Photo: Tap & Barrel – Bridges
With the arrival of warm weather, Vancouverites are flocking to the many spectacular patios in the city for lively hanging out and drinking. Vancouver’s diverse craft beer scene as well as its incredible bar talent mean that there are plenty of places where you can catch some rays while trying out a new hazy IPA or sipping a well-crafted cocktail.
Here is a list of bars and breweries with vibrant patios to check out this spring and summer. Travel by transit as well as bike so that you can curate your own brewery/bar tour of the city. Many of these patios are also dog friendly so your best fluffy friend can come with you.
PLEASE NOTE: Many of these patios will open over the spring as the weather warms. As well, patios can be weather dependent so call ahead to make sure patio seating is available before visiting them.
Batch; Photo: Tara Lee
Visiting Batch is always a good time. This outdoor bar within a tent has reimagined unused space at the Plaza of Nations on the False Creek waterfront. Inside, you’ll find communal benches, couches for relaxing, as well as fire pits for making the space cozy. Batch partners with a variety of food trucks and other vendors to bring rotating eats to pair with the beer, wine, cider, mixed bevvies, and non-alcoholic drinks that they sell on site. What makes Batch particularly enjoyable is the live music that they feature on select afternoons and nights. When the weather is great, the party expands to the many tables beyond their tent where you can watch cyclists and joggers go by on the seawall.
Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions; Photo: Tara Lee
The façade of this popular and very cool bar is an unassuming white heritage home but don’t let it fool you. Once you enter Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions, you’ll find playful vintage décor as well as two great patios: one in the back with a view of the mountains and the other on the side of the building. When the days are sunny, they open the doors to the back patio, making the whole space feel like one big patio party. Patio chairs and faux turf make you feel like you’re chilling in someone’s backyard. Drinks are equally as fun, with options like a refreshing Cadillac Mezcalita for cooling down, a Five Alive with Caza blanco, Aperol, mandarin sherbet, passionfruit, and lime. Beers on tap include Parallel 49’s Space Kitty Juicy IPA and their craft lager, with other bottled selections such as Brassneck’s Rotator. Go during Costco Hours from 2:30pm to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and order tater tots and Nathan’s hot dogs.
Photo: Sing Sing
Mount Pleasant is definitely the district for craft breweries and bars with colourful patios. Electrical Bicycle Brewery is a vibrant and colourful spot with fun beer on tap, like The Queen’s PJs (a lemon coconut sour) and Extra Plush (New England IPA). Their patio is multi-coloured and cheerful, ensuring the vibe stays upbeat.
One of the most impressive and expansive patios in Mount Pleasant is found at Steamworks. The patio is covered and always really warm, with a wide variety of seating options, including high tops and regular four-tops. The eating and drinking are easy at Steamworks with 10 rotating guest taps as well as Steamworks classics and special brews. The food menu features casual favourites like smashed cheeseburgers and brisket tacos.
Other recommended breweries with patios in the neighbourhood include 33 Acres, with great brews like 33 Acres of Ocean (West Coast Pale Ale) and 33 Acres of Life (California Common) and bites like cheese and charcuterie boards you can enjoy on their curbside patio; Main Street Brewing with drinks such as a Kingpin Juicy Hazy Pale Ale and Brimstone Czech Dark Lager; and Red Truck Beer Company, which not only has a fun front patio but holds an annual Truck Stop Concert Series with artists such as The Boom Booms (June 15), Jeremie Albino (July 20), and Daniel Wesley (June 15). Tickets are on sale April 12. Again, these patios open as the weather warms over the spring.
Bar-wise, Sing Sing Beer Bar’s patio is hopping on a sunny day—with plenty of people there to soak up the bustling atmosphere, fill up on pho and pizza, and enjoy their many craft beer and cocktail options (e.g., ginbucha 2.0). Smitty’s Oyster House, with their covered front patio, is also a go-to spot for fresh shucked oysters ($2.50 during Happy Hour) and Seafood Boil Sundays that you can pair with a wide selection of local craft beer and oyster shooters (e.g., Caesar oyster).
Photo: The Boxcar
East Van is a locus for brewery patios that create a real sense of community. Parallel 49 Brewing Company has one of the most expansive patios in the neighbourhood in a beer garden-style, complete with fairy lights, picnic benches, and greenery (usually opens in May). They also have a front patio section and roll up their windows on sunny days so the whole space feels airy. There is no shortage of beers to choose from, including their popular Ruby Tears, Craft Pale Ale, and Tricycle Radler. They offer super tasty handhelds like a spicy chicken sandwich and birria beef dip.
Container Brewing in Strathcona has a substantive patio in their lot, complete with stools and numerous patios tables for chatting with family and friends, as well as new acquaintances met at the brewery. Many of the pours are ideal for warm weather, including Golden Vibes (citrus sour) and Cold Box (dry hopped lager). You can also add a scoop of vanilla Earnest Ice Cream for a refreshing float.
Strange Fellows is a quintessential East Vancouver brewery with chill vibes on their street facing patio. The large picnic tables invite sharing with other patrons who you can strike up a conversation with over beers, such as the Beldame (old world pilsner) or crowd favourite Talisman (West Coast pale ale). They’ve also recently enlisted talented and highly creative chef Douglas Lee for his pop-up Eluvian, which features a regular menu, specials, as well as tasting menus.
Other fun East Van patios include Luppolo Brewing for a cozy side patio with a neighbourhood feel (usually opens in May) and Superflux with a relaxed side patio with benches and four-top seating for snacking on their famous hot dogs, like the mac dog, and enjoying beers such as the Superflux Lager.
And for an East Van bar with an incredible patio, The Boxcar has a vibrant back patio (usually opens around May) with pink picnic tables and multi-hued accents. You’ll find friendly people, tasty cocktails, natural wine, and pizza from next door Pizzeria Farina.
Photo: Tap and Barrel
And if you’re looking for views and brews, head to Olympic Village where some of the larger beer-focused eateries with sweeping patios can be found. Tap and Barrel is located right on the waterfront, so you’ll admire spectacular views on two patio levels as you slake your thirst with one of the many local craft beers on tap, including Hoyne’s Dark Matter, Twin Sails’ First Crush Hefeweizen, and Phillips’ Reverb West Coast IPA. Their other scenic locations include Bridges Granville Island and the Convention Centre. Nearby sister restaurant BREWHALL also features a street-facing patio, as well as one out back for drinking craft beer and noshing on casual eats.
Meanwhile, CRAFT Beer Market, in the striking Salt Building, has a sizeable patio at its back. Rotating taps (e.g., Tin Whistle Peach Cream Ale) in addition to the plethora of bottled/canned options keep drinking there interesting. Go for bowls like the ahi poke or the Laguna Beach chicken for light spring/summer eating.
Photo: Brewhalla
Another great aspect of Vancouver’s craft beer scene are the many festivals and events that bring together the breweries in town. Red Door Events holds multiple Brewhalla across Metro Vancouver and beyond. They’re beer and music fests where you can try a bunch of new sours, lagers and stouts; mingle with a convivial crowd; listen to local artists; and feast on food truck offerings. The next Brewhalla takes place April 19 from 5pm to 10pm at the Shipyards in North Vancouver. Participating breweries, cideries, wineries, distilleries, and other beverage makers include Backcountry Brewing and The Woods Spirit Co. Meanwhile, food trucks like Shameless Buns will be in attendance, with a live music line-up that includes Trilojay. General admission tickets are $45 plus taxes and fees. Other upcoming Brewhalla are Fort Langley (May 18), New Westminster (August 10), and Chilliwack (October 5).
The Vancouver Craft Beer and Music Festival (VCBW) is returning July 6, 2024, at the PNE Fairgrounds. Pre-sale tickets are now available (early bird tickets $65 and regular $95, which includes beer samples). The big beer fest features over 150 different craft beers to try out, food from vendors like Mr. Arancini, as well as live music featuring Lovely the Band, Yukon Blonde and more.
Strange Fellows; Photo: Tara Lee
For a comprehensive overview of breweries in the city, check out The BC Ale Trail, for a listing of breweries in Vancouver, suggested Ale Trails, as well as a map to plan a self-guide brewery crawl around the city. Happy imbibing!