A list of Wichita restaurants with big outdoor patios good for socially-distant dining
May and June — with often temperate weather and a low fly population — are always some of the best months in Wichita for outdoor dining.
But this year, people are looking for outdoor dining options for reasons other than enjoying the weather while they eat. Over the past several weeks, readers have been telling me they want to go out to eat again, but because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, they’d rather dine outdoors.
Over the past several years, Wichita’s al fresco dining scene has continually improved. And this year, several restaurant owners say, people have been requesting outdoor seats even as the weather heats up.
Here’s a list of some of the restaurants in Wichita that have the most spacious outdoor eating areas, in case that’s something you’re looking for.
Keep reading for lists of other less huge but always favorite outdoor dining spaces.
Patios with best social distancing potential
YaYa’s Eurobistro, 8115 E. 21st St.: Not only is it well-manicured, but the patio at YaYa’s Eurobistro in Wichita is one of the largest in town. On weekends, there’s live music outside, too.
Newport Grill, 1900 N. Rock Road: Also in Bradley Fair, this upscale steak and seafood restaurant has one of Wichita’s largest and most attractive patios. It’s two-tiered, faces a small lake and has lots of shade.
Public at the Brickyard, 129 N. Rock Island: One of Wichita’s largest outdoor entertainment venues is attached to a popular restaurant, and starting this summer, Public is opening up its entire open-air courtyard for food service. The patio is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.
Piatto Neapolitan Pizzeria, 1706 E. Douglas: This Wichita pizzeria hasn’t reopened its indoor dining room just yet but people can eat on its big patio in back. It features hanging lights, a Wichita mural and spaced out tables and chairs.
Felipe’s, 445 S. 119th St. West: The far west-side version of this family-owned local Mexican food chain has a large, pond-facing patio off the back of its restaurant at 119th and Maple.
Chicken N Pickle, 1240 N. Greenwich: This giant Wichita entertainment complex has several patios and lots of square feet of outdoor dining space. There’s a big main courtyard covered with a bright green turf, lots of picnic tables and seating sets scattered around the main level and also a second story patio that looks out over it all.
Nortons Brewing Company, 125 N. St. Francis: This brewery’s beer garden has lots of space for spreading out. It features picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, a circular structure fitted with six facing porch swings, a grassy knoll and a dog-friendly approach. The brewery is now serving its full menu to patio-sitters.
The Monarch, 579 W. Douglas: This Delano restaurant and bar has a large, wrap-around patio that’s always full in the summer. This year, tables are spaced out so there’s less seating but lots of room to social distance.
Paleteria La Reyna, 2925 N. Arkansas: This Mexican ice cream maker also has a big menu of Mexican specialties — and a big patio out front.
Sugar Shane’s Cafe, 430 State Street, Augusta: This restaurant, which serves American fare like wings, burgers, sandwiches and flatbreads, has a large outdoor dining space on the side of its building that’s covered in artificial grass, lined with potted palm trees and dotted with picnic tables.
Bramble Cafe, 3501 E. 101st St. North: This seasonal cafe just opened last weekend, and although its hours through the week are limited, it has a large and beautiful patio in a farm setting. The cafe, which should be open until early August, serves breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Stearman Field Bar & Grill, 14789 SW 30th St., Benton: This restaurant, owned by the folks behind Oak & Pie, Deano’s and Greystone in Wichita, has a big patio that faces an airport runway, and the restaurant has big garage doors that open up to expand the open-air dining experience.
Picasso’s Pizzeria, 621 W. Douglas: This year, Kurt Schmidt added another spacious new outdoor patio behind his Delano pizzeria, bringing the total to two and making lots more room for people who prefer to dine outdoors.
Favorite patios
These patios aren’t quite as spacious but are some of Wichita’s favorites and offer options for dining outdoors.
The Belmont, 3555 E. Douglas: It might not be easy to get a seat on the patio — or anywhere — at Wichita’s hot new College Hill restaurant. Its long, skinny, Douglas-facing patio has been full of diners since it opened a couple of weeks ago. During nice weather, the restaurant can open the doors on all sides, expanding the open-air dining space.
Prost, 2721 E. Central: This second-story patio allows people to eat German food and sip German beer while overlooking the courtyard at Revolutsia, the shipping container mall at Central & Volutsia.
Journey East Asia Grill, 4510 E. 19th St.: This new build-your-own bowl restaurant on Wichita State University’s innovation campus has a hidden patio that faces a man-made pond.
Larkspur, 904 E. Douglas: This downtown fine dining restaurant has one of Wichita’s longest-loved outdoor dining spaces, and it offers great views of activity in Old Town.
Vora, 3252 E. Douglas: This restaurant, which sits across from the Hillcrest Apartments on East Douglas, has a skinny, front-facing patio with lovely furnishings, and so far this season, it’s been full nearly every night.
Wine Dive, 4714 E. Douglas: This College Hill restaurant’s patio isn’t huge, but it’s always full, and this year, it’s been particularly popular.
Ziggy’s, 3700 E. Douglas: This pizzeria’s Clifton Square restaurant has a charming and cozy outdoor patio that feels like someone’s big back porch. Its east-side restaurant at 12115 E. 21st St. also has a decent-sized, attractive outdoor dining area.
Chester’s Chophouse, 1550 N. Webb Road: One of Wichita’s most luxurious outdoor dining spaces is attached to one of its most luxurious restaurants, and it has nice views of a man-made lake.
Georges French Bistro, 4618 E. Central: What this patio lacks in space it makes up for in charm, and it feels bigger when George’s is able to open up the massive all-season doors into the restaurant.
More outdoor dining areas worth a mention: Tanya’s Soup Kitchen, Pumphouse, P.F. Chang’s, 6S Steakhouse, River City Brewing Co., Twelve, College Hill Deli, Meddy’s downtown and east, Oak & Pie, Greystone, Crafted, Sabor, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop East, Il Vicino College Hill and Bradley Fair, Homegrown west, Bella Luna Cafe east and west, Fizz Burgers & Bottles, Fredo’s, Headshots, Two Olives
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 11:28 AM.
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