BY
TRACEY DUGUAY
It's a warm steamy Saturday afternoon, the third day of
mid-summer heatwave. With temperatures hovering around the
30C  mark, my assignment is to investigate Greater
Sudbury' s restaurant and bar patio scene. It's a tough job but
somebody's got to do it.
I rounded up a couple of junior reporters (aka, two good
buddies with no journalism training but a solid appreciation of
frosty alcoholic beverages and tasty food) and we set out on
our task. Our goal is to come up with a list of the Top Five
patios in Greater Sudbury.
At the onset, this seemed easy enough, but it was
surprisingly more difficult than I anticipated. Given the
beauty of the community in the summer months, the abundance of
lakes, and the growing demand for patios in light of the
no-smoking bylaws, there wasn't a great selection to choose
from.
Most restaurants and bars have patios now. They range from
tiny add-on areas built to accommodate smokers to large decks
with seating capacities nearing 100 or so. However, the
majority are missing ambience of any type and offer guests
uninspiring views of roadways or parking lots.
And, one of the biggest disappointments, given the
community's reputation as a "city of lakes," was there isn't a
single open-air patio overlooking the water unless you're
willing to driving an hour or so in any direction from the
city's core.
Well, there's always the courtyard off Science North's
cafeteria but it is not licensed.
There are a few jewels hidden throughout the city though. After five hours or so, using a completely unscientific analysis of criteria such as ambience, location and menu and drink selection, we finally came up with our list. We'd love to hear about your favourite patio, comment at NorthernLife.ca.
Laughing Buddha - 196 Elgin St.
Without a doubt, this urban oasis was our hands-down favourite; we could have easily spent the afternoon here. The patio is situated on an empty lot to the left of the café and nestled away from the bustle of Elgin St. and the laneway behind by a high wooden fence. It offers a small, intimate setting, full of trendy charm and non-intrusive, alternative music wafting from the inside of the café. The patio setting capitalizes on the natural elements around it, including two trees that offer natural shade and the original bricks-and-mortar treatment of the building next to it. Aside from the great ambience, the café offers a large selection of sandwiches, salads, stone-baked pizzas, omelettes and snacks.
For those with a love of the hops, there's also an extensive
selection of domestic, exported, premium and "on tap" beer.
Parker House - 259 Elm St.
Built in the back of a beautifully restored home, now serving as an inn, the licensed patio offers visitors a quaint, rustic charm. The green-washed wooden patio is filled with foliage and flowers, creating the feel of a cozy English garden.
The restaurant has an onsite coffee rotisserie and is known for its delicious food. One note of caution though, on the weekends the kitchen closes between 3 and 5 pm, so if you're looking for a meal, plan to visit for lunch beforehand or dinner afterwards. 
Café Korea - Montrose Mall, 798 Lasalle
Blvd.
While the patio at Café Korea isn't decorated ornately, filled with flowers or foliage, or high on the ambience scale, it provides a simple, comfortable space to enjoy an alternative dining experience. And, with padded seats and full-size patio tables, it was a nice departure from hard wooden or plastic chairs that you stick to in humid weather and tiny tables that don't provide enough space. With a nice mixture of Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean food and beverages, it's also a nice departure from the traditional pub-style menus. One of the most enjoyable things about the experience here was getting my less-than-culinary-adventurous friend to go outside of her comfort zone. The expression on her face after sucking up a tapioca ball in the straw of her Bubble Tea or the awkwardness of assembling her first piece of sushi kept us laughing well into the afternoon.
Boston Pizza - RioCan Centre, 120 Donna Dr.
This colourful, spacious patio provides lots of space with a fun, friendly atmosphere. The selection of summer-themed drinks - both mocktails and cocktails - was one of the largest we encountered in our travels. As for my food-fussy friend, after only nibbling at other locations, she thoroughly enjoyed an order of spinach and artichoke dip and a stacked plate of chicken nachos. The menu varies from a nice selection of starters to pizza, pasta, salads, main entrees and desserts.
Buzzy Brown's - Cedar Point Plaza, 1984 Regent
St.
The large, enclosed patio in this South End eatery was a welcome respite to the heat with its sun-shaded wrap-around patio.  With dark brick on the exterior of the building and green patio tables, it offers a darker pub-style feel and boasts the "largest menu selection in Sudbury" and the "best wings north of Buffalo." With the new provincial smoking bylaw in effect, the patio is now 100 percent smoke free. 
