Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, ice clinks into your glass. It all sounds so peaceful. However, Canadian’s fascination with patios is truly a miraculous thing. We apparently love swatting away flies while dining, making an unintentional scene while running aimlessly from bees, sweating profusely on an outdoor first date, waking up with a thousand mosquito bites, or enjoying a cup of Joe in the middle of a parking lot. Whichever of these inevitable patio circumstances sounds like you, summertime in Niagara is the perfect time and place to kick up your feet and take it all in on one of the town’s delightful patios. Whether you’re looking for a light and lively scene or something on the snazzier side of things (because it’s not bad enough running from bees without a dress on), we’ve got patios around town that will tickle everyone’s fancy!

White Oaks Resort Patio

White Oaks Resort boasts their very own patio, just steps away from peppy PLAY and lavish LIV. Sip on a ‘Niagara Breeze’ or a ‘Brunch in Hawaii’ cocktail after a tranquil day at the spa. Relax among friends on hot summer nights or cooler fall evenings underneath outdoor heaters or cozied up beside a gleaming fire pit. S’mores anyone?

Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery

Looking for a wood oven pie and Rosé all day? Check out one of Ravine Vineyard’s two amazing patio options. Their Wood Oven patio features two delicious pizza options daily and refreshing bevy’s, while their restaurant patio offers a selection of fresh, locally sourced dishes for a truly Niagara culinary experience. For all you non wine drinkers, belly up to their outdoor bar for a local craft beer or a Lowrey Bros. Hard Cider.

Kitchen 76 at Two Sisters Vineyards

Feel like channeling your inner Italian? Kitchen 76 at Two Sisters Vineyards offers a wide selection of your favourite Italian staples, like antipasti, Panini, pizza and pasta on their covered patio with a stunning view of the vineyard. Perfectly pair your burrata with Two Sisters’ refreshing Riesling or indulge your senses with a filling dish of Tagliatelle and a glass of their full bodied cabernet sauvignon. Buon appetito!

Benchmark Restaurant

If you’re in the mood for something seasonal and adventurous, head over to Benchmark Restaurant at Niagara College. Featuring a rotating menu prepared by culinary students of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute of Niagara College, you’re sure to have a unique and exhilarating dining experience on their back patio this summer. Enjoy a pint a craft beer or a glass of wine, fashioned entirely by students learning the skills they will take around the world in hospitality.

Oast House Brewers

Great beer, local wine, house-made cocktails, snacks for picking, large screen TV’s, live music…shall I go on? Oast offers a fantastic selection for all on their two-story, outdoor patio. They cater mainly to the patio sippers, day-time tasters and music lovers, so don’t go expecting a three course meal, but certainly expect a great time!

The Keg Steakhouse and Bar

Just a few kilometers away in St. Catharines, you’ll find a Canadian staple situated in a historic paper mill. As one of my go-to patios in the summer, The Keg offers diners a beautiful al fresco experience, complete with comfortable, cushiony furniture, a gorgeous outdoor fireplace, and blankets for those chillier evenings. The live music offerings on Friday nights make this inner-city patio a fan favourite! Get comfy and stay a while over a delicious steak or my favourite – an assortment of amazing appetizers.