Outdoor Dining in Minneapolis

As we enter the fall of the year, whenever the option to dine in a garden or at a sidewalk table presents itself, I try to take advantage of it as often as I can.

In Minneapolis, opportunities for outdoor dining are aplenty, and folks have a huge weather advantage over their counterparts in my native South Carolina, where oppressive heat and humidity of summer can often extend well into autumn.

Here's a rundown of 10 spots in and around Minneapolis that combine two of my favorite commodities: great food and outside seating.

Eggs al fresco
Joe's Garage at Loring Park gets the nod thanks to its rooftop patio and a family-style brunch that's ideal for large groups. A la carte options like SWG (mixed greens served with strawberries, toasted walnuts, and gorgonzola) are solid too. Over at the Walker Center, the Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron certainly hit a homerun with their evocative design for Wolfgang Puck's 20.21, but for an especially cool brunch, ask for a table on the patio. Sure, you'll have to venture back inside to avail yourself of the buffet, but the downtown views from the second level perch are well worth the extra walk.

If it's the middle of the work week, settling in for a full meal may be out of the question, but armed with a wide patio and the tasty spoils of Alakef Coffee, a local roaster, the Riverview Café in Longfellow makes it possible to enjoy a good cup of coffee outside before most people have even started their days.

Sidewalk Lunching
While, any burger joint or taco stand can offer picnic tables, let's keep with places that tend to challenge the plate a little more. Café Ena, a converted grocery in South Minny, is an excellent choice if your craving is for lively Latin flavors – Camarones al Ajillo anyone? – and sidewalk scenery. Less exotic but not at all short on style is Seward's Birchwood Café, a one-time corner store where the umbrella-ed patio tables offer just enough shade for you to savor a black bean burger or double scoop of Izzy's Ice Cream at a leisurely pace. Not to be outdone, Kafé 421 in Dinkytown adds to its intriguing International vibe by offering Euro-style café tables along 14th Street.

Dinner Under the Stars
When the sun goes down, dining outside often assumes more romantic airs. This is especially true at Loring Park's beacon of vogue, Café Lurcat. Already a neighborhood seducer with its suave, urban ways, this hangout ups the ante on nice evenings by letting patrons savor wine and small plates en plein air. Another trendy spot, Figlio, complements its seasonal Italian creations and artful presentations with a scattering of sidewalk tables along Lake Street. The Kingfield neighborhood simply adores what Chef Scott Pampuch does with locally-grown ingredients at Corner Table. The experience's even sweeter if you can score a sidewalk table, but be warned – they're a hot commodity here. The same rule applies at the Lyn-Lake District's cool-yet-unpretentious jP American Bistro, where Chef J.P. Samuelson's creative cookery emphasizes Minnesota-grown ingredients, Sundays through Tuesdays feature half-priced bottles of wine, and few tables are available along their Lyndale Avenue sidewalk.

So, as you venture out this summer in search of inventive dishes and new spots, don't forget that there are other tables out there. Along the sidewalk, in the garden, or even on the porch, they give us the chance to redefine what it means to "eat out."

Take it outside, friends. Take it outside.