How to find a patio in the sky

The Argyle Bar & Grill

The Argyle boasts both the largest rooftop patio in Halifax and
unblocked sun access. Bar owner Johnny Demestihas says Thursday nights
are his hottest and most happening all summer long, and one look at the
rooftop layout explains why: three bars, a lounge chair area and an
endless supply of regular chairs and tables makes it a perfect spot for
any occasion you can dream up. There are even bathrooms on the rooftop
level, eliminating that teetering journey down the stairwell at other
rooftops. While The Arygle’s sidewalk patio’s open every day, its patio
in the sky is only open Wednesday to Saturday.

Red Stag Tavern

Sitting atop the Alexander Keith’s Brewery, the Red Stag Tavern
boasts itself as a prime drinking spot and a historic site. If you walk
through the warm glow of the tavern’s polished hallways, you’ll
eventually discover another boast-able item about the Stag: its patio,
which is the waterfront’s tallest. From opening until about 5pm, it has
direct sunlight and, during peak summer hours, it’s normally warm
enough to stay well after the sun has said goodbye. Be sure to head
over after work and start your weekend off right with the Stag’s weekly
barbecue—servers will grill your steak or shrimp skewer right before
your hungry eyes.

Celtic Corner Public House

“It’s a long, fabled journey,” a friendly server says when leading
the way to Celtic Corner’s rooftop patio. After multiple stairways and
a parking garage, a grey door opens up to the journey’s end—and one
of the best views of Halifax. A recent renovation has resulted in a
multi-levelled patio with double the seating, and the wooden deck gives
a backyard party feel. The sun finds itself over the patio all day
long, and umbrellas shield patrons from the heat. The servers (and
patrons!) swear an ocean breeze keeps the rooftop nicely cool on the
hot days. Look across the harbour at everyone else at work.

Coconut Grove

What better place to spend a night out patio drinking than above
pizza corner? With post-drinking munchies just a few steps away,
Coconut Grove has a sweet spot for its deck in the sky, and this year
owner Remo is trying to set up live acoustic shows for Thursday to
Saturday nights. No word if that’ll happen yet, but keep those tapping
fingers crossed. Since mid-June, there’s been a barbecue special
offered to patio-goers, and the ever-popular deal of two martinis and a
cheese plate for 10 bucks is still offered. The hours are 4pm-2am, so
this stellar patio can only be enjoyed in the afternoons and
evenings.

La Perla

La Perla offers an entirely different patio and dining experience.
Where the neighbouring Celtic Corner offers pub fare and a rooftop
party-like patio, La Perla specializes in northern Italian cuisine and
offers a second-floor, more intimate patio to its diners. Glass walls
serve to protect patrons from the wind and from some of the noise from
the busy Alderney Drive below, and flower boxes dress up the windows of
La Perla’s charming brick building. An indoor sound system provides
light music, and you can catch the sun’s rays until mid-evening—a
lovely place for an intimate dinner.

Victor’s Bar & Grill

Victor’s on Spring Garden, formerly Jon Alan’s Luxx, has simplified
its quality menu and brought down the prices. With the start of summer,
Victor’s patio is seeing busy nights all around. While it’s mostly just
a slab of concrete with patio tables and chairs, long-time owner Victor
Fineberg says it’s the food and service that keep his customers
returning for more. He’s planning on revamping the patio to make it
more comfortable and patron-friendly within the next few weeks. The
deck sees a good amount of sun in the day, but the tall buildings on
the Park Lane side of Spring Garden block the patio sun around
mid-afternoon.

Minstrels Gastropub

Minstrels just recently opened, but it’s jumping into summer with a
new patio that’ll compete with the Argyle’s in terms of capacity.
Sitting in the same spot as the old Thirsty Duck’s patio, the newly
renovated space has rooftop bathrooms and a fully stocked bar, making
it a self-sufficient space to eat and drink. Being able to seat almost
200 people, you can bet it’s a spacious area, with nothing to block the
sun throughout the day. Assistant manager David Drohan is looking to
put in firepits, as well as a retractable roof for rainy days. He’s
also hoping to offer live music in the near future.

Tall Ship Silva

Haligonians can put up the sails and cast away on the Tall Ship
Silva in a new way—it’s now open as Halifax’s only floating patio.
Beginning June 20, this cargo ship-turned-tall ship is open for
fresh-air lunch breaks (noon-1:30pm), a Maritime siesta (2-3:30pm) and
happy hour (4-5:30pm). It has a full cash bar and it’s fine if you
bring a bag lunch or snack while hopping on board to enjoy the sun. And
if it’s raining? A full canopy covers the deck, so you’re still good to
go in typical Halifax weather. Adult tickets are $19.95 plus tax and
kiddies are more than welcome to join in the fun.

Dockside at Queen’s Wharf, at the foot of Prince, beside Murphy’s on
the Water, 429-9463, holds 150

Your Father’s Moustache

Follow the yellow footprint stickers marked PATIO through the bar
and up the stairs and you’ll find yourself walking onto one of the most
popular rooftops in Halifax. Winner of The Coast’s “Best Patio” title
for many years, owner Shaun O’Hearn says the ‘stache patio’s “beauty”
is its all-day sun access; asked for a time that the sun disappears,
O’Hearn could only shrug his shoulders in sunny defeat. And if the sun
isn’t warm enough, a combination of eight infrared heaters and
additional fire pits keep the restaurant-goers toasty through the
chill.

5686 Spring Garden, 423-6766, seats 160

This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2009.