July 10, 2025

With four new restaurants alone at The Steel District downtown, another nearby at Jacobson Plaza and a scattering across central, west and south Sioux Falls, there are lots of new options for outdoor dining and drinking this season. Here are 11 that we’re featuring now, and we’ve got a few more we’ll bring you before the season is over.

Dahlia Kitchen + Bar

For chef-driven street tacos and margaritas, the patio at Dahlia Kitchen + Bar delivers.

The restaurant opened in late fall last year on the first floor of the office tower at The Steel District, so the patio is new this season, It wraps around the north and west sides of the restaurant, providing covered seating for 80 diners.

“The Dahlia patio is the perfect spot for fresh, and delicious Mexican food,” said Collin Matheson from the marketing team, noting that the meat is cooked on a wood-fired spit. “There’s nothing quite like a $10 pitcher of margaritas and some guacamole for a fun brunch out with friends.”

The menu features several appetizers that are good for sharing, and the tequila cellar has more than 200 varieties. Not a tequila fan? Dahlia has a full liquor license, so there are lots of other choices and several Mexican and other beers.

Dahlia doesn’t take reservations for the patio because of the weather’s unpredictability, but diners who book online can request outdoor seating in their notes. Dogs are welcome on the patio.

Hours for the patio are the same as the restaurant: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Big Sioux Burger

Next door to Dahlia, Big Sioux Burger, which also opened in late fall, offers patio seating on the north side of the building.

The patio is a bright splash of color with oversized red chairs. Diners can people-watch as walkers come and go from the River Greenway.

“Big Sioux Burger is the perfect spot for a casual meal on a warm summer day,” Matheson said. “Whether you’re doing breakfast after a trip to the farmers market or a post-work happy hour or want to do a great bar crawl all in one convenient spot, Big Sioux Burger is your destination.”

He recommends enjoying the Wedge Burger and an ice-cold beer on the patio. The burgers are smashburger style with freshly ground patties that are a mix of ribeye, chuck and brisket.

Big Sioux Burger opens for breakfast at 8 a.m. daily. It closes at 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 11 p.m. Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday.

Dogs are welcome on the patio.

Ironwood

Set along the river in the same officer tower, the two-story Ironwood Steakhouse offers a great view of the upper falls and upscale food and drink. The patio is on the first floor, raised above the walkway for the River Greenway.

Ironwood opened in November 2024, so diners are getting their first chance to eat outside this summer. The patio offers seating for 29 guests at a mix of tables for two and four. As space allows, the tables can be combined for larger groups.

“The patio at Ironwood is the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious cocktail or glass of wine while listening the water cascading over the falls,” Matheson said. “After a refreshing beverage, stay for a delicious and refined steak dinner al fresco. It’s the perfect balance of summer and sophistication.”

His top two picks? Fresh East Coast oysters and a glass of white or sparkling wine or the 8-ounce wagyu zabuton steak grilled over a wood fire with an Old-Fashioned.

Hours are 4 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekend, and dogs are welcome on the patio.

Cascata Italian Cuisine

Also at The Steel District, in the separate building that houses Canopy by Hilton, the patio for Cascata Italian Cuisine offers views similar to those from Ironwood’s patio.

The patio along the River Greenway is 50 feet from the water’s edge, executive chief Chris Hodapp said.

“Our patio offers an intimate, elevated dining experience nestled beside the natural beauty of Falls Park,” he said. “With cozy seating and unobstructed views of the cascading falls, it’s the perfect setting to unwind, connect and savor the moment.”

The patio seats 90 guests, mostly at tables for four, which can be pulled together to seat more people. Couples and pairs of friends can enjoy a few tables for two, and there are six cushioned couches for relaxing.

Cascata sources 80 percent of the ingredients for its food locally, Hodapp said. It also features an extensive wine and specialty cocktail list.

The Steel District features live music during lunch on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and on concert nights at the adjacent Levitt at the Falls, guests on the patio can hear the music clearly, he said.

Reservations can be made for the patio through Open Table or by calling the restaurant.

Hours are the same as the restaurant: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Dogs are welcome on the patio.

The Lodge Bar & Grill

Just north of The Steel District, The Lodge Bar & Grill is on the grounds of Jacobson Plaza, which opened in late June.

The restaurant, which opened in spring, is part of the warming house for the park’s ice ribbon, which will feature ice-skating in the winter but is used now for in-line skating and other activities.

The patio for The Lodge offers seating for 63 people, and because it’s mostly full sun, almost all the tables have umbrellas.

It’s a relaxing but also lively setting, general manager Andy Wolf said.

The restaurant’s hydraulic doors open to the patio as long as it’s not too hot or humid, Wolf said. One wall features a two-sided fireplace, allowing diners inside and outside to enjoy a view of the flames. At night, string lights on the patio add to the ambience.

The bar features a full liquor license and offers a menu of signature cocktails and mocktails. The restaurant’s menu includes small bites like cheese curds, chislic and Swedish meatballs; several smashburgers; other sandwiches; and options for kids.

Wolf’s pick for the patio would be the traditional Milt’s Classic smashburger paired with the Spicy Sunset Margarita. He’s also a fan of The 1908, which is made with raspberry vodka, lemon juice, muddle raspberries, soda water and mint.

Dog owners who visit the plaza’s Pawsible Dog Park can bring them to the patio but not inside the restaurant.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Ode to Food and Drinks

Ode to Food and Drinks changed locations over the winter, finding a new downtown home just a little farther south along the Big Sioux River.

The former Falls Landing space in the Country Inn & Suites features a riverside patio like Ode’s original home in Cherapa Place.

Opening day March 12 was warm enough that the restaurant set out its patio furniture.

The patio holds just over 100 people — more than the indoor seating for 80.

Customers can watch activity along the city’s recreation path and on the Eighth Street bridge, with a view to the north of the Arc of Dreams. Trees along the trail provide shade in the evening, and some of the tables have umbrellas.

Plans are being made for live music on the patio, owner Theresa Flannery Kramer said.

Her recommended food picks for the patio are GOAT cheese or Lotus Tuna Salad, bruschetta or Tuna Poke. For drinks, the bloody mary and mimosa bars are great during brunch, and there are $5 housemade sangrias or margaritas during happy hour, which is from opening to 6 p.m. daily. Ode also features local brewer Altered Species Ales, offering up to five of its brews on tap.

Dogs are welcome on the patio.

Trio Jazz Club

Trio Jazz Club, which opened downtown a year ago, offers patio seating.

The live music venue has seating for almost 50 inside and 20 on the patio. It’s in between owner Vinyahd Restaurant Group’s other offerings at Washington Square: Brix Wine Bar and Mirabella Ristorante.

While reservations can be made for seating inside the club, that’s not an option for the patio. Customers who make reservations can request a table outside when they arrive if one is available.

The front of the club is a wall of windows, so customers on the patio can see inside, and if the door is propped open, they can hear the live music.

A couple of freestanding umbrellas provide shade, and dogs are welcome outside.

Trio Jazz Club offers a full menu, which is different from Maribella and Brix. “It has personal sized portions and different food options for appetizers, pizzas, pastas and desserts,” said Berent Tarabelsi, director of marketing. His parents, Riccardo and Marybeth own the restaurant group.

The club features a signature cocktail list and drinks with names like Take 5 or Consider Me Miles Davis. “Our drinks are sure to be conversation at the table,” Tarabelsi said.

His picks would be the Miles Davis drink with risotto balls to start, a pasta dish for the main course and cannoli for dessert.

Hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with an occasional after-party with late hours on Saturday nights.

Perch

Perch offers a garden-like setting for enjoying a latte and pastry or a glass of prosecco and Salad Lyonnaise.

The patio is on the east side of the historic renovated building in a residential neighborhood west of downtown. It features large potted ferns and is covered by a pergola, which helps to keep it shaded, said Barry Putzke, who is part of the ownership group.

Perch opened last summer and added patio seating in early fall.

The patio has overhead heaters, which extend its use in the spring and fall on chillier days, Putzke said. Three rectangular firepits with glass walls also can add warmth. The team is exploring options to make the space more enclosed as well to extend its use.

“It feels very intimate with an upscale vibe because of the craftsmanship and attention to detail that went into the renovation,” Putzke said. “I think it’s one of the best patios around.”

The patio can be rented for private dinners in the evening, with options for Perch or En Place Catering to provide the food.

Finishing touches are being made to an outbuilding that will help with service for the patio, he said. It will include an espresso machine that also can be used for grab-and-go customers or someone who sits on the patio but doesn’t want table service.

Dogs are welcome on the patio.

Big Lost Meadery & Brewery

Big Lost Meadery & Brewery also is taking advantage of its first summer in business in Sioux Falls with a lakeside patio.

The business opened in February on the north shore of Lake Lorraine and features an upper patio with seating for 65 and a lower patio with seating for 45.

The upper patio has a wooden pergola to provide some shade, planters with flowers and extra lighting for after sunset, owner Sam Clikeman said.

The covered lower-level patio is set up with games like cornhole, ladder golf and giant jenga.

Both patios are relaxing “with quiet music, fresh air, no TVs and an unbeatable view of Sioux Falls – a place for friends old and new.”

Dogs are welcome on the patio.

Big Lost makes mead at its Wyoming location but crafts the mead cocktails on-site and makes ice-cold sloshies in the summer. The beer is brewed here, and there also are guest beers from South Dakota and Minnesota breweries on tap. Wine offerings are unique and small brands, Clikeman said.

Ranch & Roost is located in the same building and offers burgers with never-frozen steak that is ground on-site every morning. Chicken for the sandwiches also is never frozen and comes from one farm in Colorado. Fries are cut from raw potatoes, and all frying is done in beef tallow.

Hours for the business at 2215 S. Lorraine Place are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Hook & Ladder Kitchen & Bar

On the west side of Sioux Falls, Hook & Ladder Kitchen & Bar has turned a former patio with a few tables and chairs into an inviting oasis.

A wooden fence surrounds the patio on the west side of the restaurant, which opened last year as Session Ale Works but is under new ownership.

There is seating for 60 customers at nine tables, most of which have room for eight people, along with comfy chairs surrounding two firepits.

Screens above the wooden fence can be lowered for additional shade.

Manager Jason Browning said customers will find 27 beers on tap, with lots of craft beer options that are changing constantly. For food, there are lots of shareables, including nachos and wings in a half-dozen flavors, and “really good” pizzas from the kitchen’s brick oven, along with burgers, sandwiches and tacos.

Live music is offered occasionally on the patio, with the next offering coming up July 18, Browning said. Dogs are welcome outside.

The restaurant at 323 S. Whitewood Circle – along 12th Street east of Ellis Road, is next to a fire station. It opens daily at 11 a.m., closing at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday.

The Tavern Grill

Now in its first summer in Sioux Falls, The Tavern Grill offers patio seating on the south and east sides of the building.

The area on the south side of the building offers covered seating on both sides of the entrance. The tables on the east side feature umbrellas for shade.

“The front covered deck is nice if it’s rainy or misting,” general manager Chcuk Geurts said. It’s also a nice area for larger gatherings.

Customers will find a good selection of appetizers for sharing on the patio, icy cold mugs for beer and refreshing summer drinks like a cucumber spritz.

Dogs are welcome on the patio.