Photo courtesy of Amsterdam Brewing Co.

For decades, a common criticism of Toronto was that it’s a waterfront city without a great waterfront scene to enjoy. But the city’s downtown, perched on the edge of Lake Ontario, has begun a transformation in recent years that has slowly seen the waterfront grow into a destination, with parkland, walking trails, retail and dining spots all popping up.

Still, despite all the lakeside development, it’s still a challenge to find a place to drink and dine while watching the sailboats go by on a warm summer day. So it’s no surprise that the opening of Amsterdam Brewhouse this summer has created a huge buzz.

Housed in an historical pier building from the 1920s, the 14,000-square-foot restaurant at 245 Queen’s Quay West features more than 800 seats, including 325 spread out across three lakefront patios. Located next to Harbourfront, and just a hop, skip and a jump from the homes of all of Toronto’s major sports teams, the patios are destined to be among the hottest seats in town.

Inside, are two long bars, comfortable plush booths, and multiple TVs lining the walls. And Amsterdam – Toronto’s first brewpub when it opened downtown in 1986 – has set up its brewing operations in house, too. Here, you can enjoy a meal while watching beer being made in the glassed-in brewing area.

Of course, all that great beer calls out for complementary food. The menu at Amsterdam Brewhouse includes traditional pub favorites like burgers, salads and giant soft pretzels, along with globally inspired fare such as tacos and miso-glazed salmon.

Once you’ve enjoyed your meal and a few of Amsterdam’s liquid libations, you may want to bring home some beer to enjoy later. And the Amsterdam Brewhouse makes it easy, with a wide variety available from their in-house retail location.