Any Vancouver resident knows why these three outdoor eateries make the patio cut in one lump sum: location, location, location. All situated on the bird friendly, tourist friendly Granville Island, each of these restaurants are a stone’s throw from the next. If you find one deck full, there’s another round the corner that will likely accommodate.

All boast reasonably priced menus with their own unique flares on tradition (your calamari’s and dry ribs get their own spins respectively), and all cater to the lover of sipping, especially in the sun. Have a glass of vino, or order the bottle and keep it in a chiller and kick back for a while. While Bridges and Sandbar boast the better views of English Bay and Vancouver’s West End, the Cat’s Meow gives the alternative land lover a quaint duck pond to visually feast upon.

While Sandbar, a tucked away upstairs deck with massive wooden beams that feels like a true getaway, is my favorite if these three, what matters so much more than the view is the fact that you’re actually in the sun. – B.J.