Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but dinner in your personal snow globe is sure delightful. Think your days of dining al fresco with the beautiful backdrop of nature are a distant summer dream? Think again! Chilly temps don’t slow down majestic rooftop sights and snowy landscape views. At restaurants throughout the city, you can enjoy a toasty private dining experience in the great outdoors.
At Random
Transport yourself to a magical winter wonderland! Step into At Random’s Enchanting Magic Forest! Each winter, the outdoor patio transforms into a surreal spectacle with twinkling lights and heated outdoor huts. While At Random doesn’t serve food, the bar does allow you to bring your own food. Pick up a meal from your favorite Milwaukee eatery on the way, then cozy up with a warm beverage underneath the twinkling lights and experience the magic yourself! Reserve here.
Buckatabon
Take your snow-laden adventure to Buckatabon in Wauwatosa for an evening in an authentic Northwoods shanty. Handcrafted in Eagle River, unlike the domes around town, the heated shanties provide an intimate private setting for you and up to seven of your friends or family to enjoy a unique bite in the elements without the frostbite. Reserve here.
Café Benelux
Boasting a 360-degree view of the Milwaukee skyline around you, revel in the luxuriously warm comfort of the Lux Domes on the rooftop of Café Benelux. Nestled in the Historic Third Ward, savor the restaurant’s worldly yet approachable menu against the striking cityscape in a snow globe for you and up to seven friends. Reserve here.
Café Hollander
Available at all of the Café Hollander locations around town, enjoy the globally inspired fare of the local chain with the snowy neighborhood streets as the setting. Offering domes for your group of up to six or larger igloos for up to 12, Café Hollander is the perfect way to celebrate any snow day in Milwaukee. Reserve here.
Centraal Grand Café and Tappery
Meanwhile, in Bay View, Centraal Grand Café and Tappery has made outdoor dining year-round into a form of art. With two one-of-a-kind options to embrace the elements, the restaurant features a private streetcar and a covered courtyard. Revel in the warmth of the covered courtyard as the sun reflects off the snow-covered landscape or underneath the stars on a cloudless night. Or, take in the ambiance of the Bay View from a private session inside the streetcar. A repurposed shipping container furnished with homey touches, the three large windows looking out onto Kinnickinnic Ave., the primary artery of the community, make the space a perfect environment to relax and enjoy the frosty vibes. Call to make a reservation.
Eldr + Rime
Setting our compass due west from Holland, we head to Northern Europe for another inspired meal at Eldr + Rime. Loosely translating to “Fire + Ice,” in Swedish, true to its name, the restaurant embraces the elements. The award-winning Eldr + Rime specializes in wood-fired steaks and seafood as well as a raw bar. But they also allow you the opportunity to embrace winter with a meal in one of their Stugas. Derived from the Swedish word for cabin, the Stugas extend an invitation to experience a sense of “hygge,” to be present in the moment, completely relaxed and centered. Forget the world around you as you step into the Stuga! Reserve here.
Twisted Fisherman
A summertime favorite for boaters around town, the waterside tavern is also an al fresco diner's dream. Twisted Fisherman’s Ice Camp Snow Globes offers three private dining spaces for you and up to six friends. For those less-than-frigid days, the tavern has unheated shanties fashioned from a converted shipping container and includes a fire pit to keep you toasty no matter the conditions. Reserve here.
Zocalo Food Truck Park
While the easy-going summer evenings on patios may have gone into hibernation, it’s snow problem at Zocalo Food Truck Park! An always unique dining destination, the food truck park features a selection of heated huts for you and up to 11 people. Savor the winter weather in the inviting space with a dish from one of your favorite food trucks and a specialty cocktail from the bar. Reserve here.
