Celebrating a momentous occasion in the midst of COVID-19 can prove to be challenging. You don’t want to break the rules and opt for an activity that throws social distancing to the sidelines, but you don’t want to sit at home on the couch that has become an honorary member of the family either. The weather is a bit too cold to spend the day outside but you’re aching to get out of the house for a little adventure.
This was the scenario that my husband and I found ourselves in one Friday as we were looking to celebrate our anniversary. Then, like something out of a social media influencer’s daydream we thought of it, we would have apps and drinks in a bubble. You know, those trendy plastic bubbles that are cropping up on every restaurant patio as they attempt to navigate the world of outdoor dining amidst the chilly winter season. Milwaukee is home to a number of said bubbles and they had piqued our interest with their cute décor and sparkling fairy lights, or if nothing else, for the novelty of it all.
The Place: Café Hollander on Downer Ave
One of my all time faves. Impossible Burgers plus sweet potato fries equals heaven on earth. Café Hollander also has a huge select of bomb ass drinks and tasty appetizers so its fair to say that everyone can find something that they’ll love on the menu.
The Outdoor Dining Situation:
A Belgian themed eatery, the patio at Café Hollander currently features four domes and four “canal houses” which are basically mini greenhouses with a picnic table and heater inside. Each seats six guests who can enjoy the space for up to 90 minutes of aesthetically pleasing outdoor dining.
The domes seemed safe, but we weren’t sure just how COVID-friendly they really were. Sure, they’ll keep you isolated from other diners, but how clean are they really? Well, according to Café Hollander’s website, the restaurant follows strict protocols to ensure that each canal and dome is thoroughly sanitized including staggering reservation times so that groups arrive and exit at different times, 30 minutes of deep cleaning and “utilizing atomizer fog bombs to target airborne pathogens and bacteria.” Now that sounds scientific. Each setup also features proper ventilation so that it can be aired out between guests. And of course, both guests and servers are expected to wear their masks whenever interacting with each other.
How Much Did it Cost?:
Because we went at a slower time of day we were only required to pay the additional $25 cleaning fee on top of our bill. However, if you plan to book a dome or canal house during peak times you can expect to pay upwards of $100 but it doesn’t come without its perks as that buys you a free “Snackuterie Box” in addition to reserving your spot.
Our Experience:
It was wet, cold and dreary the day that we visited Café Hollander. We opted for a Canal House since we figured that sitting in a dome in the rain might be light sitting in a tent in the middle of a downpour. The Canal House was a little chilly upon entering but that changed quickly once the host turned up our personal space heater.
The space felt clean and well-kept, there wasn’t much to it, just a plastic picnic table and a roller cart in the corner with a basket of napkins and condiments which the host brought out just for us. There was a line of string lights hung just outside of our house and some cute plants were fixed to the ceiling. The ambiance was good. However, we were pretty close to street-side traffic with just some plywood board separating us from city buses and traffic whirring by.
I felt bad for our waitress who was bouncing between tables and in and out of the café as the rain started to come down harder. She said that it wasn’t a big deal and that she was used to it by now. We each ordered a beer paired with two appetizers – soft pretzels with cheese and cheese curds. Has there ever been a more Wisconsinite-style lunch?
Our visit was peaceful and enjoyable and the food was great. Overall, I think that Café Hollander and its staff are doing a good job adapting to the current struggles and we felt safe and comfortable during our stay.
If you’re interested in checking out an outdoor bubble dining experience I say go for it but with a few caveats. First, I wouldn’t recommend this experience if you’re planning to dine with anyone outside of your household as that easily goes against quarantine guidelines since you’re still in close proximity to each other inside of the bubble. Second, I recommend doing some research on what the restaurant in question is doing to ensure your health and safety when it comes to cleaning procedures and mask requirements. But overall, dining in a bubble is a fun and safe way to get out of the house for a meal with the one (or ones) you love.
The Peculiar Adventurer 
I haven’t been to a restaurant since March and don’t plan to unless it’s safe. Cafe Hollander is walking distance from my house, and if I thought everyone else was following the rules, I’d go. But as we all know, everyone is not following the rules, thus the spike in Covid cases in Milwaukee and Wisconsin. Thanks for the article, but zero chance I go out to eat until this has passed. This is not a societal indictment, just how I personally feel.
LikeLike
Completely understandable! We were on the fence about going too, so I see where you’re coming from. Stay safe, Charlie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the visuals!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Great post! I’m trying to imagine what pretzels with cheese curds is like… We don’t have the bubble dining thing here (Scotland) and all our restaurants/pubs/hotels are now closed again, but my husband and I have vowed that we will go out to eat at least once a week when this is all over.
LikeLike
Thank you! Do you guys have the option of curbside pickup? We’ve been enjoying that over the past months.
LikeLike