Why escape winter when you can embrace cool Canadian vibes at one of these local-fave heated patios?

Don’t limit alfresco dining to summer! Fact is, Canada gets snow. We get fresh, crisp air and beautifully sparkling winter nights. It’s time to celebrate the season in bold Toronto style—with stellar patio dining, all winter long.

Here are 10 hot spots where you can chase the chill with soul-warming food and drinks. 

Bar Raval

A Little Italy staple much loved for its Catalonian-style tapas and pintxos, creative cocktails and Gaudi-esque design (check out that eye-popping carved-mahogany interior!), the MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Bar Raval has a heated patio that’s open late ’til 1 a.m. so you can sate your grilled shrimp a la planxa fix into the wee hours of the night.

Bellwoods Brewery

An Ossington Village mainstay, Bellwoods Brewery offers hearty gastropub fare like Ontario lamb burgers with tzatziki or steak frites alongside craft beers like hoppy Jutsu pale ale or hazy Ratclops IPA. Layer up if you want to chill on the patio as it is covered and heated, but not actually enclosed.

Burdock

Another west-end craft brewery, Burdock offers a small but satisfying menu with brunchy options, plus bar food like pickled eggs, loaded fries, charcuterie, crudo and tartare. Sip on their fave Ducks IPA on tap or try a cellared option like Best Fruits while staying cozy under a blanket on their covered and heated patio. Oh, and your dog is welcome, too! 

Also see: Tips for Planning a Trip to Toronto With Your Dog 

Dzô Viet Eatery

Sticklers may say Dzô Viet Eatery’s atrium isn’t a true patio, but they’d be missing the point. With its expansive skylights, spilling vines and floating silk lanterns that cast a magical glow at night, this contempo bar-resto channels a verdant southeast Asian vibe in the heart of winter. Sip inventive cocktails and dig into shareable Vietnamese street food and noods across the street from the Art Gallery of Ontario.

El Catrin

El Catrin Destileria spices up the Victorian-era Distillery Historic District with a menu of shareable botanas, antojitos and—of course—tacos. Say “salud” with margaritas, cocteles and cerveza on one of the city’s most popular patios, complete with heaters, firepits and blankets to keep the good vibes flowing. Bonus: it’s dog friendly, too!

Fresh on Crawford

Toronto’s OG vegan restaurant chain, Fresh is a local success story with locations across town. Its Crawford Street outpost on trendy Queen Street West is a family fave for its wholesome bowls, burgers, big salads and proximity to Trinity Bellwoods Park. Their cheerful streetside patio is fully enclosed, heated and oh-so-cozy.

Hemingway’s Restaurant & Bar

A Yorkville icon for four decades, Hemingway’s boasts a heated rooftop patio serving up New Zealand-inflected dishes like lamb shank with mint jelly, plus standard pub fare like wings, poutine and nachos. Between trivia nights and 20 TVs screening sports matches from rugby to cricket, locals are drawn to its casual, unpretentious energy. 

Lavelle 

Lavelle offers 360-degree views of the downtown skyline from its perch 16 stories above the King Street West scene. This see-and-be-seen lounge/dining room/patio serves up a contemporary Brazilian-Japanese menu with dishes like steak sashimi tacos and plantain tempura rolls.

Osteria Rialto

Located in the Paradise Theatre complex (a renovated Bloordale repertory cinema and live performance space with onsite restaurtant and bar), Osteria Rialto is an Art Deco charmer with a glass-enclosed year-round patio. Feast on handmade mushroom gorgonzola gnocchi and bistecca alla Fiorentina before or after settling in for a classic film.
 

Selva 

Heat things up in an enclosed outdoor dome at Selva. This Entertainment District mainstay serves up tropical vibes alongside CN Tower views. Dome service features a prix fixe menu that draws Mexi-Thai inspiration with dishes like khaoi soi beef tacos and a dessert of sweet corn with butterfly pea flower gelato.