Lakefront Brewery Brings Back Popular Winter Riverwalk Amenity
The cozy, heated hop houses are back after a one-year hiatus.
Hop House at Lakefront Brewery. Photo courtesy of Lakefront Brewery.
Lakefront Brewery wrapped up its patio renovations in mid-July, giving Milwaukeeans just a few months to enjoy the new space before the cold weather brought an end to outdoor dining. Or did it?
The brewery, 1872 N. Commerce St., on Friday announced the return of its Hop Houses after a one-year hiatus, effectively turning patio season into a year-round affair. The heated, outdoor huts offer the best of both worlds, allowing guests to take in riverfront views with both cold beer and warm hands.
Like many establishments, Lakefront introduced Hop Houses during the early days of the pandemic. The concept, originally designed to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, has demonstrated remarkable staying power long after initial restrictions were lifted. Domes, igloos, bubbles, tents and other structures of varying shapes and titles now make an annual appearance on patios and rooftops at numerous local establishments.
The trend is further accelerated by Wisconsin’s unforgiving winter weather, which cuts the outdoor dining season unbearably short; the warm, cozy domes provide a solution.
Lakefront’s Hop Houses, originally destined to be greenhouses, have been doctored up with flooring, seating, lighting, decor and heaters for optimum comfort. Located on the brewery’s newly-renovated patio, the structures face southeast, overlooking the Milwaukee River.
Hop Houses for six or eight guests are now available for private, 90-minute reservations. A reservation for six people costs $30, with a $100 minimum for food and beverage purchases. For eight people, the cost is $40 with a $150 minimum for food and beverage.
Lakefront’s usual menu will be available to order via QR code during each reservation. But there’s also an option to pre-order from the exclusive Hop House menu. Orders must be placed during the booking process.
Offerings include entrees such as chicken tenders and fries, fish fry and a sausage flight, as well as grazing boxes filled with s’mores ingredients, charcuterie and cheese or Bavarian pretzel bites. Other options include fried cheese curds and fry-cuterie, an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mixture of french fries, cheese curds, fried pickles, tater tots, chicken strips, dill pickle-seasoned kettle chips and various sauces. If the group isn’t feeling beer, the pre-order menu also features hot cocoa with all the fixings.
No pets, smoking or outside food and drink is permitted inside the Hop Houses.
Reservations are available to book online.
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