Enjoy global cuisines on beautiful outdoor or rooftop patios in Toronto’s luxurious neighborhood.
One of Toronto’s most dynamic neighbourhoods, Yorkville is known for being an upscale shopping district and having some of the best restaurants in Toronto.
Despite its small area, you can enjoy a diverse range of cuisines in Yorkville, from Canadian and French to New Zealand and Lebanese. And with patio season in full force, there’s plenty of alfresco dining, rooftop bars and terrace decks to enjoy.
Hemingway’s Restaurant
Hemingway’s Restaurant is an iconic restaurant in Yorkville, calling it home for over 39 years. This New Zealand-style pub is the place to be for a laid back and relaxed patio dining experience.
The four level restaurant has outdoor dining on each level, including a year-round rooftop patio, as well as covered and open-air patios. It’s also a great place to catch the game with 20 TVs and 24 beers on tap. It’s not common to find New Zealand cuisine in Toronto, so you’ll want to try some of the southern hemisphere delicacies on the menu like the Kiwi Lamb Burger, New Zealand Lamb Shank and Pavlova.
Sassafraz
Sassafraz is one of Yorkville’s historic landmark restaurants set in a Victorian house. With shaded patio seating along the intersection of Bellair and Cumberland, this is a great place to enjoy delicious French-inspired Canadian cuisine along with cocktails or wine while people-watching and celebrity-spotting.
Alobar
A cocktail bar that’s a full-fledged restaurant, Alobar is tucked along a small alleyway in Yorkville. This bistro comes from one of Toronto’s best chefs, Chef Patrick Kriss, whose Alo Restaurant has been #1 in Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants for four years in a row. Enjoy creative, made-from-scratch food that fuses European and Asian influences on their courtyard patio.
The Pilot
Located a little east of Bay St, The Pilot is one of Toronto’s oldest bars that prides itself in being just a bar, the way a bar is meant to be. Aside from the main floor front patio, they also have a beautiful rooftop patio called the Flight Deck, which you’ll reach after climbing the plane-themed flight of stairs.
Here you’ll find a bright and spacious patio with retractable awning and a bar that serves 20 draft beers, including the Muskoka Mimosa on tap!
Kasa Moto
From the same group that brought Toronto mainstays The Chase and Planta, Kasa Moto is where you can enjoy Japanese food in Yorkville while gazing at the stars. There’s two options for outdoor dining: a street level terrace and rooftop patio. Decked with its own bar, cabanas and space heaters, their sprawling rooftop terrace is a place to see and be seen, with an upbeat lounge vibe.
The Oxley
The Oxley is the place to go if you’re looking for a traditional British pub that makes you feel like you’re in England. Here you can enjoy some traditional cask ale alongside British fish and chips with your choice of patio: the front patio on street level for people watching and a view of the Hazelton Hotel, or the courtyard for a more intimate atmosphere.
Bar Reyna
Don’t let the small facade fool you, Bar Reyna has plenty to offer for outdoor dining. On top of the front patio, there’s a beautiful and spacious year-round backyard patio that seats 48 people.
Located in a two-storey Victorian house, this cocktail and snack bar delivers some delicious Meditteranean-inspired plates. One of the must-try foods in Toronto is their Lamb Baklava, which is kataifi with braised lamb shank topped with burnt honey saffron aioli and pistachio. And for sharing, Bar Reyna’s Spanish Fries are one of my favourites in the city.
Amal
A beautifully designed restaurant with plenty of arabesque, old world charm, Amal is a relative newcomer to the neighbourhood. This modern Lebanese restaurant has a beautiful second floor terrace overlooking Bloor Street. Decked with pillows, plants and lounge furniture, this heated terrace is one to visit for Instagram.
d|azur
An extension to Four Season’s d|bar, d|azur lets you escape to France with an all-new semi-private patio inspired by the French Riviera. Here you can enjoy Mediterranean inspired seafood like fresh oysters, caviar, ceviche, and tuna tartare. A custom art installation, Light and Shadows Against the Mediterranean Hues’, by local artist Florence Solis-Byun makes for an vibrant Instagrammable backdrop on this patio.
Cibo Wine Bar
With three locations in Toronto, Cibo Wine Bar offers southern Italian cooking in Yorkville with handmade fresh pasta, pizza and other traditional Italian fare. They have a side patio that’s intimate and private, and a street patio with umbrellas and shade. You’ll definitely want to enjoy some wine on the patio as they boast an award-winning wine room with over 2500 bottles of vino.
