Al Fresco Dining London | Terraces, Courtyards & More
Umbrellas.
They always seemed a little shady.
But they really come into their own when you’re dining al fresco in London, where even in the warmest months rain is never truly a stranger to our skies, and where – just occasionally – it’s actually scorchingly hot. And given that we’re currently living through one of those occasions (and have no idea how long it will last) we thought we’d let you know where the best places to eat outside were…
Last updated: 21st September 2018
JUMP TO: EAST LONDON | WEST LONDON | NORTH LONDON | SOUTH LONDON
CENTRAL LONDON
Petersham Nurseries | Covent Garden
Credit: Paul Craig
Given that this venue actually houses two restaurants, plus a bar, deli, florists, shop and wine cellar… it’s no surprise that they also found room for a huge, secluded outdoor area, appropriately on Floral Court. READ MORE
Details: Open daily noon-midnight | Petersham Nurseries, Floral Court, WC2E 8JD
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temper | Covent Garden
No, that lower case ‘t’ wasn’t a typo. It’s just their branding. From BBQ legend Neil Rankin, temper’s Covent Garden operation is a huge setup, with everything geared towards pizza & vermouth. And they happen to have included some lovely outdoor seating, too. READ MORE
Details: Open daily, noon-late | 5 Mercer Walk, Mercers Yard, WC2H 9FA
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Lina Stores | Soho
Ok, so you’d have to be exceptionally lucky to score this date-worthy fold-down table à deux. But if you do, it has to be one of the loveliest spots in Soho to sip aperitivi and munch on hand-made pasta from one of the area’s longest-standing emporia… READ MORE
Details: Open 12-2.30pm and 5-11pm Mon- Sat | 51 Greek Street, W1D 4EH
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Clipstone | Fitzrovia
Despite being placed on, and indeed named after one of the nicer and quieter streets in Fitzrovia, Clipstone’s best view is probably on the plates: the food comes courtesy of meteorically rising kitchen star Eddie Pellicano. But eating it outside makes it taste even better. Promise. READ MORE
Details: Open 12-2.30 and 5.30-10pm Mon-Sat | 5 Clipstone Street, W1W 6BB
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Dalloway Terrace | Fitzrovia
Probably the prettiest al fresco spot in central London, the Dalloway Terrace restaurant accessorises its classic brasserie fare with a regularly changing cascade of flowers along its back wall… VIEW DETAILS
Details: Open daily 8am-10.30pm | 16-22 Great Russell Street, WC1B 3NN
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Bleeding Heart Bistro | Farringdon
Effortlessly romantic, and as ‘off the beaten track as they come’, BHB’s courtyard has come a long way since Lady Hatton was found murdered there 400 years ago. Now, it’s home to a secluded, 60-seater terrace built for long, rosé-fuelled lunches… READ MORE
Details: Open weekdays 12-2pm and 5.30-10.30pm, Sat 5-10.30pm | Bleeding Heart Yard, EC1N 8SJ
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Yamabahçe | Marylebone
Representing Alan Yau’s (Hakkasan, Busaba) second failure to retire from the restaurant business, Yamabahçe serves up Turkish pide (a kind of sizzling, boat-shaped pizza). It’s small but cosy, and in the warmer weather, the entire restaurant seems to spill out onto the street… READ MORE
Details: Open weekdays 11am-11pm, Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 9am-10pm | 26 James Street, St. Christopher’s Place, W1U 1EN
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Ham Yard Hotel | Soho
The Ham Yard Hotel is designed to a tee, with sumptuous furnishings, vibrantly coated walls and its own 1950s bowling alley… So it’s quite something that the best parts are actually their outdoor terrace and the bohemian rooftop space. VIEW DETAILS
Details: Open daily 7am-11.30pm (10.30pm Sundays) | Ham Yard Hotel, 1 Ham Yard, W1D 7DT
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Boulestin | St. James’s
Even without mentioning its outdoor dining, Boulestin is an excellent place to grab a bite of classic French food. But they also have an enchanting-as-hell hidden courtyard (which happens to be the site of the last duel fought in England), lit by original Victorian gas lamps. It’s almost showing off. VIEW DETAILS
Details: Reservations available Mon-Fri 7am-12pm and 2.30-6pm, walk-ins possible at weekends and lunch/dinner | 5 St James’s Street, SW1A 1EF
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Barrafina Drury Lane | Covent Garden
Set on the edge of Covent Garden, Barrafina’s only venue with some outdoor seating might just make it the best of the bunch. You’ll find all their delicious, Michelin-Star winning tapas, plus sunshine. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Sat 12-3pm and 5-11pm, Sun 1-3.30pm and 5.30-10pm| 43 Drury Lane, WC2B 5AJ
EAST LONDON
Coppa Club | Tower Bridge
Coppa Club were already pretty enviable for their riverside terrace overlooking London’s most iconic bridge. But just to make doubly sure, they’ve now dotted the space with private dining igloos that change theme with the seasons… VIEW DETAILS
Details: Open weekdays from 7.30am-11pm, Sat 9am-11pm, Sun 9am-10pm | 3 Three Quays Walk,
Lower Thames Street, EC3R 6AH
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Tapas Brindisa Shoreditch | Shoreditch
After a huge refurb, Tapas Brindisa’s eastern flagship now has its own courtyard, just to make things truly Spanish. And it’s heated. Just to make things truly British, too. READ MORE
Details: Open daily noon-12.30am (11pm Sun) | 152 Curtain Road, EC2A 3AT
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Boundary | Shoreditch
Shoreditch has seen it all: nuns, factory owners, criminals, and prostitutes. Now it boasts a roof terrace with 360-degree views across the chimneys of the East End. And hipsters. READ MORE
Details: Open daily 11.30am-11pm | 2-4 Boundary Street, E2 7DD
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Bravas Tapas | St. Katherine Docks
London’s own miniature riviera, perched in the shadow of Tower Bridge is exceedingly underrated. Which means you might just have a chance of scoring one of the outdoor tables at top-shelf tapas spot, Bravas Tapas… READ MORE
Details: Open daily noon-10.30pm (10pm Sundays) | St. Katherine Docks, E1W 1AT
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Sager + Wilde Paradise Row | Bethnal Green
Flowing seamlessly into the main area of the restaurant, the al fresco courtyard at Paradise Row is both a formal dining area for S+W’s tasting menus, and a slightly less formal bar which serves an ever-changing cocktail menu centred around different spirits… READ MORE
Details: Open Mon 5pm-12am; Tues-Fri 12-3pm, 5pm-12am; Sat 11am-12am, Sun 11am-11pm | Arch 250 Paradise Row, E2 9LE
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South Place | Moorgate
Sitting on top of The South Place Hotel is Angler, which has one of the sleeker rooftop terraces in the city. The fact that the restaurant it’s attached to has a Michelin star is just window dressing, really. READ MORE
Details: Open for lunch weekdays 12-2.30pm and dinner Mon-Sat, 6-9.30pm | South Place Hotel, 3 South Place, EC2M 2AF
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Dishoom | Shoreditch
Dishoom’s eclectic verandah is home to a jumble of vintage furniture, salvaged architecture and familiar-feeling bric-a-brac – as well as, most importantly, a retractable roof. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Wed 8am-11pm, Thurs-Fri 8am-midnight, Sat 9am-midnight, Sun 9am-11pm | 7 Boundary Street, E2 7JE
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Rochelle Canteen | Shoreditch
A real secret garden, Rochelle Canteen can be found behind a brick wall facing the Arnold Circus garden with its Victorian bandstand. Ring a buzzer, and you’ll be welcomed into a hidden, terrace-toting restaurant serving gorgeous seasonal grub… READ MORE
Details: Open daily for breakfast 9-11am and lunch 12-3pm, plus dinner Thurs-Sat 6-9pm | Rochelle School, Arnold Circus, E2 7ES
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Bird of Smithfield | Smithfield
The elegant Bird of Smithfield is set over four floors of Georgian townhouse; the best part of which is, naturally, the very top – where you can tuck into market-fresh food before heading down to The Birdcage below for a dance. READ MORE
Details: Open 8am-12am weekdays, 5-10pm Sat | 26 Smithfield Street, EC1A 9LB
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Les Nénettes | Clapton
Achingly chic monochromatic spot Les Nénettes has – like all good French bistrots – an enviable terrace out the front, where a sprawling cluster of café tables provide the perfect place for brunch, lunch and dinner. VIEW DETAILS
Details: Open Mon-Tues 10am-4pm, Wed-Sat 10am-10.30pm, Sun 10am-10pm | 19 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0NS
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Untitled | Dalston
Credit: Andy Stagg
Untitled’s aluminium-plastered walls make it a pretty bright spot whatever the time of day – but if you’re after some natural light, take a pew in their intimate, Japanese-inspired back garden, with sleekly curving banquettes, a bar serving Tony Conigliaro concoctions, and a Japanese small plates menu from Rob Roy Cameron. READ MORE
Details: Open Tues-Sun from 6pm | 538 Kingsland Road, E8 4AH
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Casita Andina | Soho
Casita Andina’s turquoise-walled terrace has but three tiny tables. But that makes it all the more perfect a hideaway for an evening spent talking over Martin Morales’ brightly coloured, Peruvian-inspired small plates… READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Thur 11am-11pm, Fri 11am-11.30pm, Sat 10am-11.30pm, Sun 10am-10pm | 31 Great Windmill Street, W1D 7LP
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The Culpeper | Spitalfields
Credit: Veerle Evens
Some of the finest al fresco dining London can offer, The Culpeper’s roof spot has its own bar serving signature cocktails, a garden supplying herbal tinctures for said cocktails, a bespoke grill from the London Log Company, an 8ft (relatively miniature) gherkin, a view of the City’s towering skyline, AND, an intimate, 12 – 14 seater glass Greenhouse. Just in case. READ MORE
Details: Rooftop open Tues-Sun 11am-10.30pm (10pm Sun) | 40 Commercial Street, E1 6LP
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The Modern Pantry | Clerkenwell
Housed in an imposing brick building, the oh-so-white freshness and simplicity of the interior is put in the shade by the shaded, alfresco courtyard space. And the food is pretty spectacular, too. READ MORE
Details: Open daily | 47-48 St John’s Square, EC1V 4JJ
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Bourne and Hollingsworth | Clerkenwell
Okay so, bear with us here. B&H Buildings doesn’t technically have any outdoor seating. But what they DO have is a greenhouse filled with cane garden furniture, hanging baskets, fully grown trees and trailing creepers. All of which means and when you go inside, you’ll feel like you’re still outside. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Thur 11am-12pm, Fri 11am-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-6pm | 42 Northampton Road, EC1R 0HU
WEST LONDON
The Prince | West Brompton
The front of The Prince comprises a pub and three restaurants housing a rotating series of street food vendors. The back, however, hides this beautiful sunken garden, topped by a pergola festooned with tumbling garlands of flowers, and, crucially, a retractable roof… READ MORE
Details: Open Sun/Mon 12-10pm, Tues-Thurs 12-11pm, Fri/Sat 12-11.30pm | 14 Lillie Road, SW6 1TT
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The River Cafe | Hammersmith
It’s called The River Cafe because it’s next to the river. And if you open a restaurant next to the river and don’t provide a little outdoor seating for people then, quite frankly, you’re not going to be open for three decades. Which the River Cafe has been. READ MORE
Details: Open daily 12.30-5pm, Mon-Sat 7-11pm | Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, W6 9HA
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Ivy Chelsea Garden | Chelsea
Technically speaking, The Ivy Chelsea Garden doesn’t have an al fresco area. It IS an al fresco area, with an indoor bit attached. Because they have a 3,500 square foot outdoor terrace and paved garden, filled with stone-clad water fountains; sandstone firepits; marble tables; mosaic chairs; and balustrade pergolas covered in creeping wisteria and red rose vine. READ MORE
Details: Open daily 12-10pm | 195 -197 King’s Road, SW3 5EQ
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Kricket | White City
Overlooking the newly redeveloped BBC Television Centre, Kricket White City’s sprawling al fresco terrace is a delightfully peaceful spot to overdo it on Chaitinis and gorge on every one of their Anglo-Indian small plates. READ MORE
Details: Open daily 12-10.30pm (5pm Sundays) | 2 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, W12 7FR
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Pomona’s | Notting Hill
This Californian-inspired eatery has brought Notting Hill a little slice of LA – assuming that LA is filled with wisteria-laden pergolas, festoon lighting, leafy palms, and a dedicated gin and oyster bar. READ MORE
Details: Open daily from 9am | 47 Hereford Road, W2 5AH
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Chicama | Chelsea
Chicama is named after a Peruvian coastal town… something that doesn’t seem too distant if you can score a table under their awning on a sunny day, as you tuck into ceviche, popped corn monkfish cheeks, and pisco cocktails. READ MORE
Details: Open daily from noon | 383 King’s Road, SW10 0LP–
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No 197 Chiswick Fire Station | Chiswick
Chiswick Fire Station’s jaw-droppingly suave interiors (pink velvet loveseats, beautiful artwork and cacti of an Arizonan scale) are matched only by the breezy courtyard, with its wisteria-entwined pergola and brilliant white furnishings. VIEW DETAILS
Details: Open Mon-Thurs 9am-midnight, Fri-Sat 9am-1am, Sun 9am-11pm | 197-199 Chiswick High Road, W4 2DR
Casa Cruz | Notting Hill
Photographer: Anton Rodriguez
Notting Hill’s Argentinian-inspired Casa Cruz has revamped it’s terrace for summer. Which means, after a stroll down Portobello Road or in leafy Holland Park, you can escape there – to it’s bright, emerald green seating and white marble tables dressed with fresh flowers – for a drink or two, or to try something from their new summer menu like their artichoke, avocado, rocket and grapefruit salad or chilled pea soup. READ MORE.
Details: Open Mon-Fri 6pm-12am, Sat 12pm – 12am, Sun 12pm-11pm | 123A Clarendon Rd, London W11 4JG
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Feast Bar & Kitchen | White City
Arguably the best way to enjoy the former BBC Television Centre’s new look is from the outside – preferably while tucking into some of London’s best street food and summery spritzes under strings of fairy lights. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Tues 12-9pm, Wed-Thur 12-10pm, Fri 12-11pm | 201 Wood Lane, W12 7TP
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Villa Mama’s | Chelsea
They don’t come much cuter than Villa Mama’s sprightly al fresco terrace, on which you can sip botanic-infused cocktails and light Bahraini fare… READ MORE
Details: Open daily 12-10pm | 25-27 Elystan Street, SW3 3NT
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NORTH LONDON
Oldroyd | Islington
Oldroyd is a very small restaurant. And it has a very small al fresco dining space: just two tables. But that means that, conceivably, you and a couple of friends can occupy the entire thing, and be the only ones enjoying Tom Oldroyd’s magnificent modern British cooking outside. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Thurs 12-11pm, Fri/Sat 12-11.30pm, Sun 11am-1opm | 344 Upper Street, N1 0PD
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Yard Sale Pizza | Walthamstow
In spite of their name, Yard Sale Pizza’s third branch is actually the first to offer back yard dining since their pop up days, with a terrace adjoining the intimate restaurant housed in a former stained glass workshop. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon 5-10pm, Tues-Thurs 5-11pm, Fri-Sat 12-11pm, Sun 12-10pm | 105 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0NP
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Granary Square Brasserie | King’s Cross
Granary Square Brasserie boasts not only the largest dining terrace in North London, but also one of the most delicious. Part of The Ivy family, it’s home to all-day modern European dining, a killer brunch and – for this summer – a special ‘Physic Garden’ menu, which sees apothecary-inspired cocktails served up on the terrace. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Thurs 8-12.30am, Fri-Sat 8-1.30am, Sun 9am-11.30pm | 1 Granary Square, N1C 4AB
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Bon Vivant | Bloomsbury
This stylish corner bistrot serves classic French fare, alongside bottomless brunches and cocktails. All of which taste 90% better if consumed under their striped awnings. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Wed 11.30am-10pm, Thurs-Fri 11.30am-11pm, Sat 10.30am-11pm, Sun 10.30am-10pm | 75-77 Marchmont Street WC1N 1AP
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German Gymnasium | King’s Cross
Set in a vast, gorgeous, warehouse-like building next to King’s Cross (with 57ft high ceilings), the German Gymnasium is literally the oldest gymnasium in the country. It hosted all the indoor events at the 1866 Olympics. And it has two very nice, sizeable, and heated outdoor areas. READ MORE
Details: Open daily | King’s Boulevard N1C 4BU
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Caravan King’s Cross | King’s Cross
Set in the industrially grand Granary Square, Caravan not only has a huge outdoor seating area, but the warehouse-like space inside feels almost like you’re outdoors anyway. READ MORE
Details: Open weekdays 8am-10.30pm, Sat 10am-10.30pm, Sun 10am-4pm | 1 Granary Square, N1C 4AA
SOUTH LONDON
Wright Brothers | Battersea
Battersea – it’s pretty much the perfect place for a seafood spot; especially when it’s the fifth in a family of well-established eateries, and comes with its own festoon-lit verandah overlooking the river… READ MORE
Details: Open daily from noon | 26 Circus West Village, Battersea Power Station, SW8 4NN
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Sea Containers | Southbank
Housed in the eponymous Southbank building, SC is an American-British restaurant drawing inspiration from the “Golden Age of transatlantic travel”. And speaking of travel, there’s a river right outside too, which you can enjoy from the floor-length windows or al fresco on the riverside terrace. READ MORE
Details: Open weekdays 7am-11pm, weekends 12-11pm | 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD
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The OXO Tower | Southbank
The Oxo Tower has been standing since the early 1900s. Apparently, people put a lot of stock in it. And that’s due in no small part to the views you can score from their lofty outdoor terrace, making it by default one of the best places in the area to grab a bite and/or a cocktail. READ MORE
Details: Open daily until late | 8th floor, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, SE1 9PH
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Casse-Croute | Bermondsey
Casse-Croute is probably London’s tiniest restaurant. Luckily, you can get a taste of their ultra-comforting French cuisine on London’s tiniest pavement, too… READ MORE
Details: Open Mon-Sat 12-10pm, Sun 12-4pm | 109 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XB
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The Exhibit | Balham
Billing itself as a ‘youth club for adults’, The Exhibit is all things to all diners: part restaurant, part bar, part cinema, part studio space, part gallery, and part perfect al fresco space. READ MORE
Details: Open Mon/Tues 3-11pm, Wed 3-12pm, Thur 3pm-1am, Fri 12pm-2am, Sat 11am-2pm, Sun 11am-10.30pm | 12 Balham Station Road, SW12 9SG
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Brother Marcus | Balham
With a retracting glass front and hidden courtyard out the back, this restaurant/café is almost entirely al fresco – and it has an excellent brunch offering to boot. READ MORE
Details: Open weekdays 8am-4.30pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 9.30am-4pm | 9 Chestnut Grove, SW12 8JA
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Main image: Sager + Wilde Paradise Row/Addie Chinn
Looking for more casual al fresco dining? Check out our guide to London’s best street food markets