12 Unique Grand Rapids Winter Outdoor Dining Experiences | Heated Patios, Igloo Dining, & More
If you’re looking for fun things to do this winter in Grand Rapids, you can’t go wrong by going out for a bite to eat. As restaurants have adjusted and adapted in the last few years, many eateries have gone the extra mile to create some truly unique Grand Rapids winter outdoor dining experiences.
As you take in the sights, sounds, and activities that this West Michigan city has to offer, having a unique dining experience will enhance your enjoyment during the winter season.
Excellent Grand Rapids Winter Outdoor Dining Options
One Twenty Three
123 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids
If you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit, you’ll need to stop for this Grand Rapids winter outdoor dining experience. With a heated outdoor tent to serve customers, you can watch Christmas movies and football outside.
Meanwhile, chow down on delectable food and drinks in a tavern setting. No reservations are accepted, so seats are first come, first served.
Field & Fire Cafe
820 Monroe Ave., NW, Suite 100, Grand Rapids
Outside the cafe, you’ll find four personal greenhouses, which can seat up to four people each. They’re available on a first-come, first-served basis, and you can check the restaurant website for updates on availability.
Employees swear the greenhouses run up to 20 degrees warmer than outside temperatures, keeping patrons warm from winter’s chill. Visitors are encouraged to scan their greenhouse’s QR code to order from their phones.
Rise Authentic Baking
1220 West Fulton Street, Grand Rapids
This establishment features four greenhouses in the back, each of which is heated by an electric fireplace. Customers are encouraged to dine outside but are asked to order on their phones. Orders are delivered to the doorway of each greenhouse.
The greenhouses are open on a first-come, first-served basis. You can find updates on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Friesian Gastro Pub
720 Michigan Street NE, Grand Rapids
At Friesian, you can enjoy a delicious meal on a covered patio heated by a furnace and cozy space heaters. The canopy of stringed lights adds a festive touch to this Grand Rapids winter outdoor dining experience. Reservations are recommended and can be made at via Open Table.
Uccello’s Ristorante
122 Monroe Center or 2630 E. Beltline Ave., SE, Grand Rapids
Not only can you find a dazzling array of delicious food — everything from pizza to burgers to subs to Italian entrees — you can also dine outside. The restaurant has an outdoor patio covered by a structure and blocks the wind with a movable wall.
Propane heaters keep the Grand Rapids Michigan winter outdoor dining space warm, and the patio tables seat up to 60 people. The East Beltine locale also has a covered patio. Tickets for the patio are first come, first served.
Donkey-Taqueria
665 Wealthy Street SE, Grand Rapids
If you’re looking for a truly unique dining experience, check out this place for some of the best igloo dining Grand Rapids offers plus delicious Mexican food. The Grand Rapids igloos hold a maximum of six people, and full food and drink menus are available. You can make a reservation on the restaurant’s website.
If you want one-of-a-kind Mexican food, this is the place to be. You’ll find delectable Mexican street food that can be paired with the perfect handcrafted cocktails.
Bobcat Bonnie’s
1968 Breton Rd SE, Grand Rapids
This casual restaurant is one of the newest additions to the Breton Village Mall in southeast Grand Rapids. It offers hungry customers a chance to eat in heated outdoor domes, which need to be reserved in advance and can seat up to six people.
Inside your heated dome, you can sip on a multitude of signature cocktails and enjoy some yummy eats. We recommend the loaded tots and buffalo mega mac and cheese.
The Sovengard
443 Bridge St. NW, Grand Rapids
If you’re looking for a true farm-to-table restaurant, you’ll be impressed by the offerings here. You can have delicious, locally sourced food and check out the downstairs Biergarten to get a drink. This establishment features bell tents, which can be reserved for two hours each.
Brass Ring Brewing
2404 Eastern Ave., SE, Grand Rapids
If you go ice fishing in Michigan during the winter, you know all about the shanties that dot the ice and the shanty towns that pop up in some of the most popular spots.
Here you’ll find colorful craft beer shanties that you can reserve for up to four people. You can pair the brewery’s small-batch beers with some tasty apps and entrees, all while cozying up in heated shanties.
The Holiday Bar
801 5th St. NW, Grand Rapids
Visitors here have two Grand Rapids winter outdoor dining options. You can sit in an open patio area, that’s warmed by propane heaters. Or, you can sit inside a covered pavilion, which offers two large tables and a full-service bar that are warmed by a mounted gas heater.
The heated patio space is limited to just 25 people and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You can check for updates on the restaurant’s website.
House of Wine
53 Monroe Center NW, Grand Rapids
If you’re looking for something to drink other than beers on tap in Grand Rapids Michigan, drop by the House of Wine, where you can sip delicious wines in the comfort of a heated hut. Each hut accommodates up to four people, and you can even bring your dog!
If you want seasonal drinks, try the mulled wine or Irish coffee. The huts are available only by reservation and must be reserved for a minimum of one hour.
Furniture City Creamery
958 Cherry St. SE, Grand Rapids
After you grab a burger and beer, head uptown to Furniture City Creamery to get your ice cream fix without freezing in the cold. You can grab your favorite ice cream or one of several vegan-friendly options. Then, enjoy your treat while sitting at a picnic table inside a heated greenhouse.
Greater Grand Rapids Michigan Winter Outdoor Dining Options
Farmhaus Cider Co.
5025 Stanton St., Hudsonville
Just outside Grand Rapids, you’ll find another fantastic place that offers igloo dining. With reservations for igloos, you can enjoy outdoor eating with all the comforts of indoor dining.
Reservations last 50 minutes at $15 per reservation, so make your igloo dining experience count. The tasty sought-after ciders, sure to quench your thirst during your visit.
Third Nature Brewing Company
7733 Childsdale Ave NE, Rockford
There aren’t any igloos here, but you’ll find outdoor fire pits and tables for your dining pleasure. The outdoor seating is first come, first served.
You can sit and enjoy an agreeable meal while checking out the Biergarten and staying warm by the fire. If you’re a beer enthusiast, this brewing company specializes in innovative, creative brews, and you’re sure to find something you like.
More Winter Things to Do in Grand Rapids & Beyond
As you spend time having fun in Grand Rapids this winter, with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding, taking time to stop for an outdoor dining experience is an absolute must. In West Michigan, you’ll find no shortage of Grand Rapids winter outdoor dining options. The only limitation is what kind of outdoor dining experience you want.
Whether you’re huddled in a shanty, enjoying the day in an igloo, warming yourself on an enclosed patio, or sipping a drink in a greenhouse, you’ll have an enjoyable experience and be able to keep the chill of winter at bay … at least for a little while.
A great meal at a Grand Rapids winter outdoor dining restaurant will give you all the fuel you need for winter fun in Michigan.