic hot Tom & Jerry is ideal. If you’d rather drink craft beer with a view of the river, check out the row of sturdy Hop House greenhouses at Lakefront Brewery.
For something different, head to Kegel's Inn in West Allis where they’ve renamed their beer garden to Brrr Garden and you can eat and drink in a yurt. They feel more like indoor space, are insulated, and can fit up to 12 people. Similarly, Nomad World Pub on Brady Street is known for their patio, and they are going all out as usual. Besides small outdoor spaces for small groups, there’s also a 1,000-square-foot “endless summer tropical tent” complete with live palm trees and hospital-grade air filtration system set at a balmy 69 degrees.
In Case You Missed It…
DanDan and EsterEv co-owner Dan Jacobs got to have a chat with President-elect Biden last week. He was invited to be a participant in a virtual roundtable about the impact of COVID-19 on individuals and small businesses. He represented the local Milwaukee Independent Restaurant Coalition, as well as the national Independent Restaurant Coalition, in explaining the hardships he and other restaurant owners and hospitality workers have faced this year. Some eye-opening stats he dropped during that conversation: his restaurants have gone from 80+ full time employees down to just a dozen and have experienced a 91% revenue loss. If you missed it live, you can watch it here.
And finally, if you’ve been a fan of the seasonal cream puffs that have been offered this year in lieu of an actual State Fair, there's a new one for you to try this weekend. Cocoa cream puffs feature the standard pastry shell and are filled with chocolate cream, or you can try the peppermint version of their brownies. You can pre-order them online and pick them up all weekend. If nothing else good comes out of this pandemic, at least we got flavored cream puffs, right?
