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In the foreground, a wooden fence. Behind it, diners seated at an outdoor patio, in front of a mall with a colorful mural painted on it.
Reverie has a heated, partially covered outdoor patio.
Theresa Scarbrough

Where to Dine Outdoors in the Twin Cities in Any Season

Heated patios, beer gardens, and tents for outdoor dining through fall, winter, and spring

by Justine Jones and Eater Staff Updated
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Reverie has a heated, partially covered outdoor patio.
| Theresa Scarbrough
by Justine Jones and Eater Staff Updated

Patios are a year-round affair in Minnesota. As winter approaches, many diners are planning their chilly season restaurant strategies — happily, these Twin Cities restaurants have outdoor spaces open through the seasons. From canopies strung with paper lanterns to dog-friendly heated patios, here are some essential Twin Cities restaurants for outdoor dining in the crips temps of fall, winter, and spring.

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Wise Acre Eatery

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New this year, Wise Acre has added a covered, heating pergola to its dining set-up. This farm-to-table restaurant is unique— it has its own farm. Stop by for a cozy late-fall brunch of savory bread pudding topped with a quivering poached egg and shreds of candied bacon.

5401 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 354-2577
(612) 354-2577

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Heather's

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Heather’s installs a heated tent on its charming patio for the winter — it’s dog friendly, too. Stop by for seasonal brunch dishes like caramel apple French toast and egg strata with goat cheese and spinach. Heather’s is a great dinner option as well: Think simple, elegant specials like grilled halibut puttanesca, and comforting fresh pasta dishes.

5201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 445-8822
(612) 445-8822

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Reverie Cafe + Bar

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Vegan favorite Reverie has a covered, partially protected seating area with fire pits and hay bales for seating. Its plant-based menu is extensive: Try the nachos supreme with jackfruit carnitas, or the BLT with tempeh bacon. Don’t skip the baseball-sized chocolate beignets, which suffer nothing for their lack of butter.

1517 E 35th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 987-7080
(612) 987-7080
Two people sit at a small white table at an outdoor backyard patio area. They are eating a salad and each have a glass of white wine. A white woman in a red sweatshirt is pouring wine into their glasses. A tent, globe lights, a fence, and walls with graffiti art on them are visible in the background.
Reverie’s patio is covered during the colder months.
Theresa Scarbrough

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Hola Arepa

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Hola Arepa offers heated seating in a cozy canopy-type space that’s carpeted with burgundy rugs. It keeps the restaurant’s tropical feel, though: Lush ferns and philodendrons hang from the ceiling, and the color palette retains Hola Arepa’s signature turquoise. The hearty arepas, from chimichurri chicken to black bean and sweet potato, are filling, warming dishes. Save room for the horchata pot de creme.

3501 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 345-5583
(612) 345-5583
A tented patio with patterned rugs on the floor and Hola’s signature turquoise colored chairs at the tables
Hola Arepa’s year-round canopy.
Hola Arepa

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Lago Tacos Lyn-Lake

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Lagos Tacos’ Lyn-Lake location is a great option for outdoor dining in Uptown: Its cold-weather patio has standing heaters, fire pits, and strings of globe lights, which add to the warm-and-cozy effect. Start with the avocado wedges, beer-battered and fried, and then hit the taco menu, which spans from barbacoa and al pastor to vegan chorizo and ahi tuna.

2901 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 353-6736
(612) 353-6736

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The Butcher's Tale

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The Butcher’s tale is back in full swing, and the heated, covered beer garden is a great spot for a cozy meal, pre-show cocktail, or post-game feast. The area is spacious and accommodating to groups, for a casual beer or a hearty meal of English blood sausage and double-cut Duroc pork chops alike.

1121 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 236-4075
(612) 236-4075

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Smack Shack

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Smack Shack’s covered patio, which stretches down Sixth Avenue, has a permanent roof and overhead industrial heaters, making it an extra-cozy spot for blustery days. Grab a cup of shrimp chowder, Dayboat scallops in a garlic cream sauce, or jambalaya — all ideal meals for the chilly months.

603 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 259-7288
(612) 259-7288
A covered patio area with chairs, tables, and a number of patrons eating. The ceilings are angled and there are lights strung on the beams; two large industrial heaters run along the ceiling.
Smack Shack’s heated patio.
Smack Shack

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Hai Hai

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Hai Hai’s semi-enclosed, covered patio — called the “chalet” — is kept warm with heaters and strung with dreamy paper lanterns and fairy lights. The water fern cakes, shrimp toast, and Vietnamese crepe are all highlights on James Beard-nominated chef Christina Nguyen’s menu, but the Balinese chicken thigh, served with macerated kale and coconut rice, may be the standout winter dish.

2121 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 223-8640
(612) 223-8640

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Stanley's Northeast Bar Room

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The heated, covered dog-friendly patio at Stanley’s Northeast Bar Room is decorated with greenery and string lights, and has transparent “windows” that allow a view of the street. Stanley’s serves great bar food — think ahi tuna crisps, fajita bowls, broccoli cheddar tots, hand-battered Wisconsin cheese curds with spicy jam, and more. A dog menu is available, too.

2500 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 788-2529
(612) 788-2529

The Gnome Craft Pub

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The Gnome’s popular patio is well equipped with heaters, a tent, and massive fireplaces. This spot is known for its refined takes on bar food: Think spiced beer can chicken, giant pretzels, and a hefty pork belly and skirt steak burger heaped with bacon jam.

498 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 219-4233
(651) 219-4233

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Wise Acre Eatery

5401 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419

New this year, Wise Acre has added a covered, heating pergola to its dining set-up. This farm-to-table restaurant is unique— it has its own farm. Stop by for a cozy late-fall brunch of savory bread pudding topped with a quivering poached egg and shreds of candied bacon.

5401 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 354-2577
(612) 354-2577

Heather's

5201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417

Heather’s installs a heated tent on its charming patio for the winter — it’s dog friendly, too. Stop by for seasonal brunch dishes like caramel apple French toast and egg strata with goat cheese and spinach. Heather’s is a great dinner option as well: Think simple, elegant specials like grilled halibut puttanesca, and comforting fresh pasta dishes.

5201 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 445-8822
(612) 445-8822

Reverie Cafe + Bar

1517 E 35th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Vegan favorite Reverie has a covered, partially protected seating area with fire pits and hay bales for seating. Its plant-based menu is extensive: Try the nachos supreme with jackfruit carnitas, or the BLT with tempeh bacon. Don’t skip the baseball-sized chocolate beignets, which suffer nothing for their lack of butter.

1517 E 35th St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 987-7080
(612) 987-7080
Two people sit at a small white table at an outdoor backyard patio area. They are eating a salad and each have a glass of white wine. A white woman in a red sweatshirt is pouring wine into their glasses. A tent, globe lights, a fence, and walls with graffiti art on them are visible in the background.
Reverie’s patio is covered during the colder months.
Theresa Scarbrough

Hola Arepa

3501 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Hola Arepa offers heated seating in a cozy canopy-type space that’s carpeted with burgundy rugs. It keeps the restaurant’s tropical feel, though: Lush ferns and philodendrons hang from the ceiling, and the color palette retains Hola Arepa’s signature turquoise. The hearty arepas, from chimichurri chicken to black bean and sweet potato, are filling, warming dishes. Save room for the horchata pot de creme.

3501 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 345-5583
(612) 345-5583
A tented patio with patterned rugs on the floor and Hola’s signature turquoise colored chairs at the tables
Hola Arepa’s year-round canopy.
Hola Arepa

Lago Tacos Lyn-Lake

2901 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Lagos Tacos’ Lyn-Lake location is a great option for outdoor dining in Uptown: Its cold-weather patio has standing heaters, fire pits, and strings of globe lights, which add to the warm-and-cozy effect. Start with the avocado wedges, beer-battered and fried, and then hit the taco menu, which spans from barbacoa and al pastor to vegan chorizo and ahi tuna.

2901 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 353-6736
(612) 353-6736

The Butcher's Tale

1121 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403

The Butcher’s tale is back in full swing, and the heated, covered beer garden is a great spot for a cozy meal, pre-show cocktail, or post-game feast. The area is spacious and accommodating to groups, for a casual beer or a hearty meal of English blood sausage and double-cut Duroc pork chops alike.

1121 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 236-4075
(612) 236-4075

Smack Shack

603 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Smack Shack’s covered patio, which stretches down Sixth Avenue, has a permanent roof and overhead industrial heaters, making it an extra-cozy spot for blustery days. Grab a cup of shrimp chowder, Dayboat scallops in a garlic cream sauce, or jambalaya — all ideal meals for the chilly months.

603 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 259-7288
(612) 259-7288
A covered patio area with chairs, tables, and a number of patrons eating. The ceilings are angled and there are lights strung on the beams; two large industrial heaters run along the ceiling.
Smack Shack’s heated patio.
Smack Shack

Hai Hai

2121 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

Hai Hai’s semi-enclosed, covered patio — called the “chalet” — is kept warm with heaters and strung with dreamy paper lanterns and fairy lights. The water fern cakes, shrimp toast, and Vietnamese crepe are all highlights on James Beard-nominated chef Christina Nguyen’s menu, but the Balinese chicken thigh, served with macerated kale and coconut rice, may be the standout winter dish.

2121 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 223-8640
(612) 223-8640

Stanley's Northeast Bar Room

2500 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

The heated, covered dog-friendly patio at Stanley’s Northeast Bar Room is decorated with greenery and string lights, and has transparent “windows” that allow a view of the street. Stanley’s serves great bar food — think ahi tuna crisps, fajita bowls, broccoli cheddar tots, hand-battered Wisconsin cheese curds with spicy jam, and more. A dog menu is available, too.

2500 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 788-2529
(612) 788-2529

The Gnome Craft Pub

498 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102

The Gnome’s popular patio is well equipped with heaters, a tent, and massive fireplaces. This spot is known for its refined takes on bar food: Think spiced beer can chicken, giant pretzels, and a hefty pork belly and skirt steak burger heaped with bacon jam.

498 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 219-4233
(651) 219-4233

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