Whether it’s a rooftop skyline or a café garden, these patios offer scenic views where you’d least expect.
While many flock to the downtown core to get that perfect CN Tower shot, there are plenty of patio views out there that offer surprises or travels to new neighbourhoods. Toronto patios are famous for the scenery around them.
Here are 10 of my favourite Toronto patios with views.
Picnic Cafe at Evergreen Brickworks
Within minutes of the city, be transported to a nature retreat! Evergreen Brickworks in the Don Valley is the perfect jumping-off point for a day spent in nature, and Picnic Cafe is there to help you start your journey with a full stomach.
From light café fare to comfort foods, the menu serves up crowd-pleasers for its all-ages crowd.
What to Order: Start the day with house-baked pastries such as blueberry scones or buttermilk biscuits, or settle in for lunch with one of their “picnic power bowls”.
Saulter Street Brewery
Blink, and you’ll miss the turn-off! The journey through the lush foliage of Saulter Street is part of the fun as you explore a new angle of the Riverside District.
And as owner, John Sterling said when describing his first time seeing the former barn he converted into the brewery, he had a feeling that “time slowed down. It felt like a little escape from the city, hidden within it.” You’ll certainly feel the same.
What to Order: There’s always something interesting on tap and in cans at Saulter! A recent visit gave us tastes of the all-season Riverside Copper Pilsner, the zingy SUBLIME: Belgian-Style Witbier, the fresh Whirs & Clanks: Japanese Style Lager, and I’m coming back to try the Watermelon Lemonade Sour asap!
Rooster Coffee House
Those in Riverdale know where to get their caffeine fix. This coffee house also has a bottle shop and one of the best CN Tower and park views in the city!
Open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., as one of the earliest cafés to open in the entire area, this is the perfect place to perch on their patio, where every seat faces towards the nature views of Riverdale Park.
What to Order: Check out the shop inside for baked goods and local treats like the perfect cooldown with handmade ice pops from The Pop Stand. Cookies and cream is a don’t-miss flavour that would pair perfectly with coffee.
Grape Witches
Starting with events and an online shop, Grape Witches has evolved into a beautiful bottle shop and wine bar that’s perfect for date night, a catch-up, and everything in between.
In Little Portugal, peruse the wine bottle shop as you walk towards the back patio and find it complete with a live grape fountain and lush tropical foliage.
What to order: Trust the process and curation of the experts and indulge in a flight of three wines. The offerings and themes of the flights are ever changing and you’re sure to try something new, either by flight or by the glass or bottle. There’s also a a delightful menu of wine bar snacks like tinned fish with chips and cheese plates.
RendezViews
In the middle of downtown Toronto—across from the iconic TV Studios at 299 Queen Street West—lies one of the largest patios in the city from the team behind The Fifth.
You can order from the menu of bar and summer classics, and even join a volleyball or pickleball game! There’s Wednesday wrestling and Thursday live music and frequent screenings of important sports games, so RendezViews is a perfect option for patio-lovers of all kinds.
What to Order: Check out the full bar menu and indulge in dishes like Rendezvous Street corn and The King Can Nachos with homemade tortilla chips and Doritos, stacked a mile high in a King size can layered with all the fixings.
Mezes
While there’s no shortage of Greek food in Greektown, we’re calling out Mezes for its large patio and notably incredible food.
With festivals like Taste of The Danforth and so many visitors to this 2.5-km stretch, it’s a great spot to sit back, relax and watch the world go by. And now you can walk away with your favourite flavours, like Greek olive oil and their signature dips, from Mezes Food Co., a Greek Market of essential pantry items and dips!
What to Order: A saganaki flaming cheese is always an excellent way to start off any meal with an Opa! Make sure you don’t miss the namesake Mezes dips, and you can try many at the same time with a Kria Pikilia platter. And for the main course, get a taste of that grill.
Cafe 23
Steps away from the buzz of Queen Street West lies a cool and calm garden patio with live foliage and twinkly lights in the evening. Under the shade of a beautiful maple tree, the Cafe 23 patio is the perfect place to enjoy some shade, have a wedding, enjoy a cup of Joe, and enjoy the moments big and small.
What to Order: Grab your choice of quality coffee, a St. Viateur Bagel and freshly baked goods, like their perfect butter tarts and/or a round supreme pistachio croissant.
Electric Bill Bar
From the creators of the globally recognized and menuless cocktail bar, Civil Liberties comes Electric Bill, with its excellent patio just off Bloor Street West. Here, you’ll find a menu of Australian-themed snacks and inventive seasonal cocktails. Many of the cocktails can be made spirit-free, too!
What to Order: The cocktails are a must and they push boundaries while remaining deliciously crushable, like the refreshing Budgie Smuggler with Cachaca, Gentian Aperitif, Sweet Potato, and Lime. A classic order would be the Australian Meat Pie, and the chicken parmigiana lollipops are also a yummy snack that can go perfectly with a cocktail!
Sunny’s Chinese
Getting to Sunny’s Chinese is a little bit of a maze. Walk into Exile and follow the hallways to the red light above the door. Open that door and you'll be transported through Sunny’s interpretations of regional Chinese cuisine with local ingredients.
Walk a little further through the restaurant, and the patio lies in a unique courtyard in the middle of Kensington Market. You can enjoy the menu out there, too.
What to Order: Mapo Tofu, Dan Dan Noodles and Orange Chicken. Dishes like these are great for sharing on a sunny day. And dessert gets a special mention here with the HK French Toast and daily soft serve.
The Distillery Historic District
Take in the unique views on a self-guided patio tour of the Distillery District. Start with pre-dinner cocktails and oysters at Pure Spirits. Then make your way to Madrina Tapas for Spanish small plates or El Catrin for stellar tacos. Finally, head to Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie for dessert: the delectable French patisserie tasting platter.
What to Order: Choose your own adventure! Do you want Spanish tapas at Madrina or classic French fare at Cluny? Sustainable seafood at Pure Spirits, or Mexican bites from El Catrin? The choice is yours.
Want to explore more of the Distillery District? Check out this guide to patios in the Distillery District.
