Dining in the Sun: Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in Vancouver

With summer weather comes patio season. Soak up the sun on Vancouver’s diverse rooftop patios. You can enjoy city views, garden oases, laid-back hang spaces, and mountain-top panoramas.

Lift Bar and Grill

If you’re looking for outdoor dining with an incredible view, you can’t go wrong at Lift Bar and Grill. Their two-story rooftop terrace has unreal views of Coal Harbour, Stanley Park, and the North Shore Mountains. The waterfront location is reflected in their West Coast menu which emphasizes seafood, including a raw bar featuring local oysters. The crab cakes on the appetizer menu are a popular (and delicious) choice.

D/6 Bar and Lounge

The rooftop patio at D/6 Bar and Lounge on the sixth floor of the Parq Casino is so huge that you might forget you are in the middle of Vancouver’s Stadium District. With both Rogers Arena and BC Place just steps away, D/6 is a great place to go for upscale Japanese izakaya-style snacks and drinks before the game. They have an extensive sake menu and offer sake flights, perfect for pairing with sashimi, wagyu sliders, or barbecue bento boxes.

Altitudes Bistro at Grouse Mountain

Eat dinner in the sky at Altitudes Bistro on Grouse Mountain. Located on the upper floor of the Peak Chalet, the patio has incredible views of Vancouver and the Strait of Georgia. It’s a great spot for sunset drinks with friends or as a celebration spot after completing the challenging Grouse Grind hike. The menu includes gastropub staples like burgers and chicken wings alongside Thai curry and herb-crusted haddock. But their most famous dish is their Altitudes Signature Nachos, piled high with cheese.

Social YVR

The rooftop patio at Social YVR is open in every type of weather thanks to retractable glass roof panels. The hip Commerical Drive restaurant has stylish decor, a huge U-shaped bar, and a laid-back vibe. Stop in for happy hour cocktails after shopping at boutiques on the Drive. Or book a table for Saturday brunch with your besties before a walk around Trout Lake. The menu features lots of inventive share plates like chicken karage baos and ahi tuna sushi tacos, perfect for groups.

Parker Rooftop

Parker Rooftop sits 120 feet above street level in Downtown Vancouver. The patio boasts great views of the city’s gleaming glass towers and peek-a-boo glimpses of False Creek. The huge indoor section of the restaurant is billed as “a living room in the sky” with cozy couches and plush chairs, perfect for sipping from their craft cocktail menu. But if you want to soak up the sun, book a table on one of their three outdoor patios. The menu focuses on steaks, high-end small plates, and elevated takes on classics, like their Fish & Chip Cones, made with sushi rice, tempura, pickled ginger, and caviar.

The Roof at Black+Blue

Enjoy the finest steak in Vancouver at The Roof at Black+Blue. The restaurant’s rooftop patio takes advantage of its outdoor location to offer a unique menu cooked over wood coals on a Josper Grill. Beef is the star here, and you can choose from several cuts of Canadian Prime, Japanese Kobe, and Japanese Wagyu beef. The sun-drenched, garden-inspired patio is a great place to relax after a day of shopping at the boutiques on Alberni Street.

Joe Fortes

Joe Fortes has been a Vancouver institution for over 35 years. Named after legendary Black bartender and lifeguard, Joseph Seraphim Fortes, who arrived in Vancouver in 1885, the restaurant focuses on West Coast seafood, especially oysters and classics like seafood linguine. Their rooftop patio is a garden oasis and features a living green wall. It also has great views down onto bustling Robson Street, making a great stop after shopping.