It is igloo season in Northeast Pennsylvania.
The cold-weather answer to outdoor dining is a pandemic trend that stuck around. Find them in Scranton, Clarks Summit, Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, the Back Mountain and Tamaqua.
The igloos almost always come with added fees but also offer a different experience. Some are open on holidays. Some accommodate large groups.
An igloo at Picciocchi’s Pasta on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (MELISSA JANOSKI/STAFF WRITER)
Lackawanna County
The two igloos at Picciocchi’s Pasta at 114 Wyoming Ave. in Scranton are open for lunch and dinner until early March.
Co-owner Kristy Picciocchi was busy Friday stringing garlands of fall leaves and fluffing plush blankets. Later she will switch over to Christmas decorations, with trees and stockings hanging from the electric heaters.
“Last year we booked every spot possible. So it’s very popular,” she said.
It boosts business in a couple of ways.
The igloos replace the warm-weather patio tables, keeping the restaurant’s capacity steady.
“We don’t have a private dining room, so this is nice, because you have your own little space and so it’s fun. During the holidays we love to have this.”
In Clarks Summit, igloos are open at State Street Grill.
Luzerne County
Casa Blanca Restaurant & Grill, which has a Caribbean-inspired menu, has two igloos open for lunch and dinner and may install a third on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Five Friedman Hospitality Group restaurants featuring contemporary American cuisine offer igloos.
Three have just opened their igloos for the season: Kevin’s, in Kingston; Cork Bar & Restaurant, in Wilkes-Barre; and the Beaumont Inn, a farm-to-table restaurant in a historic building and garden setting near Dallas.
“Beaumont’s actually one of the ones that kind of turns into almost a little igloo village out there,” said Erin Crofchick-Grzyboski, director of operations for Friedman Hospitality Group. “Their patio kind of gets taken over by just these, like stunning igloos.”
They also have a large special-event igloo. “It’s a perfect spot, and you could bring in your own decorations,” she said.
The Greens at Irem Clubhouse igloos in Dallas will open Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Fire & Ice igloos open Nov. 10. In addition to dinner, it is adding lunch in the igloos this year, serving a New York deli menu.
Crofchick-Grzyboski assures potential customers that the heaters inside the igloos keep them warm. Blankets are provided. She’s occasionally even opened a window to cool an igloo down.
Friedman Hospitality Group started offering igloos during the pandemic and found them successful enough to continue.
“It’s been beneficial,” she said. They are “a nice opportunity for guests to experience dining in a different way at a restaurant they already love, food-wise.”
A new Christmas attraction in Tamaqua
New owners are preparing for the first Christmas season since Heisler’s Dairy Bar opened in Tamaqua in 1957. It opens Nov. 12.
“It’s just a perfect combination to have the heated igloos with a Christmas theme, everything decorated for Christmas. So it’s just an unbelievable experience,” said owner Dwight Zimmerman.
Heisler’s menu is more informal than most igloo offerings. Heisler’s serves smash burgers, fresh cut fries cooked in avocado oil, homemade soft pretzels, snacks and ice cream.
Thirty igloos will cover picnic tables that can fit up to eight. Reservations will only be taken for larger, fully furnished igloos that seat from eight to 12. All will be heated.
“We’re going to be transforming Heisler’s into a Christmas wonderland,” Zimmerman said.
He is installing a lighted, decorated Christmas Walk, with a petting zoo and gift shop. One of the mini golf courses will be decorated and open.
Extra charges for igloos will be added to admission fees.
What to know about igloo dining
Temperature: Igloos are heated, but restaurateurs usually recommend cozy clothes. Some supply blankets.
Added fees: Igloos generally come at a price, charging non-refundable fees to secure reservations. The fees are generally not applied toward the bill.
Something different for the holidays: Some are open on holidays and offer igloos big enough for groups.
Size of the party: Seating is limited in the igloos and some restaurants also require a minimum size for groups.
Reservations: Most recommend or require reservations. Heisler’s Dairy Bar is an exception. It only takes reservations for its special event igloos.
Time limits: Many restaurants limit stays.
