By Natalie Hall

Minnesotan summers are brief, so we've got to enjoy every second of them. Whether you’re boating, golfing, biking, walking—even sitting—maximize your outdoor time by eating outside, too. With both classics and new favorites, these Twin Cities patios make it easy to stay out and enjoy the season.

Image by Erica Loeks

Distillery and Brewery Patios

Bauhaus Brew Labs

Sitting on the former Crown Iron Works site, Bauhaus Brew Labs is at the intersection of color and beer. The brewery is named after Bauhaus School, a prominent, short-lived art and design school in post-WWI Germany. With bright colors in their décor and beer cans, they embody the belief that “work, play and celebration should be intertwined.”

Tattersall Distilling

This local spirits and liqueurs crafter served up the Best Craft Distillery and Best Bartender in the region at The Growler awards. At Tattersall Distilling in Northeast Minneapolis, science and art meld in each carefully crafted sip. From the garage door windows to the bustling patio, this is an experience you will want to savor, like each drink their talented bartenders pour.

Image by Allen Brisson-Smith

Butcher and the Boar

Why sit in your own garden when you could sit in a beer garden? Butcher and the Boar in Minneapolis has an outdoor beer garden enclosed with transparent skylights that maintain the muted, masculine vibe of the inside while opening the experience to the outdoors. Bourbon, beer and hand-made sausages make your dining experience unique, and they sell their sausages to feed your addiction at home.

Wicked Wort Brewing Co.

Step into a suburban neighborhood at Wicked Wort Brewing Company in Robbinsdale. Experience the block party vibe of the expansive courtyard area and the indoor-outdoor brewery building with large garage doors that remain open for patrons to soak up the nice weather. This new brewery serves only beer and popcorn, but many local restaurants will deliver, including the adjacent Pig Ate My Pizza, brainchild of the masters at Travail Kitchen and Amusements.

Image by Todd Buchanan

Restaurant Patios

Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge

This spunky riverfront deck in Northeast Minneapolis has all the grass skirts, flower leis and paper umbrellas you could ever need. Add cravable food and creative tiki drinks, and you will be feeling Minnesota nice in no time.

 Black Forest Inn

Take a trip to Europe on the patio at Black Forest Inn on Eat Street on Nicollet Mall. Famous since 1965 for their authentic German food, get your spaetzel on and try one of their numerous beers on the secluded patio, which is packed all summer.

Image by Todd Buchanan

W.A. Frost and Co.

An oasis in desert of sidewalk patio restaurants, the multi-level patio at St. Paul’s W.A. Frost and Co. is a garden retreat. The German restaurant’s courtyard is shady and welcoming on a warm summer day, featuring a sunken pond and various water features.

BLVD Kitchen and Bar

The unexpected location of BLVD Kitchen and Bar, off Interstate 394 in Minnetonka, is all the more pleasing when you enter the cozy patio. With an outdoor bar, cushioned bench seating, reclaimed wood paneled walls and subway tile, the style screams urban industrial meets antique farmhouse. Their renewed take on American cuisine uses fresh, organic ingredients, made from scratch.

Bellecour

Gavin Kaysen strikes once again, this time in Wayzata. The chef of Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis brings his genius to the Lake Minnetonka shores with Bellecour, a French seafood bistro and bakery worthy of its widespread praise. The crowning summer feature is an outdoor patio with wall-hanging greenery and herringbone brick underfoot. Ample string lights bring the stars closer on this intimate patio.