I forgot to report back!
Soos let us dine on their uncovered sidewalk patio through a little sprinkle . Their patio had no cover at all, so they were not set up for rainy days. They were willing to seat us on the chance the rain would stop. The restaurant was full inside, so we would have settled up and left if the rain became heavier. By the time we finished dinner, at least 2 couples had been seated at the patio.
The Soos patio was closed at the end of the summer.
Right now, in mid November, Café Diplomatico and Kos in Kensington have their patios open on rainy 8 ⁰C days.
Bar Raval and Emmer are open. Their patios are completely sealed up with their plastic sheeting, without much ventilation. Union’s back patio is sealed to prevent drafts, which also makes their space less ventilated than it used to be.
Apart from making more seating for the restaurant, I don’t see the point of offering a covered and heated patio in the winter months or on rainy days, if the ventilation isn’t going to be better than the ventilation in indoor spaces.
