News Release - January 22, 2025: CaféTO returns: Curb lane applications and renewals are now open for the 2025 season
CaféTO is a program that provides restaurants and bars in Toronto with the opportunity to expand their outdoor dining space through sidewalk cafés, curb lane cafés or patios on private property.
Sidewalk cafés: are outdoor eating areas located on sidewalks where food or drinks are served to the public by a licensed eating or drinking establishment.
An operator must have sidewalk café permit before operating on the sidewalk.
Operators with a permanent sidewalk café permit (R57) that are against a building wall (frontage cafés) may operate year-round. Sidewalk cafés not located along a building wall (curbside sidewalk cafés) must remove all elements between November 15 and April 14 of the following year. Additional conditions may be imposed on a permit holder by Community Council.
Curb lane cafés: provide expanded temporary outdoor dining space by reallocating the public right-of-way on curb lanes for use by licensed eating or drinking establishments. Curb lane cafés are outdoor dining areas located on the street, directly adjacent to a curb. Most Curb Lane Cafés may operate from May 1 to October 15.
Private property patios: are outdoor patios associated with restaurants and bars located on private property. If your outdoor patio proposal is located entirely on private property, complies with the zoning by-law, and does not incorporate any structures that require a building permit, then you do not need to obtain City permission prior to installation, except as noted in the Business Licence Endorsement tab.
Learn more about the permit, registration and zoning bylaws for the three café types at toronto.ca/CafeTO
Amplified Live Music on Patio
Learn about the Amplified Live Music on Patios program that allows amplified live music on CaféTO curb lane cafes, sidewalk cafés and private patios. Learn more here.
CaféTO Dining District Grant Program
The CaféTO Dining District Grant Program provides grant funding to Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), business associations and other not-for-profit organizations for projects aimed at supporting restaurants and bars with expanded outdoor dining opportunities.
Café operators may be eligible for a matching grant of up to $7,500 to cover 50 per cent of the cost of eligible property or site improvements related to curb lane café installations, sidewalk cafés or patios on private property. Learn more about the CaféTO Dining District Program here.