3 days ago
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The best restaurants across the UK with outdoor seating so you can eat al fresco in the sunshine
Find out the full list of 43 restaurants as picked by review site OpenTable
SUMMER SUN The best restaurants across the UK with outdoor seating so you can eat al fresco in the sunshine
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WITH temperatures hotting up again, you might be thinking of where you can dine al fresco.
You certainly wouldn't be the only one dreaming of a glass of wine (or whatever you like to drink) and some good food outside in the sunshine.
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Outdoor dining at Sotirio's Bar and Restaurant in Folkestone, Kent
Credit: Sotirio's Bar and Restaurant
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One of the tasty dishes you can get while eating outside at The Lodge at Salhouse
Credit: The Lodge at Salhouse
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You can sit outside and eat Neapolitan-style pizzas as Stefano's Pizza in Harrogate
Credit: Stefano's Pizza
And with the weather expected to stay balmy all week, there's plenty of opportunity for that.
But it can be hard to work out which restaurants near you have outdoor seating.
That's why we've asked experts at OpenTable to put together this guide with the top restaurants across the country with outdoor dining.
It's based on which restaurants have the top reviews AND can offer outdoor seating - so you know you'll be getting a good meal as well as enjoying the sunshine.
We've listed the top picks for each area (based on the highest review score) and there's also a full list of 43 restaurants if you scroll down...
London - Marcus Kitchen & Bar
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Marcus Kitchen and Bar in Enfield Town serves top-rated traditional Italian food
Credit: Marcus Kitchen and Bar
You'll have to travel to Enfield Town in north London to try out this gem, but its glowing reviews suggest it's worth the trip.
It was awarded Best Italian Restaurant in the South and East of England by The Italian Awards last year, and it also made OpenTable's top 100 UK restaurants in 2024.
The restaurant cooks up a mix of typical Neapolitan and southern Italian recipes.
They include amatriciana and sausage ragu pastas, as well as a slow-cooked wild boar stew.
Reviewers rave about it as the "best Italian food in London" and "top notch".
Beach Club that's like being on the Med
One person even said: "We had just come back from a holiday in Italy but the meal we had here was the best Italian we have had for a very long time."
Glasgow - The Prancing Stag
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Make the most of the sunshine by sitting outside at The Prancing Stag in Glasgow
Credit: The Prancing Stag
Family-run restaurant The Prancing Stag offers modern, seasonal Scottish food.
It was awarded an AA Rosette award for culinary excellence for three years in a row, so you know it will be pretty impressive.
You can get hearty dishes like the Duo of Scottish Pork with roast fillet and crispy pork belly, or Cairngorn Roe Deer.
Reviewers say it's "probably one of the nicest meals we have ever had" and "always a 5* experience".
Manchester - BAR SAN JUAN
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Expect authentic Spanish vibes and 'oustanding' food at Bar San Juan in Manchester
Credit: Bar San Juan
Authentic Spanish tapas restaurant BAR SAN JUAN has earned an impressive 4.9 out of 5 stars on OpenTable.
The Chorlton tapas bar has traditional decor and imports its beer and wine from Spain.
It's got the classics you'd expect like gambas prawns, patatas bravas and calamari, but its menu also includes slow-cooked beef cheeks and pan-fried diced fillet steak.
One happy reviewer says: "Without a doubt my favourite restaurant in the whole of Greater Manchester. Nothing to fault."
Another described it as "absolutely outstanding" and having a "lovely friendly authentic vibe".
Yorkshire - Stefano's Pizza
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Stefano's offers tasty authentic Italian pizzas cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven
Credit: Stefano's Pizza
Head to Harrogate and you'll find an authentic Italian pizzeria serving up traditional Neapolitan-style pizzas.
Stefano's Pizza uses a wood-fired pizza oven to cook its tasty dishes.
They include the Mortadella pizza which comes with fior de latte mozzarella, mortadella ham, stracciatella cheese and pistachio.
Then there's also the Diavola, the Capricciosa, and the spicy Nduja pizzas.
One reviewer said you'd be "hard pushed to find better anywhere".
Another raved: "This is my new favourite place for pizza. You won't be disappointed."
Edinburgh - Bucks Bar
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Bucks Bar is known for its delicious buttermilk fried chicken and its famous wings
Credit: Willie Mackenzie/Google
Bucks Bar Grindlay Street claims to have "the best free range buttermilk fried chicken you've ever tasted".
And if the reviews are anything to go by, its customers agree.
One person said: "Honestly no matter what bucks you go to the service is always top notch, food is always great honestly one of the best restaurants out there."
The restaurant describes itself as a rock'n'roll bar serving up buttermilk fried chicken, Nashville hot chicken, cocktails, beers and Bourbon.
Plus, its menu is also famous for its wings and its chicken and waffles.
Cornwall - Argoe
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Hopefully the weather will look much nicer than this, but this is a great view of the harbour
Credit: Argoe
Expect super-fresh seafood from harbour-side restaurant Argoe.
It's set in Newlyn, a lively fishing hub, and takes inspiration from European coastal cooking while using regional ingredients.
Dishes like hand-dived scallops, monkfish and grilled octopus are cooked on the restaurant's charcoal grill.
Plus there's a big selection of wines and Cornish spirits.
Reviewers say you get "fresh fish caught by the boats you can see from the restaurant and beautifully cooked by attentive staff".
One person even said it was some of the best food they'd eaten in a long time.
Kent - Sotirio's Bar and Restaurant
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Even if you sit inside at Sotirio's, the restaurant is bright and airy
Credit: Sotirio's Bar and Restaurant
This Folkestone gem offers up Greek food by the seaside.
It's earned a huge 4.9 out of 5 stars on OpenTable, with reviewers praising its "amazing" food.
There's a meze option that comes with baklava and ice cream for dessert, or you can opt for main dishes like moussaka, racks of lamb and souvlaki.
One reviewer said: "I couldn't recommend Sotirios enough! The host's, service and food were all outstanding.
"The food is definitely made with passion and love! Will definitely be visiting again."
Newcastle - The Broad Chare
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This looks like a great spot for sitting out in the sun (with a bit of shade) at The Broad Chare
Credit: The Broad Chare
It says a lot about The Broad Chare that it was immediately awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand when it opened in 2011.
It's kept the award every year since in recognition of its "good quality, good value cooking" - which is traditional gastropub fare, done well.
The gastropub has standout dishes like haggis on toast, crispy duck leg, grilled butcher's steak and a ground rump steak burger.
Reviewers praise its "first class food and friendly service".
One repeat customer said: "We have been a number of times and it always delivers a great experience."
Norfolk - The Lodge at Salhouse
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You can relax in a beautiful courtyard while eating at The Lodge at Salhouse, Norfolk
Credit: The Lodge at Salhouse
This family-run pub is set inside a charming 19th century vicarage which has recently been renovated.
It's surrounded by the picturesque Norfolk Broads - meaning you can work up an appetite on a long walk before your meal.
Among the delights on its menu are pan roasted honey duck breast with garlic fondant potatoes, a Spanish-style pork mix grill, and golden beer battered fillet of haddock with beef dripping homecut chips.
Customers say it's "perfect in every way" and "always a pleasure" to visit.
One recent visitor said: "This was our first time here and WOW the food was outstanding!!!! Shall definitely be revisiting."
