It’s the most wonderful time of the year again: time to eat on the sidewalk, bask in the summer sunshine, drink something fruity and let’s be honest, sweat a little bit. 

I love patio season. There’s something special about dining outside. Food tastes better. Seasonal drinks take on an ultra-refreshing vibe. Happy hours outdoors with friends seem right any night of the week.

And Omahans love it too. I did three interviews with three restaurateurs who run popular but very different patios to ask them why that seems to be the case, year after year. It’s a question that has many good answers. 

I’m also sharing an update on my favorite patios in the city, and more than 20 reader suggested favorites, too. If yours is missing, let us know in the comments what else we should check out.

Happy al fresco dining season. Now get out there already and drink some rosé.

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A west Omaha lakeside getaway. (Really.)

Situated on the banks of West Shores Lake near Waterloo, one of the city’s newest patios comes with a lakeside view and a breeze to match. Chef Joel Hassanali said it’s the kind of patio that makes diners feel like they’re on vacation, not in Omaha. 

“The patio design changed four or five times before we opened,” he said. “A lot of thought went into it.” 

The patio includes various shades and dividers so it can be broken up for several parties, or used as one large area. It has a wide variety of couch and high top seats, plus a full bar outside.

Hassanali also rolled out a special patio only menu that debuted a few weeks ago, including a summer cucumber gazpacho, a variety of seafood and burrata appetizer. Through the summer, the patio will also feature a variety of local music during a weekly Monday night patio party 5-10 p.m. Those events, too, will feature special food and cocktail menus. 

“We’re seeing a huge following already,” Hassanali said.

Salted Edge — pictured above — is located at 110 S. 243rd St. For this downtown Omaha dweller, it’s well worth the drive.

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Cocktails, wine and firepits anchor Corkscrew’s two patios

Corkscrew is rare because it’s nailed two very different patios in two very different parts of Omaha. Both include outdoor magnets like fire pits, shade trees, twinkle lights, comfortable seating, and, above all else, wine. In the Blackstone District, Corkscrew has an east facing back patio with plenty of shade as well as a patio on the street in front of the business. Further west, in Rockbrook, the other patio has a seasonal fireplace and both shaded and sunny areas.

“There is always demand in Nebraska for outside dining,” said co-owner Corey Keith. “We made the effort to expand the Blackstone patio during COVID, and we have been able to reap the rewards from that decision.” 

Keith said the Rockbrook location sells about 80% wine, while the Blackstone location is more evenly split between wine and cocktails, and the staff there puts more effort into creating a more robust offering. Blackstone guests — probably not surprisingly — are younger, and stay out later than its west Omaha guests. 

Keith said he thinks one of the reasons outdoor dining is so popular in Omaha is because the four seasons in Nebraska don’t always allow for it. 

“If we lived in a market that was always beautiful patio weather, you wouldn’t appreciate it,” he said. Particularly at the Blackstone patio, people sit by the large fire pit in the back starting on the cool spring evenings and continuing through the fall months.

Corkscrew Wine & Cheese is located in Rockbrook Village at 10924 Prairie Brook Road and in the Blackstone District at 3908 Farnam St. I have spent many nights on both patios, and I love them both.

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In Benson, patios create an off-street “oasis” 

Ryan Miller is no stranger to creating patios in Benson. More than a decade has passed since he owned Benson Brewery — one of the few neighborhood spots that has both a front and back patio. Now he runs Bärchen Beer Garden, with its massive back patio, and in July will open The Tenant, in the former 1912, which will feature a street-facing patio and a roof deck for outdoor dining and drinking. (He also owns the Dundee Dell.)

“Benson has a lot of small, dark, older buildings. Having a nice outdoor open area where people can relax is great when it’s nice out,” he said. “A small, dark bar can have an oasis in the back.”

At The Tenant, which will serve southeast Asian-inspired smoked meats and small plates and feature a rosé garden, Miller said the roof deck offers a singular view. 

“You can see down Maple probably to 59th Street and it’s good people watching,” he said. “Everyone loves a rooftop.”

Bärchen Beer Garden is at 6209 Maple St. and The Tenant is coming soon

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