Edmonton is a Winter City and that’s something we should celebrate!
I really only clued in a few years ago that outdoor winter activities can be a ton of fun as long as you’re prepared for it—bundling up and finding ways to stay warm outside, be it snow pants and scarves to heated winter patios can make all the difference.
Whether it’s taking in Edmonton’s longest-running winter festival Silver Skate Festival, going for a winter walk or dining outdoors—there’s a lot to do in the city during our long winter months—you just have to plan and be prepared for it!
Over the years—and recently accelerated due to the pandemic—more and more Edmonton restaurants have been investing in year-round patio spaces. Today, there are dozens of winter patios in Edmonton! Who says patio season has to stop when the snow starts to fall?
Hitting up a winter patio helps embrace and celebrate the season while supporting local businesses, and this year (2021), WinterCity Edmonton and SnowSeekers are hoping your winter patio adventures also support a great cause too: the Boyle Street Community Service’s Winter Warming Bus.
That’s why I’m thrilled to partner with WinterCity Edmonton and SnowSeekers to highlight winter patios you need to visit, and how you can support both businesses and Boyle Street when you do.
I did a little winter patio crawl with some friends to help kick off the season (see my Facebook Live video from the night), and am sharing some photos of our visits to: Tiramisu Bistro, Square 1 Coffee, and The Next Act Pub’s patios—three very different winter patios that show the range of what you can expect to find in Edmonton!
Tiramisu Bistro’s winter patio domes are enclosed, heated (SUPER comfortable—very warm). Square 1 Coffee’s patios are open tables—no heater but they clear off the tables and seating from snow, just make sure you’re bundled up! And The Next Act Pub’s patio is heated, and they also have awesome fire tables you can sit around (only for drinks).
That’s really just a small selection of the winter patio options you can choose from!
Photos above by Dallas Curow Photography
#YEGWinterPatios Campaign Launch
Edmonton’s winter patio season officially kicks off the weekend of Dec. 3 & 4, 2021 online or in-person at one of many participating winter patios.
Businesses will be hosting Facebook or Instagram Lives to show you their winter patio spaces, food, drinks, and what to expect when you come down to celebrate the season.
Buy a $10 Winter Warming Kit, support Boyle Street Community Services
Due to the pandemic, most businesses are unable to provide blankets on their patios this season, but no worries—when you visit, you can buy a $10 Winter Warming Kit which comes with either a Winter City blanket OR scarf, plus a Winter City pin and lovely winter postcard from local artist Jason Blower.
100% of proceeds from these kits will be donated to Boyle Street Community Services’ Winter Warming Bus initiative. This bus is a mobile drop-in service for those who can’t get to Boyle Street—Boyle Street comes to them with coffee, snacks, and warm winter clothing. This is such an important service for the community.
Buying a Winter Warming Kit for yourself while helping keep our city’s most vulnerable warm too, AND supporting local businesses by experiencing their winter patios, is such a win, win, win, I can’t support this enough!
- See more ways to embrace the season on Winter City Edmonton’s website
- Read: SnowSeekers – Embracing Winter in Edmonton
Businesses will be hosting Facebook or Instagram Lives to show you their winter patio spaces, food, drinks, and what to expect when you come down to celebrate the season.
What to order at the patios we visited on our crawl:
- At Tiramisu Bistro: Get the boozy hot chocolate, charcuterie and arancini balls
- At Square 1 Coffee: Grab a cinnamon knot and hot apple cider
- At The Next Act Pub: Grab a boozy hot chocolate (I like my hot chocolates boozy apparently lol), and the chicken nachos.
With that said, here’s a handy:
Guide to Edmonton Winter Patios to Visit this Season!
Can you try to visit as many of these winter patios as you can before the snow melts?
I’m already excited to plan a few of my own winter patio crawls—you should too!
Please note: winter patios vary in terms of how enclosed it is, heaters, etc. Be sure to check the specific restaurant websites and social media for updates on patio opening / closing hours, special promos or dining deals, capacity, and pandemic restrictions.
As well, not all patios may have Winter Warming Kits, and some only have scarves while others only have blankets, so please call to check in advance.
Edmonton Winter Patios
Total Patios: 21
Last Updated: Dec 1, 2021
Patios listed in alphabetical order by neighbourhood
Don’t see a patio listed but know they’ve got a winter patio?
Let me know and I’ll add them!
124 Street
- Tiramisu Bistro / 10750 124 Street
Downtown
- Cask & Barrel / 10041 – 104 Street
- Culina To Go at the Muttart / 9626 96A Street
- Dalla Tavola Zenari / 10166 100A Street
- Edmonton Ski Club / 9613 96 Avenue
- Little Brick Café & General Store / 10004 – 90 Street
- Odd Company Brewing Co. / 12021 102 Avenue
- Riverside Bistro (Courtyard Marriott) / 1 Thornton Ct.
- Rocky Mountain Ice House / 10516 Jasper Avenue
- Say Uncle / 10184 – 104 Street
- The Common / 9910 109 Street
- The Greenhouse / Victoria Park
- Urban Green Café (River Valley Adventure Co.) / Louise McKinney Park
Old Strathcona / Garneau
- La Petite Iza / 10926 88 Ave.
- Overflow / 8135 102 Street
- The Next Act Pub / 8224 104 Street
South Edmonton
- Café Bicyclette / 8627 Rue Marie Anne Gaboury (91) Street
- Culina on the Lake / Hawrelak Park
- Snow Valley Ski Club / 12304 Rainbow Valley Road
West Edmonton
- Sandwich & Sons / Edmonton Valley Zoo
- Square 1 Coffee / 15 Fairway Dr.
(Not trying to exclude North Edmonton but please let me know of winter patios there lol)
I hope you fully embrace winter this season, try patios you haven’t before (or perhaps visit old favourites), and help keep the community warm in the process by purchasing Winter Warming Kits at participating patios.
If you share about your winter patio experience, please tag #YEGWinterPatios!
Linda
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Disclaimer: This blog post is sponsored by SnowSeekers and WinterCity Edmonton. This has no impact on opinions stated in this post. I obviously love exploring Edmonton, supporting local restaurants and charitable initiatives, and embrace our Winter City (and hope you do too!)
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