Toronto's most spectacular elevated patio — the Broadview Hotel's 8th-floor rooftop bar and patio provides 360-degree views of Toronto including one of the best angles on the CN Tower available anywhere. The food and cocktails justify the visit on their own, but the view is genuinely extraordinary.
Neighbourhood: East End / Riverside · Address: 106 Broadview Ave, Toronto, ON · Hours: Mon–Thu 4:00 – 10:00 PM | Fri–Sat 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM | Sun 4:00 – 10:00 PM · Price Range: $$$ · Phone: (416) 362-8439 · Editorial status: Not yet verified
The Broadview Hotel Rooftop serves up killer Toronto skyline views in every direction, with especially killer CN Tower photo ops you won’t get from the west end. Their creative cocktails and above-average menu make it a legit night out, not just another 'view bar.'
Unlike most downtown rooftop bars, this one sits on the east side of the city, so you catch sunsets and panoramas from a fresh angle. Bonus: the heritage building’s glassed-in lounge lets you enjoy the view even if the weather turns. It's a rare east-end patio where views easily rival anything in the core.
The Broadview Hotel's rooftop bar is the highest outdoor vantage point in the east end of Toronto — a rooftop terrace on the restored 1891 hotel at the intersection of Broadview and Queen East that provides 360-degree views of the Don Valley, the Toronto skyline, the Danforth neighbourhood to the north, and Lake Ontario to the south. The building's architectural restoration (from a Jilly's strip club to a boutique hotel) preserved the Victorian terra cotta facade while adding the rooftop structure, creating one of Toronto's most interesting adaptive reuse projects.
The bar program is cocktail-serious — not just accessible beach cocktails but properly made mixed drinks with seasonal ingredients and Ontario spirits integrated into the menu. The view justifies the price premium that the Broadview charges over comparable cocktail experiences without the panorama; the combination of view and quality makes the rooftop a genuine occasion destination rather than merely an Instagram backdrop.
Gertrude's (the ground-floor restaurant, named for a former proprietress of the hotel in its early decades) takes Canadian ingredient sourcing seriously — the menu changes with the season, featuring Ontario producers for meat, dairy, and produce, with cocktails that reference the same local sourcing philosophy. The fall brunch menu is the kitchen's most accomplished seasonal expression: mushrooms from Ontario foragers, heritage squash preparations, and the late-harvest warmth of the Canadian autumn culinary tradition.
The Broadview's east-end location (Broadview Station on Line 2) makes it accessible from anywhere on the subway and places it in the heart of the Leslieville and Riverdale neighbourhoods — the area's architectural heritage and the Don Valley park below the hotel provide walking context before or after the rooftop visit.
The Broadview rooftop provides 360-degree views from the highest outdoor point in Toronto's east end — the Don Valley, the downtown skyline, the Danforth neighbourhood, and Lake Ontario are all visible. The Victorian-era hotel's restoration preserved the architectural character while adding the rooftop terrace.
The rooftop bar takes walk-ins but weekend evenings and summer rooftop demand makes advance booking advisable. The hotel's restaurant (Gertrude's on the ground floor) requires reservations; the rooftop bar may have waitlist-style management on busy evenings.
Fall is arguably the best season — the Don Valley foliage in October provides exceptional colour from the rooftop, the autumn temperature is comfortable for outdoor seating with heating elements, and the bar's seasonal fall menu is at its most interesting.
Take Line 2 to Broadview Station — the hotel is on Queen Street East at Broadview, a 2-minute walk from the subway entrance. The Queen East streetcar also stops directly at the intersection.
WTF Toronto creates guides using independent editorial research, official sources, local knowledge and firsthand experience where available. Commercial relationships are disclosed where applicable.