The Top Des Moines Patios for You to Enjoy This Summer
June 27, 2018
Summertime in Des Moines is exciting. Whether it’s the Downtown Des Moines Farmers’ Market, checking out an Iowa Cubs game or a walk around Gray's Lake, there’s always something to do. And don’t forget, there’s always something to eat!
Lozier Heating and Cooling has been in Des Moines over 100 years, giving us plenty of time to explore our favorite restaurants and their patios. Over the years, we’ve found that Des Moines has great patios located all throughout the metro for families and friends to enjoy dinner and drinks. No matter if you’re in West Des Moines or Downtown, there’s an outdoor patio calling your name.
Take a look at our favorite patios in Des Moines for dinner and drinks!
Top Des Moines Patios to Enjoy Dinner
If you’re looking for a place to enjoy the nice weather, spend time with friends and family or grab a great meal, check out the below local hot spots:
Exile
Exile is known for great beer, great food and a great patio. Located downtown, Exile has a full menu that pairs beautifully with any of the beer they brew. If you’re looking to snag a spot on the patio, consider an early lunch or dinner because it can fill up fast, especially as the weather heats up!
Barn Town Brewing
If you’re in the Waukee area, you’ll have to make a stop at Barn Town, a definite favorite among the locals! These folks have a passion for craft beer, sourcing their ingredients from local farmers, and creating authentic and yummy foods. Barn Town Brewing also offers great lunch specials if your co-workers are looking for the best West Des Moines patio for the next office outing.
Eatery A
Wood-fired pizza on a spacious patio on Ingersoll? Sign us up! Eatery A has a full menu but is known for their delicious pizzas. If you’re looking for a great happy hour spot to get together with coworkers or friends, you’ll want to be on the patio at Eatery A enjoying half-off of a wood-fired pizza. Who can beat that?
Grumpy Goat
Formerly known as Draught House 50, the Grumpy Goat consists of four locations for crowds with a love of beer, sports and delicious food. You can find them in Downtown Des Moines, Ankeny and in West Des Moines on 50th Street or Mills Civic Parkway.
When you visit Grumpy Goat, you can look forward to a casual atmosphere with a local feel. Their menu has something for everyone to enjoy and features fan favorites as well as some unique choices, like their German pizza or root beer sauce burger. Additionally, they have a hearty breakfast menu for Saturday and Sunday brunch lovers.
Centro
With fresh ingredients, Centro is an urban Italian eatery located in downtown Des Moines. It’s an excellent place to sit with friends and family and enjoy some delicious Italian fare. With an enclosed patio, you can enjoy Centro’s lively atmosphere with a little bit of shade.
Mullets
If you’re looking for a low-key place to get breakfast while enjoying the warm weather, look no further than Mullets. From omelets to hashbrowns, you won’t find a better breakfast in Des Moines. At this bar and restaurant, the patio is on a second level, which offers great views of downtown and the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers. No matter if you walk, bike or drive, Mullets is a favorite of Des Moines locals. If you’re looking for breakfast, make sure to get to Mullets before 10 AM, as the menu switches over to lunch/dinner, and it can fill up fast!
Granite City Grill
The perfect spot to enjoy a patio over lunch or dinner, Granite City Grill is conveniently located in Clive on the corner of 60th Street and University Avenue. This upscale establishment brews their own craft beers in-house and also offers a great selection of cocktails. As for food, Granite City has a wide variety of sports bar favorites, a weekend brunch menu and always has a feature menu of their chef’s seasonal favorites.
El Fogon
This hidden gem sits off of 8th street, right next to Gilroy’s. If you want authentic mexican tacos, queso and a great margarita deal ($3 on Wednesdays), you have to hit up El Fogon. You might not spot the patio from the street, but it’s decently sized, has some cover overhead and fans to keep you cool. Not only do they they have an entire section of Mexican Cuisine (tamales, molcajete, etc.), but they serve all-day breakfast! Try out the tacos tropicales and you won’t be disappointed.
Gastro Grub & Pub
Started in a food truck, the owners of Gastro Grub and Pub opened a full service restaurant offering lunch and dinner on Hickman in Waukee - trust us - it’s worth the trek! They’ve expanded their menu to include mouth-watering entrees like the Wagyu beef burger, short rib grilled cheese, a plethora of small plates, desserts like the Tahitian Crème Brule and much more. Be sure to download the menu from their website as it does change seasonally.
Top Des Moines Patios to Enjoy a Drink
Looking for a spot to grab drinks with coworkers after work or to meet up with some friends? Take a moment to explore these options:
El Bait Shop
Are you a beer lover? Then look no further than El Bait Shop. This bar contains the largest selection of American craft beers in the world. The staff at this local favorite are experts in beer, so if you’re unsure what you want to drink, they’ll be able to pour you something that you’ll love. At El Bait Shop, you’ll find cyclists, baseball fans and craft beer enthusiasts, making it a fun hangout for you and your friends!
The Rooftop
Located in the Historic East Village, The Rooftop has a private atmosphere nestled atop the old House of Blues. If you’re looking for a relaxed, laid-back vibe, this is the place you want to enjoy a drink with coworkers or friends after work. The Rooftop patio overlooks the East Village, and you can enjoy martinis, mojitos or craft beer, catering to the tastes of all your friends.
Wellman’s
With the original location on Ingersoll and its expansion to West Glen, Wellman’s patios are always hopping. Wellman’s is a hit with people of all ages thanks to their drink specials throughout the week and fun events like trivia. On a warm night, the rooftop patio at the West Glen location is the place to be. With music and an outdoor bar, the rooftop patio is fun at any point in the day.
300 Craft and Rooftop
Opened in 2016 and on the 3rd floor of 300MLK, 300 Craft and Rooftop is a rooftop bar with views of Des Moines and Principal Park. This bar focuses on craft beers and cocktails and is owned and operated by two Roosevelt High School alums. With a warehouse feel, 300 Craft and Rooftop is a great place to grab a drink or two with friends before walking over to an Iowa Cubs game.
Republic on Grand
One of the newest additions in the East Village, Republic on Grand is a must for happy hour. While the Republic on Grand doesn’t serve full meals, they offer plates that can be shared with friends. From charcuterie plates to flatbread pizzas, your group can sip on craft cocktails and enjoy bites with one another.
Recently, the Republic on Grand started serving brunch. If you and your friends or family are more a fan of mornings, make sure to check out their brunch. Their menu includes foods like a veggie quiche and a potato chorizo burrito. If you’re looking for a new place to brunch, make sure to check out Republic on Grand!
Confluence Brewing Company
Live music, special tappings and other events; there’s always something happening at Confluence. With access to the Gray’s Lake bike trail, the Confluence patio is a popular hangout for Des Moines cyclists. The patio is pet-friendly, so you can bring your four-legged friend to enjoy some time in the sun. With 15 beers on tap, the Confluence patio is an excellent place to grab a brew and spend time with your friends and family.
The Continental
This happy hour can’t be beat. The small patio at The Continental is a cozy place to gather with friends after work to enjoy a glass of wine or beer. With a unique food and cocktail menu, you will find meals at The Continental that you won’t find elsewhere. They’ve got the best Pimm’s Cup in town so make sure to get to The Continental early because the patio will fill up fast!
Bar Louie
Whether you’re looking for a happy hour, brunch or a place to satisfy your late night hunger, Bar Louie has great food at even better prices. Best of all, they have a variety of drinks that will appease any group - whether you like beer, wine, sangria or one-of-a-kind cocktails, Bar Louie will not disappoint. This spot is located over by Jordan Creek Mall, so it’s convenient for friends and family that want to meet in an area with plenty of things to do, or nice to keep it in mind as an option after a long day of shopping.
Court Avenue Brewing Company
Dubbed CABCO by locals, this establishment steps it up a notch from patio-bar to patio-fine dining. While not overly formal, you could safely take your clients to Court Avenue Brewing Company and know they’d leave pleased. Did we mention that the bar opens at 9 AM from May to October? The staff offers a full Bloody Mary bar and Moscow Mule specials for the Farmer’s Market crowd on the weekend. Finally, while not a gluten-free kitchen, they do have a Gluten-friendly menu for those who need it.
Learn More About Lozier
The Lozier team loves to check out all of these patios when the weather is nice. Do you know of some great patios that we didn’t mention? Send them our way!
As you enjoy these patios, remember to play responsibly. If you had a little more fun than you originally planned, Des Moines has taxi services, Lyft or Uber to help get you home safely!
Lozier Heating and Cooling has been a Des Moines staple since 1906, providing families with various HVAC services. Outside of providing HVAC services, Lozier Heating and Cooling is involved in the Des Moines Community by staying active in organizations such as YESS, Mentor Iowa and the West Des Moines Historical Society
Services Lozier offers
At Lozier, we offer a variety of HVAC services to help keep you happy inside. Whether it’s service, a repair or installation of a new unit, we can ensure that your HVAC systems are working properly in your home. Is it time for a check up on any of your home’s units? Give us a call today!