Patio season is perhaps the best season of all in Toronto, and these new patios are some of the best places to spend it.
Whether you’re sitting down for a feast or simply grabbing an after-work cocktail with the crew, everything tastes better in the open air, and, luckily for us, Toronto’s food scene is full of perfect patios for every occasion.
From luxe spots with waterfront views to colourful spots that will transport you around the globe, here are 10 of the best new patios in Toronto you need to visit this summer:
Queen’s Harbour
The mother of all waterfront restaurants in Toronto has officially opened its doors at 245 Queens Quay W., and it’s secured a spot among the city’s ultimate destinations for dining and drinking al fresco.
Taking over a once long-vacant 23,000 sq. ft. warehouse smack dab in the middle of the action on Queens Quay, the new restaurant serves a blend of Mediterranean and Asian-inspired cuisines from several distinct dining areas, including a back area that features a 360-degree bar and retractable roof which makes the entire back half of the restaurant a patio, should the occasion call for it.
Alternatively, there’s also chic patio seating that feels like it was imported straight from Monte Carlo running along the east side of the restaurant, if you prefer that Lake Ontario breeze to be coming at you from all angles.
Civil Parks at Waterworks Food Hall
While the Waterworks Food Hall has been open for over a year, this summer, they launched two new patios for al fresco dining in the warm months, and one, brought to you by the team behind Civil Works and Civil Liberties, checks all the boxes.
No death-defying curb lane CafeTO nonsense here — Civil Parks sits at street level on the Brant Street side of the food hall (at 50 Brant), backing onto St. Andrew’s Playground Park, so your patio-going experience is unencumbered by traffic noise.
With a playful menu of unique offerings (both alcoholic and zero-proof) like Rotating Jello Shots and Smashed Cucumber Lemonade, don’t blame us if it’s the only patio you want to go to all summer.
Alternatively, you can also opt to venture through the food hall and explore their (not-so) secret interior courtyard patio for a quieter and more peaceful refuge.
Tulum Mexican Restaurant
This prime piece of King West real estate had a past life as Casa Mezcal, which was generally agreed upon to have one of the best patios along the lively nightlife strip, so it’s only fair that its new tenant, Tulum, gets the same attention.
The three-floor Mexican restaurant and nightclub concept is an ode to the trendy, tropical vibes its namesake is known for, but the rooftop patio is where the immersion really kicks into high gear.
With lush plantlife, boho-chic accents and Mayan-inspired decor covering every square inch of the patio, it would be all too easy to forget you’re at 291 King St. W. in Toronto — especially in the midst of what feels like one of the hottest summers on record — and we’ve got no problem with that.
Casa Mezcal Dupont
Speaking of Casa Mezcal, after shuttering its locations on King West and Church Street, the Mexican bar chain has consolidated its operations with a brand-new location at 252 Dupont St. at the edge of the Annex.
The restaurant’s enormous new home boasts both a spacious front patio where you can order your fill of tacos, fajitas and any other Mexican fare you can dream up, as well as a back beer garden that serves up a selection of brews from local breweries like Mascot, Blood Brothers and Steadfast.
Don’t worry: you can get your fill of Mexican bites back there, too.
Central Taps Ossington
The lengthy wait for this Calgary-based chain’s first foray onto the Toronto scene proved well worth it once the restaurant and bar officially opened up shop at 114 Ossington earlier this summer.
While the interiors are nothing to sniff at, their patio — which will be open year-round thanks to built-in fire pits — has particularly stolen the show.
Fareen Karim
Running perpendicular to the lively Ossington strip along Argyle Street, the covered patio is a perfect spot to sip your spicy marg and people watch, taking on a decidedly relaxed atmosphere during the day before the party picks up around sundown.
Gochu Libre Kantina
Cocktails, kimchi and tacos are all on the menu at the latest venture from the team behind Dundas West’s Project Gigglewater.
Formerly home to the short-lived Bloorcourt gem Overpressure Club (a project by the same team), the new concept at located at 815 Bloor St. W. serves a lively blend of Korean and Mexican cuisines. Think Ramyeon Birria and Bulgogi Asada tacos.
The inside of the restaurant is a vibe in and of itself, maintaining much of the sleek, contemporary design that could be found at Overpressure Club, but if you prefer your dinner under an open sky, their peaceful streetside patio makes a worthy alternative.
Rayah
It’s impossible to conclude whether this fresh new Cabbagetown restaurant serving “Moroccan food a la française” leans more heavily into the French or Moroccan side of its cuisine, but that doesn’t really matter.
What we happen to know for sure is that the restaurant is as visually stunning as its menu is one-of-a-kind, and the attention to detail that has made the restaurant’s interior feel utterly immersive and vibrant is equally apparent on its vibrant patio.
Straw umbrellas, outdoor furniture in every colour of the rainbow, string lights and bold red paint around the perimeter at 507 Parliament St. all pay homage to the restaurant’s Moroccan roots, while subtly nodding to St. Tropez style. All of this to say, we’d take a cup of mint tea here any day.
Florin Trattoria
You don’t need to book a flight to Florence this summer to get a taste of true Florentine cuisine: this Financial District restaurant that opened earlier this summer is serving it up from inside the iconic Victory Building.
While patio space in the Financial District can be hard to come by, Florin makes good use of what space it does have at 80 Richmond St. W. by placing a charming, utterly European-feeling courtyard patio in the alley beside the restaurant. It somehow manages to be quaint and peaceful, despite all the hubbub just feet away.
Whatever you do, just be sure to order the Pepperoncini Martini. Or two.
Piano Piano Bloor
The team behind this much-loved Toronto Italian chain has been expanding its footprint like crazy in 2025, and, lucky for Bloorcourt residents, that has included a new location at 1006 Bloor St. W., right next to the Paradise Theatre.
The inside of the restaurant features the chain’s signature stamp of poppy patterns and rich colours, while the covered patio, which runs perpendicular to Bloor down Westmoreland Road, is decidedly more refined.
Spacious and stylish without being stuffy, this patio is perfectly primed to host a casual night out, powered by ample amounts of pizza.
Burdock Tavern
Everyone knows that beer and patios go together like cookies and milk, but when you place both of those things in the heart of Kensington Market, yo’’ve got an especially magical combination.
Taking over the former home of the longstanding Amadeu’s Restaurant, Burdock Brewery has transformed the space into a no-frills haunt that serves up dishes made with local ingredients alongside beer brewed right next door.
As a bonus, their enormous front patio at 184 Augusta Ave. is covered, making it a perfect spot to seek refuge from the baking sun on particularly spicy days.
