Patio Season

3rd Street Tavern in St. Peter features an alley and back courtyard for outdoor seating. All over Southern Minnesota, there are great places to enjoy your food outside.

People- and pup-pleasing restaurant patios in Southern Minn

By JANE TURPIN MOORE Guest Contributor

Who wants to hunker inside a chilly, dimly lit restaurant when sunlight and fresh air beckon? Not too many. In Minnesota, where the ideal outdoor dining dates are numbered in weeks, rather than months, patio dining is where it’s at — literally.

“We try to open our patio as early as we can and leave it open as long as possible,” said Tyler Mielke, manager of 3rd Street Tavern in St. Peter. “This year, we opened it bright and early on the very first nice day — and then we had a couple more weeks of snow.”

But August’s forecast for the southern section of the North Star State appears to be blessedly flurry-free. Area restaurateurs are putting their best patio feet forward, enticing diners to spend an afternoon or evening out.

At 3rd Street Tavern, guests are met with plenty of free parking, whether in the establishment’s dedicated parking lot or on the street.

With a westward orientation, 3rd Street Tavern’s patio tables (most set up for parties of five) have adjustable umbrellas to provide comfort if the sun’s maximum tilt really does get to be too much, while a mural, benches, and a wall of ivy combine to create an attractive setting.

“And we have a gas fire pit that’s really popular as we get closer to fall. Guests like to sit out and enjoy the Minnesota weather in the evenings,” Mielke observed.

The 3rd Street Tavern’s patio is a non-smoking space, but Fido and Daisy are more than welcome to join the fun.

“We’re very pet-friendly,” assured Mielke. “We put out some water bowls and have dog treats available for the pups.”

As many as 60 people can be accommodated at a time on 3rd Street Tavern’s patio, but be forewarned: at many locations, patio seating is first-come, first-served, even though Mielke promises the staff does its best to place customers where they most desire to sit.

A weekday happy hour from 2 to 6 p.m. offers discounts on select food and drink items, and those same specials kick in again from 9 p.m. to closing time.

In or out (and some people do prefer the indoors where it’s “nice and cool” on a hot and humid day, Mielke says), 3rd Street Tavern delivers on its blues, barbecue and bourbon motto.

“We smoke our own meat in-house and make a lot of the sauces right here too, and I can tell you that our traditional wings are smoked—and they’re amazing,” said Mielke, adding that 3rd Street Tavern has one of the widest selections of bourbon and whisky in the area.

He added, “If you want something specific, we either already have it or can get it in for you.”

Perhaps it’s not surprising that 3rd Street Tavern was chosen “Best Patio Dining” in the “Best of St. Peter” contest for both 2020 and 2021 (2022 results were not available as of press time).

“We were also named ‘Best Appetizers’ and ‘Best Date Night,’” said Mielke.

And if a patio date were to lead a couple all the way to the altar, Mielke reminds that 3rd Street Tavern has a private interior room available for reservation that’s in demand for groom’s dinners, bridal showers and other celebratory gatherings.

Keeping it casual? Mielke says 3rd Street Tavern has that covered.

“Sometimes people like to stop by for just a cocktail and appetizer,” he said. “It’s a great spot, and all sorts of people like our patio.” 3rd Street Tavern is located at 408 S. Third St., St. Peter. 507934-3314, 3rdstreettavern.com

Here’s a selection of additional patio dining options across southern Minnesota:

The Ole Store Restaurant in Northfield features a green space patio area.

The Ole Store

1011 St. Olaf Ave., Northfield. 507-786-9400, olestorerestaurant.com

Situated close to the main entrance to St. Olaf College, the Ole Store Restaurant has been a Northfield favorite for over 100 years. Open for lunch daily, dinner from Monday through Saturday and brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends, you may opt to have your salad, sandwich, “Church Basement” wild rice soup or signature Ole Roll delivered to your picnic table on the grassy west-facing space that is known as “Lena’s Lawn.” Beneath a blue umbrella and strands of twinkling lights, indulge in a choice from the Ole Store’s full drinks menu while your dog stays cool and your child finds something to their liking on the children’s menu. Skol!

Winjum’s Restaurant & Bar

17759 West 177th Street, Faribault. 507-334-6661, winjumsshadyacres.com

On the west side of Roberds Lake, Winjum’s invites guests to relax with lakeview outdoor seating (they’re happy to let you push a couple of tables together) in a resort setting that’s nevertheless close to town. Maybe try Winjum’s all-you-can-

Winjum’s Shady Acres Restaurant has a built-in deck/patio to enjoy the views from.

eat fish fry, or keep it lighter with jalapeño wontons, Ellsworth deep-fried cheese curds served with housemade ranch and a buffalo chicken flatbread. Pasta, burgers, barbecued pork ribs or a black-and-bleu grilled steak salad all make great companions to a classic cocktail or sweating bottle of your favorite beer.

Le Sueur’s The Bar & Grill patio has a great view of the city’s freshly refurbished and reopened Main Street.

The Bar & Grill

130 S. Main St., Le Sueur. 507-665-3752, the-bar-grill.edan.io

Get outside and enjoy all that Le Sueur’s Main Street has to offer! Recent, reasonably priced specials at The Bar & Grill tantalize: a coconut shrimp dinner, Carolina pork sandwich, “Hot Cowboy” burger basket and jalapeño poppers will fill you up. But save room for some Better than Sex cake or strawberry rhubarb cream cheese bars! Live music on weekend evenings is also part of the fun. Check out daily and weekly specials on The Bar & Grill’s Facebook page for some don’t-miss summer delights.

Kokomo’s Bar & Char Grill

114 10th St. South, Cleveland. 507-931-6410, Kokomo’s on Facebook

This hometown, small-town spot is a great under-the-radar choice for patio pleasures. Enjoy the Kokomo burger or a prime rib sandwich, or — go big or go home with a ribeye, walleye

Kokomo’s includes a deck patio to enjoy the outdoors while eating in one of the area’s smaller cities.

pike, red snapper or surf-and-turf dinner including soup or salad, choice of potato and (yes!) Texas toast. Be alert to Early Bird specials from 4 to 5:30 p.m., and to mid-week specials like the Wednesday night broasted chicken with ranch fries, coleslaw and Texas toast.

The Foremost street cafe will be open during normal hours of operation until Oct. 15. (Annie Harman/southernminn.com)

Foremost Brewing Cooperative

131 West Broadway, Owatonna. 507-214-3462, foremost.coop

Spend some quality outdoor time nursing a drink from Foremost’s creative beer archive. A blueberry kettle sour, rambling rose ale, nevermore mild or melba toasted lager are on the extensive list—sounds good, right? Try a panini, sandwich or wrap (doesn’t a classic Reuben on rye with Thousand Island dressing always hit the spot?), a clever flatbread concoction (check out the apple feta or “Sunny Hunny,” finished with a drizzle of honey garlic sauce) or a (think healthy) salad or grain bowl. Or share a charcuterie platter or plate of street tacos with a few friends and choose another beer. It’s like experiencing summer in a bottle!

Boat House Grill & Bar

406 9th St. NE, Waseca. 507-835-2419, boathousewaseca.com

Ahoy, mates: Another great lakeview deck awaits your dining pleasure. Drink in scenic Clear Lake from the raised deck while sinking your teeth into wings, chili cheese fries, one of several flatbread options (consider the Italian-trending Boat House Special) or one of six main-course salads. You and your “guppy” might appreciate the kiddie menu. And don’t forget the “Bobbin’ baskets” and commercials (turkey or beef).

Waseca is all about its lakes, and The Boat House Bar & Grill has a great view of one of them from its patio.

The Depot Grill & Bar’s patio lights up beautifully in Faribault’s downtown.

Depot Bar & Grill

311 Heritage Place, Faribault. 507-332-2825, faribaultdepotbarandgrill.com

Lights! Flowers! Locomotives! They’re all waiting for you at Depot Bar & Grill in downtown Faribault. A sturdy fence separates you from incoming trains but hey, that proximity adds to the thrill of outdoor dining. Try the House Tots (house-made loaded mashed potatoes deep-fried to a crisp), or go for the nacho grande, onion petals, sweet potato fries or fried clam strips with tartar sauce. So many tasty treats! Soups, salads, sandwiches, flatbreads and full dinners are all part of the extensive menu available to diners inside or out. Chef Jeff LaBeau promises customer satisfaction with every plate and frosty glass served. And—oh yeah—patio diners LOVE the trains! 

Freelance writer/collaborative pianist Jane Turpin Moore grew up in the Mankato area and is now based in Northfield. She blogs at timeformoore566445504.wordpress.com and fields emails at jturpinmoore@gmail. com.

Joe nichols Grandstand ticket available now! at scff.orG

A Child’s Delight too • MN Education Academy • Asian Buffet

Maurice’s • Cannon Valley Special Ed Cooperative • Boss Up

Faribault Furniture and Mattress • Jo Ann Fabrics • Pet Smart Taekwondo • Fancy Nails • Blue Ox Boutique • Taqueria • Sunset Coins Plaza Barber shop • Vision Works • PetSmart • Dollar Tree • Simplicity

Grace Bible Church • La Flor de mayo supermercado • Jesus Food

A.P. Insurance • Gary C Dahle- Attorney • Mega Coin Laundry 200 Western Ave. • Faribault 507-334-5328 faribowestmall.com