There are many great things about summer, but the buzzing patios, bathed in sunlight as the evening stretches on and on, are right up there. Dog owners will also enjoy this fleeting period when their pups can join in on the dining fun at Toronto's dog-friendly patios.
But we're not just talking about a CaféTO patio that jams a bench in between two safety cones and shrugs when you roll up with your furry child. We're talking about elite, dog-friendly patios that give a hero's welcome to your pooches, lavishing your party with water dishes, special pup-ppropriate menu items and belly rubs a-plenty.
From Toronto food halls with special patio beverage menus to breweries and wine bars named after loveable canines, we've rounded up a couple of our favourite dog-friendly patios to while away the dog days of summer.
Waterworks Food Hall
50 Brant St.
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This gorgeous, sprawling food hall inside a heritage building on King West has been a favourite of ours since it opened in 2024. Summer has only deepened our crush on Waterworks Food Hall, thanks to the addition of not one but THREE dog-friendly patios. Grape Witches, long-time pup lovers, has an adorable space on the Richmond Street side of the food hall which welcomes fur friends. Once you're done sipping Krysta Oben's curated pours, you can walk right through the food hall. On the east side, you'll find a beautiful courtyard patio, then south to enjoy special patio sippers on the muralled Civil Parks, a 100-seat Brant Street–facing patio. The plan is to create a food menu for the space, but right now you can head inside — where dogs are permitted — to grab grub from vendors like Harry's Charbroiled and Taco Lupita.
Black Lab Brewery
818 Eastern Ave.
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Black Lab Brewery has been around since 2018, but every summer, it finds new ways to charm us. The east end classic was named for the late Snoopy, the owners' "trusty and loyal black Labrador mix." Today, his legacy lives on in the high-quality ales, sours and IPAs, the dog-friendly space where dog owners can bring their canines for a doggie date — and the colourful patio north of the brewery. On some sunny Saturdays, you'll find more dogs than humans frequenting this muralled wonderland of waggy tails. Grab a shady spot under an umbrella and nosh on fare from local food pop-ups, all while your pups play on this dog-friendly patio.
Lazy Daisy's Cafe
1515 Gerrard St. E.
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Set away from the busy thoroughfare of Little India sits the dog-friendly patio at Lazy Daisy's Cafe. The cafe has long been one of Toronto's fave spots for breakfast and brunch, but owner Dawn Chapman has levelled up with a dreamy sun-drenched patio designed by HGTV's Tiffany Pratt, where guests can enjoy bubbles and buttermilk biscuits all weekend long. Dogs will love the leafy, shady space, and its fenced-in secret garden vibes will spare owners from any jump scares if pups make a dash for freedom. The servers genuinely love dogs, so you can tuck into your breakfast knowing your fur babies feel right at home.
The Goodman Pub and Kitchen
207 Queens Quay W.
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If the lake views and immaculate vibes at The Goodman Pub and Kitchen aren't enough for your pampered princes and princesses, it gets better. This waterfront pub and restaurant makes no bones about catering to a dog-friendly crowd, offering an entire "pawtio menu" for fluffballs. Order burger patties and dog ice cream for your canines — which, per the rules, they must enjoy on the other side of a low fence adjacent to your table — while you savour pints and the panorama of Lake Ontario and Centre Island.
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Sarang Kitchen
774 Danforth Ave.
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Sarang Kitchen is no stranger to creating welcoming spaces. Now, the sensory-friendly and neurodiversity-inclusive Korean restaurant is making things accessible for pups with a dog-focused menu. Leashed good boys and girls are welcome on their outside patio and even inside the Danforth location, where they can enjoy human-grade culinary hits like the Fried Chimken Platter or Korean Bark-B-Q. Wash it all down with a Pawgarita (seriously, we're sold on the names alone) and you've got yourself a fun afternoon at this truly dog-friendly patio and restaurant.
