After a long, dismal winter of lockdowns, Toronto really comes to life during patio season, and this year is no exception. There’s an outdoor eatery to suit any mood or appetite, from glitzy rooftop bars serving bar snacks to quiet backyard cafes serving authentic recipes and cuisines.
Here are some of the outdoor restaurants in Toronto-
Bar Reyna (Yorkville)
Bar Reyna’s terrace, located in the backyard of a Victorian mansion in Yorkville, is irresistibly charming. The brick and wood walls are complemented by the addition of warm lighting from stringed plants over the ceiling. Lamb baklava, Lebanese “tacos” served on flatbread, and halloumi souvlaki are just a few examples of the inventive, contemporary dishes on the Mediterranean menu.
BlueBlood Steakhouse (Midtown/Uptown)
When you dine outside at BlueBlood Steakhouse, the magnificent castle-style Casa Loma, a landmarked residence and gardens, serves as a breathtaking backdrop. Blueblood’s upscale steakhouse fare, including seafood towers and fish dinners, dry-aged beef, and lots of sides, is now available for reservation on the Terrace, which overlooks the estate’s green grounds.
El Catrin (Distillery District)
El Catrin in the Distillery District has one of the best patios in the city, thanks to its large, colorful, and industrial patio. In addition to traditional Mexican fares like tacos, table guacamole, and a wide variety of tequila and mezcal, the patio also features unique touches like fire pits, a plethora of plants, and a mishmash of eccentric furniture.
Amal Restaurant (Yorkville)
Amal’s well-designed Lebanese platters look lovely against the greenery and white wrought-iron seats on the large patio on the restaurant’s second story. The Ontario lamb chops and skewer platters with pita, grilled veggies, Shug, and home fries are great main courses to follow the classic appetizers of hummus, tabbouleh, and baba ghanoush.
Lee (King West)
Lee, a popular Chinese-French eatery on King Street West, is headed up by celebrity chef Susur Lee. The menu features dishes like wild Alaskan caramelized black fish with miso mustard, Asian slow-braised beef with horseradish sour cream, and crispy tofu with a mushroom and pepper compote, all of which combine Chinese flavors with French technique and serve as Lee’s flagship. The sidewalk tables and chairs provide a calming botanical atmosphere thanks to the wrought-iron gate, awning, and plants.
Té (Ossington)
Té fuses Canadian home cooking with traditional Korean meals to create unique and innovative dishes. Some examples of the inventive menu items are “pizza teokbokki (Korean rice cake dish)” which are Korean rice dough balls topped with sweet chile tomato sauce and oven-baked mozzarella, “toasted kimchi ravioli” with honey wasabi pesto, and “soy-braised braised beef poutine.” String lights and tree shadows give the small patio in the rear yard an intimate atmosphere.
Try these restaurants out and tell us which one has the best taste according to you. Also, if you know of any other restaurant which should be included feel free to reach out to us.
