12 of the best Toronto restaurants for patio season (according to a local foodie), Life in canada

#3. SARA

SARA is for our friends who want it done right. The friend who knows luxury and elevation and manages to stay elegant and composed even in the face of a heat wave.

SARA offers two completely different patio experiences to suit your mood, so even your pickiest friend will like at least one of them. The front patio opens onto one of Portland’s liveliest stretches of street, making it ideal if you want to bask in the city’s energy.

But the hidden rear patio is where the magic happens. Surrounded by greenery, it feels like an intimate garden tucked away from King West.

Pair the patio with the restaurant’s seven-course tasting menu, and you’ve got one of the best date-night patios in the city.

Price: 💸💸💸

Cuisine: Contemporary

Address: 98 Portland St.

#4. DaNico

DaNico already had one of the best fine-dining experiences in Toronto, but their new Luna patio gives people another reason to visit.

The covered patio focuses on cocktails, aperitivi, and shareable plates. It gives you the chance to be sophisticated without being snooty or rigid. It’s one of the easiest luxury patios to enjoy, even if you’re just stopping in for a drink.

Price: 💸💸💸

Cuisine: Fine-dining

Address: 440 College St.

#5. The Drake

The Drake gives you the chance to patio crawl without actually leaving the building.

You can grab a drink at the Cafe Patio before heading upstairs to Sky Yard, one of Toronto’s most iconic rooftop spaces. With rooftop views, DJs, a live-fire grill, a photo booth, and a constantly updated atmosphere, you could spend an evening here without ever feeling like you’ve done it all.

Price: 💸

Cuisine: Contemporary

Address: 1150 Queen St. W.

#6. Pennies

Not every patio needs to be fancy, and Pennies is proof of that. Pennies is one of the most popular patios in the city.

Known for its iconic yellow patio, Pennies has easily won over my heart. As a natural contrarian, we all know I normally dislike all that is popular, but I have to give flowers where they’re due. It’s exactly what you want on a hot afternoon: picnic tables, umbrellas, burgers, garlic fried chicken, chopped cheese sandwiches, crispy tater tots, and affordable drinks.

It’s loud, it’s got a punch, and it always feels like someone at the next table is having the time of their life.

Price: 💸

Cuisine: Comfort food

Address: 127 Strachan Ave.

#7. Grape Witches

If someone told me this patio was hidden behind a wine shop in Europe, I’d believe them.

You walk through the bottle shop before entering the secluded backyard complete with string lights, a fountain and colour. For days like today, when I’m mourning the dream of a euro girl summer, this dreamy backyard patio steps in to save the day.

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Wine bar

Address: 1247 Dundas St. W.

#8. Paris Paris

I’m about to sound very Toronto when I say this, but there’s nothing like Ossington in the summer. Ossington in the summer makes me want to cancel all my plans, call in sick to work, and spend the day outside with a nice cold bev.

Paris Paris has a big patio — and I mean large enough to host a small wedding (I’ve seen it). The menu leans French without feeling formally French.

Lively without feeling too young. Elevated without being boring.

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Contemporary French

Address: 146 Ossington Ave.

#9. Bar Allegro

People-watching doesn’t get better than this.

Bar Allegro’s covered patio (for pale people like me avoiding the sun) sits right on busy College Street (did I not say Little Italy is the best?), so there’s always something happening while you sip your beverage.

The menu is snack-forward in the best way. With everything from mussels with nduja to cheese plates and bone marrow.

Even the looming threat of rain can’t ruin this patio.

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Aperitivo

Address: 597 College Street.

#10. Allen’s

I don’t think enough people in this city know about Allen’s, more specifically, Allen’s backyard patio.

It has to be one of the prettiest outdoor dining spaces in the city, with an enormous weeping willow tree growing right in the middle of the seating area. Benches wrap around the trunk, chalkboards line the wall with menus, and there’s even a charcoal grill cooking outside in the summer.

It feels like a countryside beer garden, but it’s steps away from Broadview Station.

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Gastropub

Address: 143 Danforth Ave.

#11. Queen’s Harbour

If you’re from Toronto but you’re obsessed with Miami, this is the spot for you. Queen’s Harbour is massive, glamorous and truly impossible to ignore, even if you tried.

Between its two patios, retractable roof and waterfront location, it’s one of the city’s biggest summer destinations. Whether you’re stopping by for a few cocktails or splurging on an outrageous seafood tower, it’s hard not to behave like you’re on vacation here.

Price: 💸💸💸

Cuisine: Seafood & Contemporary

Address: 245 Queens Quay W.

#12. Taberna LX

Toronto doesn’t have many rooftop patios quite like this one.

Perched atop Dundas West, Taberna LX serves up Portuguese classics on a rooftop. It’s the closest I’ve been to Lisboa since I visited in 2024. Whether you’re sharing salt cod fritters or asking for some vinho verde, you’re instantly transported.

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Portuguese

Address: 1161 Dundas St. W.