Fall weather is here and as it gets darker earlier and chillier at night, many local restaurants and bars with patios open are encouraging customers to dress in layers to ensure a comfortable outdoor eating experience. To be sure, Detroit diners are well-acquainted with cold weather, but there’s perhaps never been a year when outdoor seating has been more pervasive or necessary. Outdoor seating has been an essential ingredient to keeping many local restaurants and bars afloat over the past several months, allow them to grow their seating amid capacity limits and social distancing requirements.
Patio seating is also generally considered to be a safer option by health experts than eating indoors, because the open air better disperses airborne droplets that may carry the novel coronavirus. Customers have also expressed a preference for outdoor dining as well during the pandemic — even if it’s cold. According to a recent Eater Detroit poll, 64 percent of respondents said they will choose an outdoor dining option this winter rather than moving indoors or switching back to takeout and delivery-only dining.
While heaters and fire pits in combination with semi-enclosed spaces like tents and igloos can help stave off some of the winter chill, customers should definitely plan on dressing warm when going out for a meal. Below, find a guide to some of the local restaurant merch available right now to help keep you warm and support small businesses. Don’t forget the most important accessory, a face mask.
Sweatshirts
All manner of crewneck pullover sweatshirts are available at local restaurants and bars with cute illustrations and prints to help mix up a fall wardrobe.
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Green Pullover
- $29
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Rose’s always manages to have the cutest designs and the softest shirts and sweatshirts. This retro mint green pullover is one of Eater Detroit’s favorites from this year.
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Rainbow Sweatshirt (Unisex)
- $45
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Take it from us. The rainbow decals used to print Eli Tea’s shirts and sweatshirts is super sturdy and the fabrics are soft and cozy, perfect for cuddling up with a warm mug of matcha.
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Flower Sweatshirt
- $36
Prices taken at time of publishing.
At the Skip’s online shop, folks can stock up on to-go cocktails plus coolers and tiki mugs and fun sweatshirts like this one super soft crewneck sweatshirt with a flower perched inside a beer bottle.
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Shop Sweatshirt
- $40
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Michigan-born artist Meredith Miotke makes whimsical illustrations often featuring local products and shops around Detroit. Bon Bon Bon uses her cheerful drawing of the shop for this super cool collaboration crewneck sweatshirt. The online shop also features other printed sweatshirts and beanies.
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Unisex Sweatshirt
- $28
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Brush Park restaurant Grey Ghost’s mascot is a pirate ghost. The eyepatch-wearing apparition is featured on all sorts of pullovers, zip-up hoodies, long-sleeve shirts, and knit beanies at the restaurant’s online shop.
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Unisex Tropical Skull Sweatshirt (Pink)
- $40
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Definitely the loudest colored item on this list, Lost River’s pullover also stands out for its tropical skull design. It also comes in a most subdued slate gray with a pink print.
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Logo Sweatshirt
- $32
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Sister Pie keeps things classic with its bright red sweatshirt merch. As a bonus, these super soft sweatshirts come in both adult and kid sizes (starting at $16), so you can dress up the whole family.
Hoodies
Keep your arms, hands, and head warm with layers of hoodies and zip-up sweatshirts.
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Beer Makes Me Happy Pullover Hoodie
- $35
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Support a local brewery and also promote your love of beer with this pullover hoodie from Batch Brewing Company. The brewpub also features branded beanies, long-sleeve shirts, and zipper hoodies in the online shop.
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Two James Hoodie (Heather)
- $55
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Layer up with this zippered hoodie from Two James Spirits comes in gray or black with front pockets to shove your mittens into when it gets chilly. The online shop features the distillery’s logo on long sleeved shirts, too.
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Vampire Lair Hoodie (Unisex)
- $55
Prices taken at time of publishing.
As a tribute to The Lost Boys, chef James Rigato had Mabel Gray “Vampire Lair” merch made up. Fangs and bats with antler wings decorate the black zip-up hoodies and mugs on the restaurant’s online ordering platform.
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Women’s Polska Hoodie
- $60
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Want to layer up in Polish accessories? The Pietrzyk Pierogi online store features zip-up hoodies, cute printed bags, and oven mitts to celebrate the country that gave metro Detroit so many delicious boiled and fried dumplings.
Beanies
Represent your favorite brewery or cheese shop while keeping your ears warm.
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Logo Beanies
- $15
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Brewery Faisan was just barely getting started when the pandemic hit. Customers can support the Belgian-style brewery by purchasing beer to-go and picking up merch from the online shop. Keep your ears warm with cozy embroidered beanies or cuddle up in a crewneck sweater.
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Beanie
- $12
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Pick up a wine-colored beanie to go with some wine and cheese from Mongers’ Provisions.
Scarves
Layer up with knit scarves.
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Scarf
- $20
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Ferndale Project and Eastern Market Brewing Company have all manner of cold weather merch in their online shop from sweatpants with bird logos to knit scarves to long-sleeve henley shirts.
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