Summer in Greater Vancouver is short — so we make every patio meal count. Whether you're new to Burnaby, New Westminster, or Coquitlam, or you've lived here forever and need a fresh list, here are some of my favourite patios across our three cities for summer 2026.
This is a lifestyle post, not a real estate post — but the truth is, where you eat and drink in your community is part of why neighbourhoods feel like home. So consider this part neighbourhood guide, part local insider list.
If I've missed your favourite spot, tell me — I'm always looking for new places to add to the list.
This is a lifestyle post, not a real estate post — but the truth is, where you eat and drink in your community is part of why neighbourhoods feel like home. So consider this part neighbourhood guide, part local insider list.
Burnaby Patios I Love
Brentwood & Lougheed Area
The Amazing Brentwood has steadily built one of the strongest dining clusters in Burnaby. Several restaurants here have full patios that open up the moment the weather turns — Italian spots, Asian fusion, modern brewpubs, and casual coffee patios. The pedestrian plaza setting means you're not eating beside traffic, which makes a real difference.Burnaby Heights / Hastings Street
Hastings Street in Burnaby Heights has a patio scene that locals know about and outsiders rarely discover. Family-run Italian restaurants, casual pubs, and independent cafes line the street, and the slightly elevated location means cooler evenings.Metrotown & South Burnaby
Newer mid-rise developments around Metrotown have brought patio dining to areas that didn't have it five years ago. Coffee shops with proper outdoor seating, casual sushi spots, and a few hidden gem ramen shops with small patios are all worth the visit.
New Westminster Patios I Love
Quayside Boardwalk
The Quayside boardwalk is the best patio strip in our entire service area. The Fraser River is a metre away from your table. Tugs and barges drift past as you eat. Sunset over the river is genuinely beautiful. Several restaurants here have full waterfront patios — and yes, they fill up fast on warm evenings, so a reservation matters.River Market
The River Market itself has an indoor-outdoor configuration with several patio-style seats and full waterfront views. It's an underrated lunch spot, especially for families with kids who can wander while you finish your meal.Sapperton & Columbia Street
The Sapperton brewery district has grown into one of the best casual patio scenes in New West. Brewpubs with full outdoor patios, casual pizza spots, and gastropubs all benefit from the more relaxed pace of the neighbourhood.Uptown New West
Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue have a small but solid patio cluster — coffee, breakfast, and casual lunch spots that feel like a small town in the middle of a city.
Coquitlam Patios I Love
Coquitlam Centre / Lafarge Lake
The walkable streets around Coquitlam Centre and the Evergreen Line have produced a small but growing patio scene. After a walk around Lafarge Lake, several casual restaurants nearby offer patios that are perfect for an unhurried summer evening.Austin Heights
Austin Heights village is one of the most underrated dining strips in our service area. Independent restaurants, family-run pubs, and casual cafes line the street, and patios bring real character to the neighbourhood from May through September.Maillardville
Maillardville's francophone heritage shows up in some surprisingly authentic French and Belgian-influenced spots. A few have small patios that feel like a European village, even if you can't quite see the Lougheed.The Patio Mindset
The thing about Greater Vancouver summers is that the window is short and the weather is unpredictable. My family rule: when it's sunny and warm, you go to a patio. The dishes can wait. The emails can wait. The summer can't.If I've missed your favourite spot, tell me — I'm always looking for new places to add to the list.
