No one throws a Sunday jam quite like Cold Tea . During the summer months , the backyard of Kensington Market ’ s favourite watering hole is rammed for the infamous rain-or-shine Sunday BBQ featuring outdoor eats from a long list of T . O . chefs . A whole lot of drinking , eating and ass-shaking ( there ’ s always a DJ ) commences in the afternoon and rolls into the night .
COLD TEA2A KENSINGTON . 60 KENSINGTON . TORONTO
Scoring a sun-kissed bistro chair on the very Parisian front patio of Le Sélect requires either a whole lot of patience or a substantial stroke of luck , especially on weekends . But here ’ s the thing – it ’ s worth it . So once you ’ re there , make it count . After the oyster shells have piled up and the bottle of Chablis has been overturned , better stay for dinner and more wine – the award-winning ( and very affordable ) list is a city standout . When romance is a priority , there ’ s also a discreet and gorgeous garden patio in the back .
LE SÉLECT 432 WELLINGTON W . TORONTO
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In addition to making some of Toronto ’ s most widely consumed suds , Amsterdam Brewing also boasts one of the city ’ s most impressive patios : a 350-seat outdoor deck adorned with patio umbrellas and Muskoka chairs , a stone ’ s throw away from the Rogers Centre on a stunning slice of lakeside land . While away an hour or three with some one-off Amsterdam brews , then grab some more to go in the on-site bottle shop .
AMSTERDAM BREWHOUSE 245 QUEENS QUAY W . TORONTO
This new west-end brew pub is still weeks away from securing its patio licence – but once it does I ’ d bet my summer drinking money that Bandit ’ s lush and sunny beer garden will be routinely packed . The house brews , heavy on Belgian-style wheat beers ( if I were you I ’ d make a beeline for the Hassel-Hef ) and pale ales , are geared to keeping patio-rabid Torontonians happy . For now , sipping four-pour flights ($ 10 ) inside the breezy brew pub ( a former auto repair shop with huge garage windows ) is almost as nice .
BANDIT BREWERY 24
2125 DUNDAS W . TORONTO 4GUYS . CA