Toronto’s best new patios
This is it: Labour Day is on the horizon, and with it, the unofficial end of patio season. Get out there while there’s still time. Here are 15 new outdoor seats on which to sip ice-cold drinks.
The Aviary
484 Front St. E., 647-352-7837, aviarybrewpub.com
Type: A huge wraparound patio at the base of a new condo.
Good for: Pints and flights of Longslice brews (the hibiscus-y Aloha Pale Ale is very refreshing) paired with the bar’s tasty pub grub, like house-made sausages and fried chicken sandwiches. Also: giant Jenga.
Baro
485 King St. W., 416-363-8388, barotoronto.com
Type: Covered rooftop.
Good for: Drinking fruity, boozy cocktails outside on rainy days.
Bodega Henriette King
234 King St. E., 416-508-3466, bodegahenriette.com
Type: Tucked-away, plant-filled courtyard.
Good for: Date nights for their souped-up snacks (hello, poblano poppers and Nashville chicken gizzards) and excellent house cocktails.
The Burren
1301 Queen St. E., 416-901-5575, theburren.ca
Type: Big street-facing front patio with umbrellas.
Good for: Pints of beer—there’s Guinness of course, but a lot of other more refreshing summer types, too—and oysters or their Three-Way Potato Poutine.
Coffee Oysters Champagne
214 King St. W., 416-408-4044, sipshucksip.com
Type: A courtyard down a short flight of stairs.
Good for: Coffee, oysters and champagne... obviously. Celebrating something? Get a bunch of those bivalves and try the Classic Champagne Cocktail made with Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial and Remy Martin VSOP cognac. That’s double the fancy.
The Gaarden
314 Queen St. W., 416-666-7740, thegaardento.com
Type: A plant-filled rooftop garden—sorry, gaarden—that’s a collaboration between Hoegaarden and Ink Entertainment.
Good for: Snaacks, chaampaagne and cocktaails. Try the jerk chicken on a bun and some rum punch to make the Queen West visit feel more like a trip to the tropics. They also do sangria and margarita pitchers.
Kensington Brewing Co.
299 Augusta Ave., 647-352-9904, kensingtonbrewingcompany.com
Type: A street-side patio that’s more function over fashion (which is fine) that gets almost all of the day’s sun.
Good for: Kicking back with cold beers after strolling through the market. Bonus: There’s no kitchen here, which means you can BYO food. Know what goes well with beer? Tacos, empanadas, jerk chicken, donairs... basically everything you can find in the market.
Noce
875 Queen St. W., 416-504-3463, nocerestaurant.ca
Type: Street-side, with some covered areas.
Good for: Canoodling over snacks like porchetta-topped crostini and a choice of nine (yes, nine) takes on a negroni.
North of Brooklyn
511 Rogers Rd., 647-358-4800, northofbrooklyn.com
Type: Front-yard beer garden.
Good for: Beer and pizza, of course. Duh.
Pancho y Emiliano
291 King St. W., 416-925-8459, panchoyemiliano.com
Type: Rooftop.
Good for: Pre- or post-TIFF tequila and tacos.
Paradise Grapevine
841 Bloor St. W., no phone, paradisegrapevine.com
Type: Covered backyard.
Good for: Losing track of time over interesting natural wines and plates of cheeses and cured meats.
Score on King
107 King St. E., 416-519-4654, scoreonking.com
Type: Street-side.
Good for: Celebrating sports wins (or drowning sorrows over losses) with beer and the most ridiculous caesars you’ve ever seen.
Stackt Market
28 Bathurst St., no phone, stacktmarket.com
Type: Beer garden in a complex of shipping containers.
Good for: Furry friends (it’s very dog-friendly), making friends (the tables are all communal) and pints of Belgian Moon (because of the on-site brewery).
Viaggio
1727 Dundas St. W., 416-519-8165, viaggiorestaurant.ca
Type: A side patio facing a quite park.
Good for: Pizza (the restaurant just installed a massive outdoor pizza oven) and easy-drinking house cocktails, some of which are zero-proof.
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