Which Ottawa restaurants have the best patios?
The window for outdoor dining here is short, which is exactly why locals treat it seriously. Six patios worth planning an evening around.
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La Terrasse d'Émilie
The most scenic seat in the city, full stop — Parliament Hill on one side, the Ottawa River on the other, from the terrace of the Château Laurier itself. Books up fast on warm evenings.
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Copper Spirits and Sights
A rooftop perch with a breathtaking view straight down over the market's rooftops and church spires. Cocktail-forward, and the kind of spot best arrived at before sunset.
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1 Elgin
A covered patio overlooking the Rideau Canal, attached to the NAC — an easy pre-show dinner or a quiet canal-side drink that doesn't depend on the weather holding.
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Pure Kitchen
Front-facing patio on one of downtown's busiest strips, and the rare option built entirely around creative vegan cooking — useful when the group's needs don't all line up.
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Mill Street Brew Pub
One of the largest patios in the city, right on the Ottawa River, with the brewery's own beer on tap. The pick when the group is big and the mood is casual.
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Tavern on the Falls
Comfort food with a genuinely unusual backdrop — a patio that sits right beside Rideau Falls. Worth the trip out of the downtown core on its own.
Patio season here runs roughly May through October, and the view-driven spots on this list — La Terrasse d'Émilie and Copper Spirits especially — are worth booking ahead for on any clear evening.
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