#DYK you can find many of the best patios in Toronto in one unique neighbourhood? When it comes to outdoor dining, the Distillery District is the place to be this summer!
From the cobblestone streets to the Victorian industrial architecture, the heritage design of the Distillery District sets the bar high when it comes to outdoor dining atmosphere.
With contemporary restaurants and bars built into historic buildings, string-light-decorated laneways and a chill but buzzy vibe throughout the pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood, the Distillery District is a Toronto patios hotspot.
Here’s how to find your perfect table no matter what type of patio mood you’re in.
Best Distillery District patio for group hangs
With its bright yellow seating, cheerful tiled feature walls and bold, oversized chandeliers, the patio at El Catrin Destileria feels designed specifically for fun group hangs with your pals. Add in refreshing margarita flights and tasty Mexican fare and that’s a recipe for summertime memories you and your crew will cherish for years to come.
El Catrin is a must for hot, sultry nights because it’s decked out with misters to help keep you and your crew cool!
Order this: Tacos guasave, a fun play on textures (think crunchy and creamy) that’s made up of crispy tortillas filled with PEI potatoes and mouth-watering mahi mahi ceviche, which is extra flavourful thanks to tomato, onion, serrano chile and cilantro.
Best Distillery District patio for a romantic date night
What’s more intimate than sharing plates with your date? (You know the saying: Spain is for lovers… ) All the more reason to make the patio at MICHELIN-recognized, Barcelonian-influenced Madrina Bar y Tapas, your outdoor dining spot for an intimate night out with a date.
Order this: For the ultimate summer sip, Madrina’s Pearl Diver Martini, which includes olive notes and a twist of nori atop a PEI oyster. For a sexy dish to share, the rich, buttery steak tartare on bone marrow (topped with egg yolk sauce and soy pearls) has a totally primal feel.
Best Distillery District patio for solo people-watching
Opening up to the main square at the south end of Trinity Street, the patio at Balzac’s Coffee Roasters is the ideal spot to pull up to a table for one. Sit on the quiet patio to read a book or people-watch. The bustle of locals and tourists in the square makes for great entertainment as you take a breather between shop and gallery hopping.
Order this: Hit refresh with Balzac’s signature icy cold cherry guava lemonade.
Best Distillery District patio for celebrations
With its elevated fish and seafood-focused menu and a French flair that makes a meal here feel like an escape to southern France, Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie is the spot if you want a patio to celebrate something special—whether that’s a promotion, engagement or just toasting the amazing summer weather.
Order this: Beat the heat with chilled delicacies from Cluny’s new raw bar. Rainbow trout crudo and grilled swordfish ceviche are perfect for sharing. Or slurp down oysters in the half shell served up with nuoc nam mignonette.
Best Distillery District patio for easy-breezy vibes
If you’re craving a laidback mood, hit up the patio at Mill Street Brewery. There are barrels you use as tabletops, and on Saturdays from 12 to 4 p.m., they’ve got "Beats and Brunch" on the patio with a live DJ. Order a flight of beers—choosing from their menu of nearly 20 beers—and balance out your brews with some bites.
Order this: The shareables are crowd pleasers! Be sure to start with a massive pretzel served with a side of their delectable house cheese sauce. For something more substantial, fill your belly with a classic pub favourite like chicken wings and poutine, to fish and chips or a mountain of nachos.
Best Distillery District patio for Instagram captures
With its pedestrian-only cobblestone streets, the Distillery District could be mistaken for a piazza in Italy when you’re sitting on the patio at Eataly. Located in the lower level of men’s fashion clothier Gotstyle, this patio places you near the Trinity Street entrance, where there’s plenty of comings and goings, from locals with their dogs to families visiting Toronto with their little ones in tow.
Order this: Sit back at this pop-up outpost of the Italian food emporium and enjoy a delectable serving of gelato or a decadent pastry—after capturing it for the ’gram, of course—and be sure to also snap yourself living your best patio life with the iconic green Gooderham & Worts walkway as your backdrop.
Best Distillery District patio for Canadiana
O, Canada! Celebrate our country on the patio at Pure Spirits.
Order these: Pure Spirits’ menu shines a light on Canada’s local ingredients, from Dungeness crab from B.C. and cheese curds from Quebec (both deliciously in the spotlight in its crab poutine), to Ontario wines and local craft beer. A summertime staple, lobster rolls, are prepared here with an East Coast lobster and greens from Ontario.
And don’t sleep on the oysters, with nearly three dozen varieties on offer.
Wash it all down with a glass of 13 Kings Cellars Riesling from Niagara-on-the-Lake, or if you’re more into cocktails, their delightful Pineapple Smash is made with Bearface Canadian whisky. Take your pick of local beers from a range of breweries, including Waterloo Brewing, Henderson Brewing Company and Manitoulin Brewing Co.
You can also flex that Canadian pride at IZUMI Sake Brewery, which is home to the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company. As the name implies, IZUMI uses spring water from Muskoka to brew sake varieties. Sip on a sake flight on their patio, steps away from where they brew the sake.
Tips for visiting the Distillery District
With its historic charm and bustling retail, dining and gallery scene, a visit to the Distillery District can easily fill the better part of a day or evening.
Kick things off with a guided walking tour so you can learn all about the neighbourhood’s rich heritage, then grab a coffee, shop for unique souvenirs, check out Distillery District art galleries and sit down to drinks and dining under the stars.
Can’t settle on a single patio? Curate your own progressive meal. Grab a spot along Trinity Street—the tables have yellow umbrellas—and use the tabletop QR codes to order online from Pure Spirits, El Catrin Destileria and the always satisfying Paleta Cart.
—This story has been updated with new details since it was first published in June 2021.
