11 Madison area patios with fire pits and heaters

Local restaurants are offering outdoor winter seating options like never before. While outdoor seating doesn’t make patrons immune to COVID-19 exposure, it has become a more distanced and mind-easing option for those who dine out and don’t want to sit indoors. We tracked down a few restaurants and bars that offer extra warmth for your bundled-up outing. Editor’s Note: Due to Wisconsin’s recent COVID-19 spike, we are advising caution in how often and with whom you decide to dine out. This would be a great list to bookmark for after Wisconsin’s case numbers decrease.

Buck and Honey’s
Monona’s Buck and Honey’s is taking “fire feature” to a new level with a firewall. Instead of a singular pit, the restaurant has a 30-foot wall of fire surrounding one side of the outdoor patio. The patio is first-come, first-served through the winter. The restaurant also plans to eventually have globe dining, so watch out for that. 800 W. Broadway, Monona, 478-2618, buckandhoneys.com

Cafe Hollander
This Madison outdoor patio is BYOB — bring your own blanket. At Cafe Hollander, you can enjoy outdoor eating outside on the patio even when the weather is chilly. The Cafe Hollander staff hopes to have the patio open through the winter, but they aren’t 100% sure whether or not that will happen. The restaurant is also planning other outdoor eating options for the season that are currently tentative. 701 Hilldale Way, 237-3168, cafehollander.com

City Bar
Game days and nights out with pals have gotten toastier over at City Bar. Grab a drink and a sandwich or burger with curds on the side for a shenanigan-and-heater-filled outdoor bar visit. 636 State St., 2502-489, citybarmadison.com

The Edgewater
The Edgewater’s fire pits, located on the Grand Plaza, might just be the place for you this winter — if you’re looking for winter warmth and great views of frozen Lake Mendota. Fire pits are available for reservations and will be open for use all winter. The ice rink will likely be open in December, too, meaning there will always be a warm place for you to rest after a few laps around the rink. 1001 Wisconsin Place., 525-8300, theedgewater.com

Lucille and Merchant
Both Lucille and Merchant have fire pits outside on the “fall streatery” patio. Reservations are required in order to use the fire pits, but they will be available for use all season — that way there’s plenty of time for you and your family to enjoy the fire pits, even if temperatures dip below freezing. There are also overhead heaters placed around the streatery to keep you toasty. 101 King St., 283-0000, lucillemadison.com; 121 S. Pickney St., 259-9799, merchantmadison.com 

Nattspil
One of the best parts of summer is enjoying a plate of delicious grub under the sunshine. Luckily, Nattspil can let you enjoy their delicious dim sum or pizza outside, no matter if it’s the middle of July or the end of December. Nattspil has heaters to keep the outdoor seating area warm during the winter, and it’s first-come, first-served, so no reservations are required. The staff at Nattspil hope to keep the patio open during the winter, but it will all depend on how interested customers are as the weather gets colder. 211 King St., 285-9659, nattspil.com 

Old Sugar Distillery
What goes perfect with a warm fire on a cold winter night? — S’mores and cocktails, of course! At Old Sugar Distillery, you can get the whole package … literally. Reserve your fire pit on Old Sugar’s website for your group of no more than four people and get cocktail and S’mores ingredients along with your spot. The staff at the restaurant plan to have the fire pits available at least through Christmas, but they’re unsure about any time after Christmas and will decide as the date gets closer. 931 E. Main St., 260-0812, oldsugardistillery.com

Settle Down Tavern
Toss on a jacket and a hat and plop yourself down outside of the Settle Down Tavern, which now has fire pits within its outdoor seating area. Cheese puppies, ghost fries and loaded burgers are absolutely worth adapting to the seasons for. 117 S. Pinckney St., settledownmadison.com

Taiwan Little Eats
Pop a squat along State Street without freezing your hind end off by eating on Taiwan Little Eats’ patio. With an extra boost from freestanding heaters, you can gnaw away at a plate of curry chicken or nibble some Taiwanese sweets in comfort. 320 State St., 251-8529, taiwanlittleeats.com

Tempest Oyster Bar
Slurp some oysters and drinks at this Wilson Street establishment in the toasty comfort of a heated outdoor patio. Hot cocktail options include orange ginger toddies, hot buttered rums and mugs of coconut milk hot chocolate. 120 E. Wilson St., 258-1443, tempestoysterbar.com

Young Blood Beer Co.
Young Blood is another restaurant with heaters available on the restaurant’s outside patio this winter. The heaters have already made the patio very popular, even as we get further and further away from those 80 degree days. The patio is first-come, first-served, and there is no fee to reserve your spot. The heaters will be up and running all winter, so next time there’s a cold winter day and you’re feeling the urge to take your meal outside, Young Blood can accommodate you. 112 King St., 620-9038, youngbloodbeerco.com

Sam Jones contributed to this listing. Click here for a listing of area patios that feature dining globes.