80th & Ivy
Celebrate the week being half over here on Wednesdays. It has a special menu featuring 30 wines, all perfectly priced at $30. If wine isn’t your thing, maybe brunch is – indulge daily at this beautiful patio meant for people-watching. (1127 17 Ave. S.W., 403-452-6905, 80thandivy.com, @80thandivy)
Aejo
This patio is teensy, so grab a table early and stake your spot for people watching on 4th Street S.W. With a fabulous menu chock full of great Mexican flavours, you can’t go wrong starting with some freshly made guac and a tasting flight of the finest tequila. (2116 4 St. S.W., 587-353-2656, anejo.ca, @anejoyyc)
Cibo
Complete with an outdoor herb garden and plenty of fresh flowers, this deck is a great place for a romantic date. Order the Lille e Il Vagabondo (Lady and the Tramp), the spaghetti dish made for two, and slurp the night away. (1012 17 Ave. S.W., 403-984-4755, cibocalgary.com, @cibocalgary)
Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar
This is a rare open-air dining option in Inglewood. On Thursday’s Ladies Night, enjoy a three-cheese platter and two glasses of Prosecco for $30 while watching the trains and people pass you by as music trickles out of the caf. (909 10 St. S.E., 403-457-0697, cafegravity.com, @cafegravity)
National
A truly quintessential 17th Avenue patio, the National brings a chill ambiance to the street’s booming food scene. Pull up a bench on Tuesdays for its buck-a-shuck fresh oyster night and order the perfectly summery lemonade cocktail, the Hound Dog Hooch. (550 17 Ave. S.W., 403-229-0226, ntnl.ca, @ntnl_17ave)
Village Ice Cream
Cycle to the Village patio for a waffle cone stacked with small-batch ice cream. Built by the owner himself, this patio is a great spot to escape the bustle of downtown. Perch yourself on the bench with a double scoop Huckleberry and Toasted Coconut. (431 10 Ave. S.E., 403-261-7950, villageicecream.com, @villageicecream)