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What’s on the menu at Open Aera’s glamorous 4,500-square-foot rooftop patio

It’s on the 39th floor of the Well

By Jessica Huras| Photography by Jelena Subotic

| August 29, 2024

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Name: Open Aera Contact: 8 Spadina Ave., 39th floor, 647-258-5207, aerarestaurant.com, @openaerarooftop
Neighbourhood: Wellington Place Owners: Oliver and Bonacini Chefs: Partner and corporate executive chef Anthony Walsh and executive chef Binit Pandey Accessibility: Not fully accessible

Since it opened earlier this year, Aera—Oliver and Bonacini’s swish steakhouse on the 38th floor of the Well—has drawn comparisons to its sister restaurant, Canoe, thanks to its sky-high setting and spectacular city views. In classic youngest-child fashion, however, Aera couldn’t resist outshining its patio-less older sibling with the opening of a new alfresco rooftop dining area dubbed Open Aera. (See what they did there?)

Open Aera’s breezy cream-toned aesthetic is a purposeful contrast to Aera’s comparatively moody and masculine interior. While Aera’s hearty steakhouse menu invites long, multi-course dinners, Open Aera’s lighter fare is designed for sipping and snacking. They also do brunch.

The 4,500-square-foot patio opens just in time to catch the last of the summer season, with plans to stay open until the end of September (or as long as the warm weather holds out).

The Food

Open Aera’s all-day menu brings a few greatest hits from Aera proper out into the sun—like the aged cheddar cornbread—but much of the heavier steakhouse fare is set aside in favour of summery sharables that highlight the kitchen’s premium fish and steak. “We wanted dishes that are familiar, snacky and easy,” says executive chef Binit Pandey.

This smashed avocado comes with taro and tortilla chips for dipping. It’s topped with thinly sliced radishes and parsley to bring a splash of colour. $18

The tuna crunch roll, a transplant from indoor Aera’s menu, is stuffed with bluefin tuna, takuan radish, scallion and avocado. $30

These pastry pockets are produced by Gaucho Pie Co. (run by Susan Arevalo, whose husband Anthony Walsh is the corporate executive chef for Oliver & Bonacini), then get baked and fried in-house. They’re packed with pickled jalapeno and cotija cheese and paired with a housemade Big Mac-style sauce. $21 — These pastry pockets are produced by Gaucho Pie Co. (run by Susan Arevalo, whose husband, Anthony Walsh, is the corporate executive chef for Oliver and Bonacini), then baked and fried in-house. They’re packed with pickled jalapeño and cotija cheese and paired with a house-made Big Mac–style sauce. $21

This chicken breast paillard reimagines a tuna niçoise with chicken as the star protein. The chicken is sous-vided, grilled and thinly sliced for easy sharing. It’s served over creamy garlic labneh, along with niçoise olives, potatoes, beans, tomatoes and halved quail eggs. $42 — This chicken breast paillard reimagines a tuna niçoise with chicken as the star protein. The chicken is sous-vided, grilled and thinly sliced for easy sharing. It’s served over creamy garlic labneh along with niçoise olives, potatoes, beans, tomatoes and halved quail eggs. $42

These chili chicken bites start with chicken dredged in a mixture of rice flour and cornstarch, which then gets fried and tossed in a housemade chili crisp-style sauce with more than 30 ingredients. Scallions and sesame seeds are added as a final touch. $23 — These chili chicken bites start with chicken dredged in a mixture of rice flour and cornstarch, which then gets fried and tossed in a house-made chili crisp–style sauce with more than 30 ingredients. Scallions and sesame seeds are added as a final touch. $23

For this dish, B.C. steelhead trout is seared skin-side down for a crispy finish. It’s plated over a chunky, spicy tomato sauce with a fennel and orange salad on the side. $34 — For this dish, BC steelhead trout is seared skin side down for a crispy finish. It’s plated over a chunky, spicy tomato sauce with a fennel and orange salad on the side. $34

Filled with a combination of bacon as well as brined and seasoned pork shoulder and belly, these corn tortillas are rounded out with leche de tigre, avocado and shredded cabbage. $29 — Filled with a combination of bacon and brined and seasoned pork shoulder and belly, these corn tortillas are rounded out with leche de tigre, avocado and shredded cabbage. $29

This velvety buttermilk panna cotta is crowned with fresh mint and hibiscus syrup, as well as whatever fresh berries the kitchen has on hand – in this case, it’s blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries – soaked in manuka honey. $18 — This velvety buttermilk panna cotta is crowned with fresh mint and hibiscus syrup as well as whatever fresh berries the kitchen has on hand—in this case, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries—soaked in manuka honey. $18

This seasonal spin on Filipino dessert halo halo is made with Ontario sweet corn and shaved ice. It’s sprinkled with salted caramel popcorn and topped with dulce de leche and a chocolate medallion embossed with the Aera logo. $21

The Drinks

The cocktail menu at Open Aera matches the selection available inside Aera. The current lineup focuses on refreshing tipples designed to complement the warm weather (and also happen to be perfect for patio sipping).

The Capybara is a twist on a Caipirinha cocktail, made with equal parts cachaça and pisco, along with dry vermouth, lime, passionfruit syrup as well as lime leaf and tiki bitters. $25 — The Capybara is a twist on a caipirinha made with equal parts cachaça and pisco along with dry vermouth, lime, passion fruit syrup, and lime leaf and tiki bitters. $25

The Barely Legal is a spirit-forward cocktail with a hint of tropical flair, featuring Bearface triple oak whisky, crème de banane, cynar, lime and a bubble of coconut smoke. $25 — The Barely Legal is a spirit-forward cocktail with a hint of tropical flair, featuring Bearface triple oak whisky, crème de banane, Cynar, lime and a bubble of coconut smoke. $25

Alongside their signature cocktails, Open Aera also offers classics like this Paper Plane, which comes with a little gold airplane paper clip garnish – a fitting order at this aviation-themed restaurant. $24 — Alongside its signature cocktails, Open Aera also offers classics like this paper plane, which comes with a little gold airplane paper clip garnish—a fitting order at this aviation-themed restaurant. $24

The Space

Designed by Solid Design Creative, Open Aera features sleek, neutral decor that incorporates subtle nautical elements like rope furniture and shade sails—nods to the lake visible below, which evoke a sense of escapism.

The faint blue tint of the glass windows also alludes to water

Teak wood tabletops and tasteful greenery enhance the getaway vibes, while a mix of cushy lounge seating and more formal tables allows the space to cater to both casual after-work drinks and snacks, as well as full meals — Teak tabletops and tasteful greenery enhance the getaway vibes while a mix of cushy lounge seating and more formal tables allows the space to cater to both casual after-work drinks and date-night dinners

The elegant bar has a natural quartzite top and tiers of lightning that illuminate it after dark

A restaurant with “open” in its name naturally includes an open kitchen — A restaurant with “Open” in its name naturally includes an open kitchen

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