5 Milwaukee Rooftop Patios to Visit This Summer

Heat rises, so it’s no surprise that rooftop bars and restaurants are often the hottest spots in town. As summer approaches, your friends are itching to get together, and Milwaukee restaurants are eager to throw open the doors and set out the patio chairs to welcome back al fresco dining. The only thing that beats a patio: a rooftop patio.

Delicious food, cool drinks, warm summer breezes, city views and good company. These rooftops in Milwaukee will help you take patio dining to the next level (literally).

The Outsider

Located on the roof of the Kimpton Journeyman Hotel in the stylish Historic Third Ward, The Outsider is a chic indoor/outdoor space with a one-of-a-kind view of the downtown skyline. Get cozy on cabana-style seating while you enjoy cleverly crafted cocktails and bar bites, or order up wood-fired pizzas from Tre Rivali on the ground floor. On summer weekends, you just might find an afternoon barbecue or shuffleboard tournament in full swing, and fire pits will help keep the party going long after the sun goes down.

Red Lion Pub

This refined alehouse has brought the best of the UK across the pond to Milwaukee. Surrounded by greenery, the rooftop patio is the perfect place for a few pints, classic pub fare and a quick game of poolball — imagine pool played with soccer balls (or, as the Brits would say, footballs). British Brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday, so stop in for a full English breakfast, bangers and more.

Braise

Enjoy fresh, seasonal fare at Braise, nationally recognized as a top roof-to-table restaurant. Chef/owner Dave Swanson has been nominated several times for the James Beard Award’s Best Chef Midwest. The rooftop garden, where chefs grow vegetables and herbs, also serves as patio space during the warmer months. From baking their own bread to butchering their own meat, everything at Braise is hand-crafted from locally sourced ingredients.

Café Benelux

Inspired by the grand cafes of Lowland Europe, Cafe Benelux serves up European favorites like frites, mussels and waffles. A whole book is required to list the extensive selection of biers, but don’t be intimidated — all Benelux staff take “bier classes” and are happy to make recommendations. As if the menu weren’t enough to make Benelux a top brunch spot, the rooftop patio certainly seals the deal. It’s the ideal place to take in some summer sun and enjoy one of the inventive Bloody Marys Milwaukee is known for.

Pizza Man

Serving up classic Milwaukee-style thin crust pizza since 1970, Pizza Man offers inventive specialty pies and an impressive wine list that’s been recognized by Wine Spectator every year since 1989. Have you ever tried cream cheese on a pizza before? Trust us, it’s a game changer. At the East Side location, you can share a few slices while watching the hustle of Downer Avenue below from the beautiful second-floor atrium and elevated patio.

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