Sunday seafood boil on The Sandbar patio
One of the highlights of summer is soaking up some rays and enjoying good food and bevvies on a picturesque Vancouver patio. Over the last few years especially, the number and range of patios in the city have expanded considerably, offering even more ways to dine al fresco.
Below is an overview of the types of amazing patios for whiling away your sunny days.
Patios with a View
Photo: The Victor’s pond patio
With Vancouver’s stunning natural and urban surroundings, a patio with gorgeous sightlines makes for an incredibly memorable dining experience.
Certain well-known restaurant groups combine beautiful views with well-executed food programs. For example, the Sequoia Company of Restaurants operates The Sandbar Seafood Restaurants on Granville Island, Cardero’s in Coal Harbour, Seasons in the Park (Queen Elizabeth Park), and The Teahouse in Stanley Park. Each features a gorgeous patio with a quintessentially Vancouver view. Pair it with their elevated, yet accessible West Coast cuisine (e.g., Sunday night seafood boils at The Sandbar).
If you’re a fan of seafood and lovely scenery, The Boathouse Restaurant has you covered. This group has scenic locations in New Westminster, White Rock, and Port Moody, as well as in Kitsilano— the latter right on the beach. Order the seafood tower for sharing, and watch the beach goers from their second-floor patio.
Other restaurant groups with some fabulous scenic patios include the Cactus Club Café at English Bay and Tap and Barrel with locations at the Convention Centre, Granville Island (Bridges), Olympic Village, and North Vancouver Shipyards. Tap and Barrel, as their name suggests, are strong supporters of local craft beer, wine, and distilled spirits, and have a fun food program for noshing on with them.
Other casual spots with great patios are Milltown Bar & Grill (technically Richmond but accessed through Marpole) with views of the Fraser River and YVR Airport; Flying Beaver Bar & Grill (Richmond), which is basically one big patio overlooking the Fraser River; and The Galley Patio & Grill in the Jericho Sailing Club.
For more elevated dining, there are a bunch of different and very appetizing options. Papi’s has a great patio in English Bay with a seafood-focused menu that finds a balance between casual and refined. Menu items include a lobster roll, fish ‘n’ chips, and prawn and chorizo linguini.
Dockside on Granville Island has an expansive patio, with various types of seating options where you’ll get to admire False Creek, the Vancouver skyline, and the North Shore mountains. The restaurant features Pacific Northwest cuisine, as does Lift, a two-storied space perched over the water in Coal Harbour with views of Stanley Park, the mountains, and the surrounding waterfront.
With two different patio options, there is lots to love about The Victor’s al fresco dining. In addition to great cocktails and a top-notch surf-and-turf experience (tip: order the mac ‘n’ cheese waffles as an accompaniment), you’ll soak up views of the downtown skyline and the lights of BC Place Stadium. Bonus: the pond patio is dog-friendly.
With a location in False Creek and another in West Vancouver, Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio offers two places to feast on their Peruvian/Japanese cuisine while taking in phenomenal scenery. Finally, Provence Marinaside offers incredible sights of the seawall and marina while you dine on French seafood, such as bouillabaisse, whole Mediterranean fish, and niçoise salad with albacore tuna.
Garden-themed Patios
Photo: Glowbal
Many restaurants have created an urban oasis with garden-inspired patios. Glowbal, in the heart of the downtown core, has a gorgeous front patio, complete with whimsical greenery, floral overhangs and planters, and birdcage seating. Summer this year is all about their spritzers, such as a lavender gin fizz or Glowbal G&T. Seasonal dishes such as sweet corn risotto with applewood smoked brie and dry-aged duck breast with duck confit and squash complete the summery experience.
As one of Vancouver’s Michelin-starred restaurants Burdock & Co. is truly special. Its rustic garden patio mirrors its commitment to local ingredients. There, you will be guided through their ever-changing and inventive five-course menu.
Behind Giardino, you’ll find a sweeping garden patio that transports you to Tuscany. The food, such as tagliolini with rock prawns and saffron with julienned zucchini, completes the escape.
Rooftop Patios
Photo: Rosewood Hotel Georgia
For living life on the top of the world (or at least a building), you have some impressive options to choose from. Black + Blue, one of the city’s premier steakhouses, features The Roof, located on their third floor. It’s garden-themed, and one of the buzziest spots during Happy Hour (e.g., beef carpaccio, wagyu hot stone, golden pear spritzes, and margaritas).
Joe Fortes is an oldie but definitely a goodie. This surf and turf spot launched in 1985 and has been consistently popular and delicious ever since. The rooftop patio is a busy spot for the Happy Hour crowd, and those who want a break from the shopping on Robson Street.
For a more casual rooftop hangout, Social on Commercial Drive has a super fun patio for chilling with easy bites like dumplings, seared calamari, and chicken wings. The Keg Yaletown is also a happening spot for your favourite Keg classics, like their prime rib and Billy Miner Pie.
Reflections Terrace on the rooftop of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is luxuriant and calming, with a range of seating, greenery, and a chic crowd. Share a flatbread while sipping a secret garden fizz.
On the 6th floor of the DOUGLAS, D/6 features a lavish patio with views of the city for sophisticated sipping and mingling. And finally, The Parker (previous the Vintage Park Hotel) is set to launch three rooftop patios at the end of July. It promises to be the It spot of the summer.
Dog-friendly Patios
Dogs on Uncle Abe’s curb-side patio
Vancouver has become a lot more dog-friendly on its patios. As a general rule, most breweries will allow dogs on their patios, and curb-side patios tend to be dog-friendly. It’s always best to call ahead to confirm that a restaurant will allow dogs on their patios and the rules they must adhere to. Some places also only have a table or so designated for dogs, so make sure to get there early to get those ones.
The list is quite extensive; here are some to get you and your pup started with the patio dining.
Steamworks Mount Pleasant has a really large and comfy dog-friendly patio (which also is winterized) for their craft beer on tap and reinvented bar favourites (e.g., brisket poutine, crispy chicken bao sliders). Meanwhile, Main Street Brewing Co. welcomes all pups to their Scotia Street patio for slaking your thirst with one of their brews, like the Naked Fox IPA or Hula Hula Tropical Sour.
For some of the best Thai food in the city (e.g. Pacific halibut green curry and pad Thai), head to Maenam’s curb side patio, which is dog-friendly and has great views of 4th Avenue in Kits. Nearby Romer’s in Kits also seats dogs on their front patio, with a free dog bone and water for your pet as you dig into one of their great burgers with a craft beer.
For really tasty and refined Greek food, head to Nammos Estiario on Fraser Street where you and your dog (if you’re willing to share) can enjoy pork or chicken souvlaki and other Greek classics.
Dachi on East Hasting has a very charming patio in front of their restaurant. The food is local, organic, and meticulously crafted—and your dog can dine with you too.
Mexican food at Ophelia is authentic and of the highest quality, with options such as their very popular corn crusted octopus with chorizo, cilantro rice, braised kale and zucchini, and white mole. Your dog can people watch in the heart of Olympic Village.
Tableau exudes sophistication. It’s a consistently satisfying French bistro. In the summer, they feature a patio in front of the restaurant, as well as a curb-side one. Dogs are welcome.
And for the ultimate in pup-friendly dining, visit Uncle Abe’s on Main Street where they offer a play area, pool (weather permitting), and even drinks (e.g., Pupcolada) and snacks for your furry best friend.
Fun Neighbourhood Patios
Smitty’s Oyster House
Two dog-friendly patios in Mount Pleasant are also neighbourhood musts. El Camino’s is always a friendly spot for easy-going Latin American eats such as guac with chips, fish tacos, escondidinho do dia (Brazilian-style shepherd’s pie), and queso fundido. Drinks like mezcal margaritas and mojitos keep the vibe on the patio lively. Meanwhile, Smitty’s Oyster House is a destination for oysters—fresh, broiled, and pan-fried—in addition to a host of seafood-focused mains, such as a shrimp and lobster roll, halibut fritters (their version of fish ‘n’ chips), and sablefish risotto. In addition to lunch, happy hour, and dinner, they do a delicious brunch.
Other excellent Mount Pleasant restaurants with a patio include The Acorn for their award-winning vegetarian and vegan fine dining menu that spotlights local and seasonal ingredients. Savio Volpe has a first-come-first-served front patio where you can happily sup on their standout handmade pastas and wood fired mains.
Over in Kits, there are plenty of patio options, including the long-running Las Margaritas where quesadillas, fajitas, and a variety of soft or hard shell tacos are served. For a patio closer to Kits Beach, Lucky Taco attracts the crowds with nachos grandes, chicken tinga tacos, and pink sangria for laid-back eating and drinking. Fable Kitchen has a curb-side patio (also dog-friendly) for farm-to-table comfort food.
Because of the warehouse design of Yaletown with generous building overhangs, the neighbourhood basically has patio after patio. Two great choices are Brix and Mortar for modern West Coast fare and Tasty Indian for upscale favourites, such as chicken tikka masala, lamb korma, and prawn vindaloo. Capo and the Spritz on Davie has a curb-side patio where you can share sun-dappled pasta and pizza.
And if you visit Gastown, Water St. Café features patio music every day from 3 to 5pm until September 4, while Di Beppe features an aperitivo menu from 3 to 6pm daily (e.g., Aperol spritz, cured meats) that cries out for patio dining.
Hidden/Under-the-Radar Patios
Photo: Tacofino Gastown
Shhh… these patios are slightly under-the-radar or found in unexpected places. Tacofino in Gastown has a darling back patio that always feels like an unexpected find.
Minami in Yaletown features a tucked away patio. Your host will lead you through the busy restaurant and then suddenly you’ll step into a secluded outdoor space with plenty of greenery for meditatively eating your aburi sushi and other elegant Japanese eats.
Chinese restaurants in Vancouver typically don’t have patios. An exception: Mott 32, which has a patio on Georgia Street, for sharing their sublime apple wood smoked Peking duck, deftly made dumplings, and other specialties, such as their barbecue Iberico pork with Yellow Mountain honey.
On the exterior, Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions seems like an unassuming white heritage house but the space behind its façade is large and airy, complete with a back patio that is full of hip vibes.
Impostori Trattoria + Negroni Bar in South Granville celebrates Italian food and wine, both appreciated wonderfully on their intimate back patio.
Northern Italian cuisine reigns at The Farmhouse in Mount Pleasant. They recently opened their pretty back patio, complete with greenery, canopies, and fairy lights for romantic outdoor dining.
Go through the narrow space of The Boxcar, and you’ll find a very happening patio with brightly hued picnic table and umbrellas and cocktails and other drinks aplenty. Pizza from next door Pizza Farina completes the offerings.
Happy patio dining!
