5 Patios with Great Amenities
These outdoor drinking-and-dining spots have more to offer than the average patio.
Thomsons restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Boxwood
This charming Beltline spot gets extra points for its Central Memorial Park setting. After your lunch on the sunny patio, take time to stroll the landscaped paths, browse the shelves at the heritage Central Memorial Library or cool your bare feet in the line of spray fountains.
340 13 Ave. S.W., 403-265-4006, boxwoodcafe.ca, @boxwoodcalgary
Chop Steakhouse & Bar
If you’re talking amenities, Chop Steakhouse brings the entire Chinook Centre mall to the table, making the rooftop patio the perfect spot to close out a vigorous day of shopping or to begin a dinner-and-movie date at the adjacent Scotiabank Cineplex Theatres. The extensive and convenient parking options at the mall are the icing on the cake (or, in this case, the grill marks on the steak).
6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (Chinook Centre), 403-250-2043, chop.ca
Joey Chinook
Another great rooftop patio with all the benefits of being attached to Chinook Centre, Joey Chinook has an impressive 130-seat capacity, better served by an additional rooftop bar.
6455 Macleod Tr. S.W. (Chinook Centre), 403-692-6626, joeyrestaurants.com, @joeyrestaurants
Thomsons
This casually elegant restaurant is located within the Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown, which makes the 58-seat Stephen Avenue-facing patio an ideal spot to sit back and relax after a session at the hotel’s renowned Stillwater Spa. You can also rest assured that they validate parking.
112 8 Ave. S.E., thomsonsrestaurant.com, @thomsonscalgary
Vin Room West
This chic spot (sister location to the original Vin Room in Mission) lives up to its name with an admirable and adventurous wine list and a west-facing patio. But they also go above and beyond by providing cozy blankets on cool nights and the option to have your car driven home ($20 for the first five kilometres, $2 per extra kilometre) so you can feel free to order another glass… or bottle…
8561 8A Ave. S.W., 587-353-8812, vinroom.com, @vinroom