Summer patios flourish across the city with seven new spots
A curated selection of standouts from this season's crop of new restaurant and bar patios worth checking out.
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Patios in Toronto are some of the city's favourite spots to pass ambling summer afternoons that transition into warm evenings. Whether you're in the market for a relaxed spot to unwind with a local drink or an elegant atmosphere for a date night, the city has welcomed a vibrant crop of new restaurants and bars—all of which boast impressive patios.
On Queen West, a Tex-Mex restaurant with an equally impressive cocktail menu opened in early spring and is now revellers' choice for "Girl Dinner" nachos and margaritas enjoyed on a spacious side street patio.
In Harbord Village, a quaint new bar and restaurant has become Toronto's top date night spot, complete with a charming back patio featuring string lights and planters overflowing with greenery.
Leslieville has welcomed a tropical-themed bar where you can sip daiquiris and savoury fermented papaya martinis from its sizeable back patio until the last streams of sunlight dip below the horizon.
In Little Italy, a sleek contemporary Italian joint has taken over a former space and retains its prime rooftop patio—the perfect perch for lobster linguine and Aperol spritz.
On Elm Street in Scarborough, a new patio attached to a bodega stocked with local products offers a relaxed neighbourhood vibe. Pick up a grab-and-go sandwich from Elm Street Deli and a locally brewed can, then pivot to the south border for ice cream from Brett's outpost.
In Roncesvalles, a sleek Italian eatery has brought a slice of New York City sophistication to the charming neighbourhood, adding a vibrant, Aperol-hued back patio alongside ravioli bolognese and mozzarella sticks with foot-long cheese pulls.
At a new steakhouse-brewery in Kensington Market, steak frites and a stein of IPA can be enjoyed in the open air from a considerable Augusta Avenue patio.