Whether it’s kids and pets running around the house or an uncomfortable makeshift office, it's easy to get distracted when working from home. But with many companies not ready to send employees back to work full-time, you still need to find a productive place to work – and considering the risk that many public buildings and indoor spaces pose due to COVID-19, it can feel like you’re trapped in your home. 

Thankfully, with many local cafes and restaurants providing outdoor seating, a solution to your work-from-home productivity nightmares might be at hand.

To help sort out where to go for outdoor seating, OnMilwaukee has listed ten cafes – from popular national brands to local up-and-comers – offering patio or sidewalk seating as a new office space. As always, though, remember to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines of social distancing and mask-wearing.

Colectivo Coffee
2211 N. Prospect Ave., (414) 273-3753
colectivocoffee.com
Colectivo Coffee is a cafe that needs no introduction, as the brand has firmly rooted itself in Milwaukee’s caffeine-loving community. These common meeting places in local neighborhoods have reopened (excluding the Bayshore and the US Bank locations) which includes their expansive patios for outdoor seating, particularly at the Lakefront location. For the full list of locations, click here.

Fairgrounds Coffee + Tea
1001 N. Astor St., (414) 395-3003
fairgrounds.cafe
This fairly new addition to the Milwaukee cafe scene weathered the lockdown and has emerged offering its usual variety of intriguing coffee and tea options – all available with outdoor seating at your pleasure. 

Full of Beans Cafe 
184 S. 2nd St., (414) 539-6448
fullofbeanscafe.com
If you’re looking to stop by this small coffee shop, you'll have to get there early to snag a spot as they currently have two seats outside, but they are looking to expand. And even with the current limited seating arrangement, Full of Beans Cafe more than makes up for it with its large menu filled with housemade baked goods and drink options.

Hawthorne Coffee Roasters
4177 S. Howell Ave., (414) 331-1382
hawthornecoffeeroasters.com
This family-owned coffee shop is offering coffee-to-go with the option to take a seat outside and enjoy a cup of coffee. Currently, they are not offering indoor seating. 

Roast Coffee Company
2132 E. Locust St., (414) 963-6363
facebook.com/roastcoffeecompany
Close to the UW-Milwaukee campus in the heart of the upper East Side, Roast Coffee Company is currently selling out of its outdoor coffee kiosk. Order and take a seat under an umbrella weather permitting.

Rochambo Coffee & Tea House
1317 E. Brady St., (414) 291-0095
rochambo.com
Soak in the storied atmosphere of Rochambo Coffee & Tea House from its outside sidewalk seating. They currently have four tables available for working or just enjoying a cup and some conversation – and might add an extra table soon.

Starbucks 
920 N. Water St., (414) 272-0232
starbucks.com
Though not a local company, if other options are filled up, go back to the basics and head to Starbucks for their outdoor patios. For the full list of locations, click here.

Stone Creek Coffee
2650 N. Downer Ave., (414) 270-1008
stonecreekcoffee.com
With 11 locations across southeastern Wisconsin, Stone Creek Coffee is a local institution. They reopened in June for walk-in orders with the option of socially distanced outdoor seating. 

For the full list of locations, click here.

Valentine Coffee Roasters
5918 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, (414) 988-8018
7981 S. 6th St., Oak  Creek, (414) 405-2280
valentinecoffeeco.com
This community-based coffee shop offers a carefully sourced menu of coffee grounds from around the world. It has opened its patios at both locations, so if you’re in the area, order a coffee, grab a seat and get productive.

Venture Brewing Co
5519 W. North Ave., (414) 856-4321
vennturebrewco.com
Offering several different coffee bean varieties as well as a selection of creatively-named beers on tap, Venture Brewing Co. has opened with new hours and rules as Milwaukee County is entering phase four of reopening. In addition to outdoor seating, the cafe is allowing limited indoor seating.