Whether you prefer wine or beer, spirits or smoothies, Niagara’s roots are steeped in fresh, award-winning products, perfect for sipping and savouring in the region’s wide-open spaces. While wine tours and brewery-hopping offer a great introduction into the great tastes of the region, a tasting experience is truly elevated with the right foundation – a patio.
From sprawling spaces and beautiful balconies, to hidden oases and private platforms, Niagara is full of patios for you to enjoy a tasty beverage under the open summer skies. To help you sip your way through the countryside where good things grow, Visit Niagara has five perfect patios to get you started, no matter your tastes.
Whether you prefer wine or beer, spirits or smoothies, Niagara’s roots are steeped in fresh, award-winning products, perfect for sipping and savouring in the region’s wide-open spaces. While wine tours and brewery-hopping offer a great introduction into the great tastes of the region, a tasting experience is truly elevated with the right foundation – a patio.
From sprawling spaces and beautiful balconies, to hidden oases and private platforms, Niagara is full of patios for you to enjoy a tasty beverage under the open summer skies. To help you sip your way through the countryside where good things grow, Visit Niagara has five perfect patios to get you started, no matter your tastes.
It’s not just the views to sprawling vineyards that make this patio a perennial favourite for locals and tourists alike. It’s all that Ravine’s outdoor space has to offer. This is the place where you can sidle up to the outdoor bar and pizza oven for one of this winery’s incredible hard ciders and a wood-fired pie. It’s also where you can bring your family to gather around a table for a more formal meal. But don’t confuse that with stuffy. There are ping pong tables to help pass the time, wide open spaces for family matches of footie and never any rush to move along.
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, 1366 York Rd, St. Davids
URL: RavineVineyard.com
The atmosphere here feels very much like hanging out in your BFF’s big, country backyard. The PatiOast is a casual gathering spot for leisurely sipping of this craft brewery’s seasonal suds, including strawberry-rhubarb ale, peach hefeweizen or its flagship Barnraiser. In keeping with that backyard feel, Brushfire Smoke BBQ serves up a changing menu of meaty and vegan fare cooked over a flame and with a view to Stratus Vineyard’s pristine grapevines, which hug Oast’s red barn headquarters.
Niagara Oast House Brewers, 2017 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
URL: OastHouseBrewers.com
Two Sisters Vineyards, located in the picturesque region of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, is a renowned destination for wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs. Nestled amidst sprawling vineyards and breathtaking scenery, the winery offers a unique experience that combines exceptional wines, exquisite dining, and a charming ambiance.
Visitors can indulge in the pleasure of dining with wine on the winery’s inviting patio, where they can savor their favorite Two Sisters wines while basking in the beauty of the surrounding vineyards. The patio provides a serene and intimate setting, perfect for enjoying a leisurely meal & glass of wine from on-site restaurant Kitchen76.
Two Sisters Vineyards, 240 John St E, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Leave the city in your rear view when you head west to St. Catharines’ outskirts and the deck at Creekside Estate Winery. Creekside is an award-winning producer of Syrah — and one of the few Niagara wineries teasing consistently remarkable vintages from a grape that doesn’t always fare well in this climate. But everyone fares well on the deck, which conjures relaxation overlooking a koi fish pond, and comfort with charcuterie boards and casual bites by longtime wine country chef Ross Midgley. In addition to wine, Creekside makes a stellar cider, Rood Apples, that pairs well with any summer day.
Creekside Estate Winery, 2170 Fourth Ave, Jordan Station
URL: CreeksideWine.com
Beauty, charm and pizza — there’s not much more a person needs for a memorable patio experience. This family-owned and operated vineyard has a lock on all three. Once considered a hidden gem in Niagara, Honsberger and its outdoor pizza oven is rightfully becoming known as the place to while away a day from May to October. Tipple some of Honsberger’s swoon-worthy vintages or chill out with a non-alcoholic beverage, including a gelato-lemonade sipper or iced coffee. Pets are welcome.
Honsberger Estate Winery, 4060 Jordan Rd, Jordan Station
URL: HonsbergerEstate.com
It’s easy to miss this winery, set back from King Street, the artery carving a swath along west Niagara’s wine route. But you really don’t want to. Stoney Ridge is home to beautifully manicured rose and flower gardens that conjure Europe and provide an idyllic escape from, well, everything. Enjoy a tasting flight of Stoney Ridge’s diverse wines alongside cheese plates, or save yourself for Fridays and Saturdays when Avella’s Wood Fired Oven pulls up to serve some of the most notable pizzas in Niagara. Take your time taking in the sights and sounds, and enjoy a bottle with Avella’s signature pepperoni, Margherita or Blue Moon.
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery, 3201 King St, Vineland
URL: StoneyRidge.com
Set at the base of the Niagara Escarpment in Beamsville, Bench Brewing has quickly become as formidable in Niagara’s beer scene as the landform overlooking it. The patio is set in a protected alcove between the century school house that’s the heart of Bench and the ultra-modern addition where the brewing magic happens. Bench is known for its deep tap and bottle list boasting several award-winners. Bench brews hold their own when sipped alone on a warm afternoon or evening. They also pair beautifully with the regional, seasonal fare by chef Erik Peacock, who helms the Bench kitchen.
Bench Brewing Company, 3991 King St, Beamsville
URL: BenchBrewing.com
Keep heading west and you’ll find Redstone Winery, which is named for the red clay soil upon which its immaculate vineyards grow. Redstone is home to a spacious and tranquil patio overlooking rows of grapevines as far as the eye can see. In addition to offering wine by the glass and bottle, alone or alongside the locally inspired menu crafted by Chef David Cider, there’s a sizeable lawn to enjoy a packed picnic lunch. Either way, Redstone is a must-stop for enjoying the sun and warmth while it lasts.
Redstone Winery, 4245 King St, Beamsville
URL: RedstoneWines.ca
The Good Earth is a beacon of conviviality and its gorgeous patio overlooking English gardens, grapevines and fruit orchards has a lot to do with that. Easily one of the most picturesque and comfortable patios in the region, this outdoor dining and sipping area opens early in the season.
It’s equipped with blankets to protect against the nip in the air that can linger into May and June. And it stays open well into fall for visitors to behold the breathtaking autumn colours that spread along the spine of the Niagara Escarpment in September and October. The Good Earth patio offers a seasonal menu that changes regularly and a solid wine list that goes well with any weather, whether it’s the high heat of July or September’s more easy-going temperatures.
The Good Earth, 4556 Lincoln Ave, Beamsville
What happens when you take a stunning, old Niagara home, pair it with an unparalleled view of Lake Ontario and pepper in an expansive outdoor patio featuring a taste of the Corfu coast? Transport yourself to the Mediterranean seaside with a visit to Lake House Restaurant’s waterfront patio in Vineland Station, open for lunch and dinner. The house’s natural charm offers the perfect place to quench your summer thirsts with Ontario’s finest vintages. Dive into divine dishes and Lake House’s incredible history as the lake laps the shore—and maybe make a friend or two! Said to be one of the first stops for the Underground Railway, the house played an important role in Canada’s history.
The Twenty Valley region is a short visit from the Lake House. Visit the boutique shops in Jordan Village or venture to one of the area’s 35+ wineries.
Lake House Restaurant, 3100 N Service Rd, Vineland Station
Named one of Canada’s Top 10 Best New Restaurants by enRoute Magazine, this eco-friendly restaurant offers an adventure through global cuisine on a sunny curbside patio. Creating a personalized and memorable experience for guests (with a few surprises along the way), Dispatch can be found along Niagara’s wine route within the redeveloped Lincoln Theatre in the heart of downtown St. Catharines’ arts district. Stop by for street-side small plates and drinks on a specially designed patio, where great food and summer cocktails await, along with cellar goods and take-home cocktail kits for you to recreate the feeling of sipping something great under the warm Niagara sun from home.
Continue your outdoor adventure with a stroll down to Beechwood Doughnuts for incredible vegan doughnuts before heading along the pathways hugging Twelve Mile Creek.
Dispatch Restaurant, 386 St Paul St, St. Catharines
Built by the first Lock on the Welland Canal in Port Dalhousie’s Heritage District, Lock Street Brewing Company offers a tucked-away Biergarten where you and your social circle can take your time and enjoy their range of unfiltered, 100% organic brews. Grab a seat at a table by the firepit on the open patio surrounded by trees—you’ll have no trouble sipping suds in this oasis. Taking Ontario craft beer to new heights, Lock Street’s Flagship brews are tried and true favourites, from its Port Side Pilsner and Industrial Pale Ale, to the ‘Jealous Mistress’ English Brown Ale. Looking for something a little different? Dip into an ‘Olde Red’ aged amber ale, with strong caramel and banana notes, or the ‘None the Weisser’ Belgian Witbier to taste the difference natural ingredients make in this brewery’s craftsmanship.
This patio is the perfect destination after a walk down St. Catharine’s Harbour Walkway Trail through nearby Lakeside Park. While your footprints on the park’s sandy beachfront may wash away, the memories of an afternoon well-spent in Niagara’s great outdoors will last for seasons.
Lock Street Brewing Company, 15 Lock St, St. Catharines
URL: Lockstreet.ca
Niagara-on-the-Lake’s historic downtown street may be one of the region’s most beautiful—and peaceful—destinations for friends, family and couples visiting the region. Pairing one of the newest restaurants with one of the oldest and most historic buildings in NOTL (dating back to the 1700s!), Gate House Kitchen & Café’s shaded terrace overlooking Queen Street is the perfect place to sip your way through the sirahs and sauvignon blancs of the region. Taste the difference Niagara soil makes with fresh dishes using produce from local Thwaites and Ohme Farms, paired with a constantly evolving selection of wines with a focus on Ontario’s top producers of both wine and craft beer.
After you’ve savoured your patio moment, explore Queen Street’s picturesque shops at your leisure or try something more adventurous on for size with a historic ghost tour or jump on a guided bike ride down the Greater Niagara Circle Route.
The Gate House Restaurant, 142 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake
URL: TheGateHouse.ca
Great beer requires great food. Taps Brewhouse’s extraordinary menu and craft beers await on their expansive cobblestone patio in downtown Niagara Falls, away from the hustle and bustle of Clifton Hill’s entertainment district. As Niagara’s first and oldest microbrewery, craft beer here is brewed in small batches, but with a lot of love. Sip your way through a flight to discover what sets Taps apart – a must-try is the ‘Art Attack’ IPA, a west-coast style IPA that inspires art-full contrasts of ingredients, or the seasonal ‘Pumpkin 3.14’ (made with real pumpkin!). Paired with a carefully-crafted menu, the brewery’s greatest bragging right is its chef!
Take a quick, post-pint drive towards the Niagara River and head south to find the legendary views of Niagara Falls. Or, head north to find Niagara helicopter tours, the Whirlpool Aero Car and Whirlpool Beach – the perfect place to start a hike in Niagara’s great outdoors.
Taps Brewhouse, 4680 Queen St, Niagara Falls
URL: TapsBeer.ca
With over 450,000 acres of wide-open spaces across the region, Niagara is home to hundreds of patios to safely share a pint or glass with those you love. Whether you prefer privately sipping under the shade of an umbrella or savouring an afternoon under the sun, Niagara’s patios look forward to welcoming you back to great taste in the great outdoors.
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