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Bovine Sex Club
There’s a stairway to heaven tucked inside Queen West’s most enduring rock bar. Head past the tourist-terrifying scrap-heap facade and a pleasant surprise awaits in the form of what might be Toronto’s best current claim to tiki-bar culture. The bar, nestled under a thatched-roof hut, pours the official cocktails of postwar escapism – pina coladas, mai tais and hurricanes – alongside a 50-strong rum collection.
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2
The 3 Speed
1163 Bloor W, Toronto, OntarioIf you don’t have a cute backyard decked out with patio furniture where you can get quietly pickled with your buddies on a midsummer eve, this Bloordale tavern offers the next best thing. Head to the back patio and find plenty of room to spread out, along with greenery, fairy lights and a toasty stone fireplace that the staff like to light up on chilly nights. Bonus: someone probably won’t cook you big bowls of mussels as you sit in your yard.
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3
Sky Yard @ Drake Hotel
It’s not even remotely close to a secret at this point, but the Drake Hotel’s top-floor patio remains one of the city’s most beloved and best-known rooftops. And since the boutique hotel’s team are never content to do the same thing between seasons – this year the Yard is getting a Marrakesh-themed makeover that will give Moroccan twists to the decor, menu and cocktails – it’s worth a visit every summer to see what’s on deck. (There’s also a curbside patio, if heights aren’t your thing.)
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4
Mike Watier
Smith
There’s no shortage of decks to drink on in the village, but Smith’s back patio is in a class by itself. Tucked away off Monteith, the slim, narrow space features worn brick walls, wrought-iron gates and festive string lights for an intimate feel. (Basically, it’s the real-world equivalent of that alley behind the Italian restaurant in Lady And The Tramp.) Run with the romance with a dinner menu that features Cornish hens and pan-fried mushroom gnocchi, or roll in for brunch and chow down on mascarpone-pistachio crepes.
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5
Steven Davey
Harvest Kitchen
Key to the sequestered, sheltered feel of Harvest Kitchen’s patio is a majestic Norway maple that looms large over the brunch and dinner crowds who perennially pack the rooftop deck. Of course, that enormous tree and fairy tale atmosphere are the precise reason the crowds come, but some secrets are just too good to keep. Vegetarians and carnivores alike dig the eclectic menu and commitment to ethical sourcing – and the $4 drink specials send everyone home happy.
