If you weren’t into al fresco dining before 2020, it probably became a habit during the pandemic, especially when lockdown orders barred eating indoors at restaurants. For many of us, the preferred outdoor seating came “Safer at Home” style on our own patios (and porches, driveways, or balconies). Whether we were enjoying takeout from a local eatery or food we cooked ourselves, we were getting some fresh air, too. Milwaukee Burger Co. (2620 E. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire) offered expanded, covered outdoor seating to keep the cold – and the coronavirus – at bay. And Cowboy Jack’s (1432 Front Porch Place, Altoona) made great use of its huge, double deck overlooking the Eau Claire River. –Tom Giffey