Safe Outdoor Dining: Igloos, heated patios, and more

Last year, in order to allow customers to dine outside – safely – in winter in Ohio, restaurants around Central Ohio came up with creative outdoor dining experiences.

From igloos, to heated patios, tents, greenhouses and more, these private outdoor dining options allow you to dine outside at some amazing restaurants around Central Ohio. Plan a date night or a special family dinner out!

It’s a fun and private experience, and some will continue to offer this option for 2021. We’ll update the list as we find outdoor dining options for 2021!

Most options require reservations in advance, and some will book up quickly. Due to high demand and minimal options, plan as far in advance as you can! 

Photo: Trent Brown via VASO

Vaso Dublin

On the AC Dublin rooftop at Bridgepark, 6540 Riverside Drive, Dublin, OH 43017(614) 698-2525 
website

As one of the original igloo dining options, VASO is back again with their amazing rooftop igloo dining experiences. Enjoy delicious tapas and cocktails while socially distanced in a temperature-controlled private igloo. Blankets and ambient lighting are provided for a cozy meal. New electrostatic disinfection technology is used in-between each use to ensure that every surface is fully sanitized before your experience.

All igloos are able to accommodate up to eight (8) people and are required to be on one check with an automatic 20% gratuity. There is a food and beverage spending minimum. Igloos must be reserved for a minimum of 2 hours. As an example, Sunday – Thursday, you must spend $300 on food and beverage during your two hours for up to 8 people (under $40 per person if you have 8), or you’ll pay the difference towards the minimum, plus tax and 20% gratuity.

• SUN – THURS $150/HR ($300/2HRS)
• FRI – SAT $250/HR ($500/2HRS)

Book your Igloo at VASO for the holiday season or this winter before they fill up!

Photo: Meg Berno via VASO

Land-Grant Brewing Company

424 W. Town Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
website | Facebook

Land-Grant has so much fun going on this winter for the perfect night out! In addition to their amazing beer, their beer garden offers fire pits, curling lanes, and igloos to hang out and dine-in. If a food truck isn’t on-site, you can bring outside food. They even offer a curling/igloo combination!

Igloos seat up to 8 people. Reservations are for 2 hours. Walk-ins are accepted for unreserved igloos on a first come, first served basis at the bar. Igloos include heaters and are self-service at the bar. 

You can also reserve a brewery curling lane which includes an igloo. Make a reservation at the bar or at landgrantbrewing.com/curling. 

The Royce Columbus

8791 Lyra Dr. Columbus, OH 43240, (614) 468-1313
website | Facebook

The Royce Winter Park features private igloos for dining with your loved ones. Igloos are decked out with blankets, heaters, and ambiance. Igloos can be reserved for 90 minutes for up to 6 people.

There is a $150 minimum spend for 4 people or less after 4 pm. For a party of 6 there is a $200 minimum after 4 pm. The minimums are toward the final bill and not in addition to the final bill. There’s no minimum for igloo-dining at lunch!

ALL reservations and questions will be answered by calling 614-468-1313 or emailing info@theroycecolumbus.com. Igloo reservations cannot be made on OpenTable.

Egloo’s at Easton

Egloo’s are back at Easton in 2021!

Enjoy an “ice-olated” dining experience that offers chic decor, comfortable seating, heat, air purification, and rigorous cleaning procedures in between guests. Interested in dining in an EGLOO? EGLOOS are available by reservation only The Beeline Bar and Forty Deuce! More are likely to pop-up this winter too!

Each restaurant operates their EGLOO reservations differently, so daily availability, times, and costs may vary. Each EGLOO fits 4-6 guests at a time. See details at this link, or find them below. 

The Beeline Bar

3989 Merchants Row Columbus, OH 43219   |  Tel. 614-532-5071
website

The Beeline Bar has 1 EGLOO available to seat 2-6.

Heated, furnished, and available six days a week, Beeline’s EGLOO is conveniently located next to The Yard, Easton’s newest greenspace and destination for live music, entertainment, and events. You and your guests will receive dedicated service and refreshing drinks within your two-hour booking window. Looking to stay a little bit longer? Ask about booking back-to-back timeframes.

​Between reservations, the EGLOO is ventilated, the air is purified, and our staff diligently sanitizes all surfaces. 

Spending minimums for your two-hour booking are $50 for Monday – Thursday, and $200 for Friday-Sunday. A credit card is required to confirm your reservation. The Beeline Bar doesn’t serve food, so you are welcome to bring outside food to the Egloo.

Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce

3959 Brighton Rose Sq Columbus, OH 43219, 614-681-4242
Call to book!

Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce has 1 EGLOO available, seating 4-6. Enjoy the newest VIP Dining Experience in our a heated, sanitized, and socially distanced out door Igloo!

Cherry Valley Hotel

2299 Cherry Valley Road SE , Newark, OH 43055, (740) 788-1200
website | Facebook

Guests can reserve one of four heated igloos, styled with comfortable seating, blankets to snuggle under and ambient lighting. The backdrop for these igloos will be Cherry Valley Hotel’s signature botanical gardens with its already spectacular ponds, waterfalls, and lights.

The igloos feature a winter prix-fixe menu featuring a four-course meal with a choice of entrée and sides. There is a festive holiday cocktail menu available. For dessert, each guest will receive a locally made hot cocoa bomb to take home or enjoy in the igloo from LT Creations.

Parties of 2-6 can reserve igloos for 90 minutes, Thursdays thru Saturdays. There is a 15-minute time frame between parties to allow a complete cleaning before the next reservation. Pricing begins at $65 per person with the option to add cocktails and other spirits. Book online. Additionally, guests can call (740) 788-1200 for New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day packages.

Cherry Valley Hotel Igloos

Amato’s Woodfired Pizza

6 South Sandusky Street, Delaware, OH 43015 740.369.8797
website | Facebook

Amato’s Woodfired Pizzas is bringing back the outdoor igloos that seat up to 8 people. Each igloo has a space heater, HEPA air filters, zippered windows for air circulation, and will be fogged with an EPA approved disinfectant between parties for the health and safety of everyone.

Igloos are available first come first serve, no reservations as of yet (check details after information in released in early December). 

Amato’s Woodfired Pizza

Dining igloos tba for 2020

The following are details from 2020 – we hope to hear that they will reopen in 2021 because it’s just such a fun experience!

1808 American Bistro

29 E. Winter Street Delaware, OH 43015 (740) 417-4373
website | Facebook

TBA for 2021

1808 American Bistro offers 3 secluded pod greenhouses that seat 2-4. Pods have personal heaters, air filtrations, and music, and are sanitized between customers. Book through Opentable or “Reserve” on the website. If you wish to dine in a pod, select “outdoor” once you select your date/time (if available). under “outdoor dining”.

1808 American Bistro

Restoration Brew Worx

25 N Sandusky St Delaware, OH 43015 (740) 990-7120
website | Facebook

TBA for 2021

Restoration Brew Worx offers Pods that seat 4 on a first come first serve basis, NO Reservations. Waitlist is available like for the patio. Each pod is heated and has a hospital grade HEPA filter. Six pods will be available once they are all complete, four of which will seat up to six!

photo: Restoration Brew Worx

DK Diner

1715 W 3rd Ave, Grandview Heights Ohio 43212
website | Facebook

TBA for 2021

Dine in the DK Diner Bubble! The igloo “Bubble” has a space heater, air filter, and zippered window for air circulation. Reservations are 90 minutes and seats 6 comfortably (but fits up to 8 guests). The bubble will be thoroughly cleaned between each group. Order from a specialty menu featuring small plates and fun boozy drinks.

Reservations are accepted by emailing Gloria@caterersthree.com.

DK Diner

Smith & Wollensky

4145 The Strand West, Columbus, Ohio. (614) 416-2400

website

Details TBA for 2021

Tucci’s 

35 N High St, Dublin, OH 43017  (614) 792-3466
website

TBA for 2021

Tucci’s has converted their patio into an enclosed and heated three seasons dining space. While this is not private or open air, it does allow them to spread diners out further with the addition of this space. They are also installing an iWave Air Purification system, which aids with the elimination of airborne pathogens 

Barcelona Restaurant and Bar

263 East Whittier Street, Columbus

TBA for 2021

Barcelona now offers heated winter cabanas. These mini greenhouses features a private table that can accommodate up to four guests so you can dine ‘out’ comfortably. Call 614.443.3699 to reserve your private Winter Cabana.

Know of other amazing outdoor winter dining experiences? Let us know in the comments, or email info@columbusonthecheap.com