Photo by Uche Iroegbu
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If alfresco dining and drinking are on the agenda this summer, here are more than 50 Minnesota patios to consider…
Jason DeRusha’s Top Dozen
Saint Paul Brewing
St. Paul
Maybe the most unique patio in the Twin Cities, it’s more like a sculpture park nestled between 100-year-old brick buildings. It’s huge, it’s dog-friendly, and there’s a pizza oven in the bed of a 1976 Ford F250 with quality ’za, as well as great smoked-then-fried wings. A magical space with downtown views along the bike trail in Swede Hollow Park. 688 Minnehaha Ave. E., St. Paul
All Saints
Minneapolis
If snacking on salt-and-pepper mushrooms with the best gimlet in town while sitting in a lounge chair around a fire pit is your idea of a good time, All Saints is the place for you. Lights twinkle through the trees, which provide enough buffer from the bustle of Hennepin Avenue in northeast Minneapolis to make you feel like you’re somehow home, yet far from it. 222 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
Boat Club Restaurant
Duluth
Most of Minnesota has lakes. Duluth has the lake. The Boat Club, in the lower level of the Fitger’s Brewery Complex, looks toward downtown and the lift bridge. What a spot to watch the sunset while eating the best seafood Duluth has to offer. It’s open for lunch and dinner with the full menu and often has live music on weekends. 600 E. Superior St., Duluth
Brunson’s Pub
St. Paul
A hidden gem on Payne Avenue, eastsiders know that Brunson’s Pub is the ideal hang. It’s a surprisingly large patio framed by tall ivy-colored walls, with some of the best sandwiches in St. Paul. A perfect burger and a pulled-bacon BLT, with a fried egg and avocado, are my favorites. You won’t leave thirsty: Brunson’s has 20 craft beer taps along with cocktails from its longtime bartender-slash-owner. 956 Payne Ave., St. Paul
Buddy Boy Fine Barbeque
Minnetrista
Whenever anyone asks me for my favorite barbecue, Buddy Boy is always among my top choices. Now, with a freshly constructed palace befitting the awesome smoked ribs at Buddy Boy, the new patio features live music every Saturday. It’s between Minnetrista and St. Boni, and trust me, the drive is worth it to sit under the summer sun enjoying the perfect balance of smoke and tenderness from executive chef Joe Cox. 8175 MN-7, Minnetrista
Due Focacceria
St. Paul
There’s something about the casualness of Due Focacceria that feels right. It’s a Mac-Groveland neighborhood restaurant where you can sit with your friends at a picnic table under the canopy overlooking Randolph Avenue. Get one of the sharing boards of ricotta cheese or Italian carne, or the octopus salad with fried pepperoni, pair it with an Aperol spritz, and then rub it in that your neighborhood is the best. 475 Fairview Ave. S., St. Paul
Gai Noi
Minneapolis
Ann Ahmed knows how to create an outdoor respite. Her patio at Khâluna makes you forget you’re across the street from a south Minneapolis gas station. Her rooftop patio at Gai Noi takes advantage of one of the coolest spots in the city: at the front door of Loring Park, with a glorious skyline view. Plus, it has excellent cocktails, all on tap for fast service. Dip your sticky rice in the tomato jeow and celebrate. 1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis
Jax Cafe
Minneapolis
You’d never know you were in northeast Minneapolis, sitting alongside the stream of rainbow trout behind the iconic Jax Cafe. Trees and an awning provide shade, flowers bring the color. There’s even a fireplace out there. Net your own fish and have the kitchen prepare it, or order the legendary prime rib. 1928 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis
Lolito and LoLo American Kitchen
Stillwater
I love biking to Stillwater (I cheat by hopping on the trail in North St. Paul), and my final destination off the Gateway Trail is almost always the little back patio at LoLo. You can see the lift bridge on the St. Croix, and you can have a terrific cocktail with some fried Brussels sprouts and duck tacos. Then, get ready for the uphill ride back home. 233 Main St. S., Stillwater
PHOTO BY TONYA SUTFIN
Meritage
St. Paul
A trip to Paris on the streets of St. Paul: Meritage’s sidewalk patio is the most urbane spot in our capital city. You can gaze at the ornate brickwork of the Landmark Center, and you’re also right by Rice Park and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Choose from the best French wine list in the state, enjoy the most interesting oysters with perfectly crisp pommes frites and bearnaise sauce—it doesn’t get better. 410 St. Peter St., St. Paul
Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub
Minneapolis
Lush landscape and terrific beer complement a menu of smoked meat sandwiches and brewpub favorites. It way overperforms what you’d expect. Easy to bike to in southeast Minneapolis, Northbound has a solar-powered installation on the pergola above the patio. Don’t miss the 18-hour porchetta sandwich with smoked Swiss, or one of the best fried chicken sandwiches in town. 2716 E. 38th St., Minneapolis
PROVIDED
San Pedro Cafe and Pedro’s Pizza Lounge
Hudson, Wisconsin
Hudson, Wisconsin, has some terrific outdoor dining, but when I want to be transported to a warm-weather vacation, it has to be the patios at side-by-side restaurants San Pedro Cafe and Pedro’s Pizza Lounge (previously called Pedro’s del Este). Bold Caribbean flavors and bold flowers match at San Pedro. Next door, enjoy craft cocktails and lovely Spanish tapas as the sun sets on the patio. 426 Second St., Hudson, Wisconsin (San Pedro Cafe); 212 Walnut St., Hudson, Wisconsin (Pedro’s Pizza Lounge)
PHOTO BY KEVIN KRAMER
Minneapolis Restaurants
Butcher’s Tale
1121 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, butcherstale.com
FRGMNT Coffee
729 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, frgmntcoffee.com
Hai Hai
2121 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis, haihaimpls.com
Jax Cafe
1928 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis, jaxcafe.com
Eat Street Crossing
2819 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis, eatstreetcrossing.com
Mara
245 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, fourseasons.com/minneapolis
The Market at Malcolm Yards
501 30th Ave. SE, Minneapolis, malcolmyards.market
Martina
4312 Upton Ave. S., Minneapolis, martinarestaurant.com
Sea Salt
4801 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis, seasaltmpls.com
PROVIDED
Rooftop Restaurants
B-52 Burgers & Brew
5639 Bishop Ave., Inver Grove Heights, b52burgersandbrew.com
Brit’s Pub
1110 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, britspub.com
Louis Ristorante & Bar
211 Seventh St. W., St. Paul, cossettas.com
Union Rooftop
731 Hennepin Ave., No. 1, Minneapolis, unionmpls.com
Hewing Hotel
300 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, hewinghotel.com
DARIN KAMNETZ
St. Paul Restaurants
Boca Chica Restaurant
11 Cesar Chavez St., St. Paul, bocachicarestaurant.com
Brunson’s Pub
956 Payne Ave., St. Paul, brunsonspub.com
El Burrito Mercado
175 Cesar Chavez St., St. Paul, elburritomercado.com
The Gnome Craft Pub
498 Selby Ave., St. Paul, thegnomepub.com
Groveland Tap
1834 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul, grovelandtap.com
Handsome Hog
173 Western Ave. N., St. Paul, handsomehog.com
Iron Ranger
1085 Grand Ave., St. Paul, ironrangermn.com
W.A. Frost and Co.
374 Selby Ave., No. 1825, St. Paul, wafrost.com
Joan’s in the Park
631 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul, joansinthepark.com
Moscow on the Hill
371 Selby Ave., St. Paul, moscowonthehill.com
Mucci’s
786 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, muccisitalian.com
Nico’s Taco and Tequila Bar
2260 Como Ave., St. Paul, nicostacobar.com
Osteria I Nonni
981 Sibley Memorial Highway, St. Paul, osteriainonni.com
PROVIDED
Breweries & Distilleries
Bad Weather Brewing Co.
414 Seventh St. W., St. Paul, badweatherbrewery.com
Bent Paddle Brewing Co.
1832 W. Michigan St., Duluth, bentpaddlebrewing.com
Bricksworth Beer Co.
12257B Nicollet Ave., Burnsville, and 305 N 5th Ave Suite 105, Minneapolis, bricksworthbeer.co
Forager Brewery and Cafe
1005 Sixth St. NW, Rochester, foragerbrewery.com
Fulton Taproom
414 N. Sixth Ave., Minneapolis, fultonbeer.com
Indeed Brewing Co.
711 NE 15th Ave., Minneapolis, indeedbrewing.com
La Doña Cervecería
241 Fremont Ave. N., Minneapolis, dameladona.com
Saint Paul Brewing
688 Minnehaha Ave. E., St. Paul, stpaulbrewing.com
Sociable Cider Werks
1500 Fillmore St. NE, Minneapolis, sociablecider.com
Surly Brewing Co.
520 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis, surlybrewing.com
Utepils Brewing
225 Thomas Ave. N., No. 700, Minneapolis, utepilsbrewing.com
Waldmann Brewery
445 Smith Ave. N., St. Paul, waldmannbrewery.com
O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co.
600 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis, osdistilling.com
PROVIDED
Suburban Restaurants
Macanda
294 Grove Lane E., Wayzata, macandawayzata.com
Lucky’s 13 Pub (Mendota)
1352 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota, luckys13pub.com
Pittsburgh Blue Steakhouse
3220 W. 70th St., Edina, pittsburghbluesteak.com/edina
Stockyards Tavern & Chophouse
456 Concord Exchange S., South St. Paul, stockyardstc.com
