From hidden gardens to waterside tables, these five outdoor dining spots are made for long lunches, golden hours and easy summer evenings
2 Fore Street, Cornwall
It’s easy to see why 2 Fore Street feels like a well-kept alfresco secret. Tucked behind the restaurant, the outdoor space is all Med mood thanks to dappled light, palm trees and lush borders. This secluded sun trap is intimate yet feels surprisingly spacious. As the evening cools, heaters and blankets keep things comfortable outside.
Plates feature ingredient-led cooking that draws heavily on Cornwall’s legendary larder, with seasonal dishes that balance elegance and simplicity. Try the shell-roasted scallops with garlic butter or crispy panko lemon sole burger and sink into the setting, made for long, unhurried afternoons and evenings.
Crab House Cafe, Dorset
Seafood doesn’t get much fresher – or more evocative – than at Crab House Cafe. Overlooking the Jurassic Coast, this sunny spot offers an alfresco experience that’s as much about place as it is about plate. The tide dictates the menu here: fish is sourced from within 40 miles and oysters are found just metres from where you’ll devour them.
Crab House Cafe offers a proper connection to the water, one that’s best appreciated from an outdoor table with a view. Family-run and proudly sustainable, this cafe, now in its third decade, has such a homely vibe. Come for the oysters, stay for the setting and leave wanting more, with a real taste of the coast.
Holm, Somerset
Terrace time is big business at Holm: it’s hosting a terrace opening party to mark the start of the sunny season. On May 2, the barbecue will fire up as refreshing summery cocktails are served, then a live Cuban band – Millie Requelme Duo – will get the tunes going, followed by sets from the Balfearic resident DJs, including Nicholas himself. All this, plus a crafting station for kids.
Holm’s terrace will then host weekly events throughout the summer, running on a four-week cycle. Themes include fireside suppers (think rustic, long-table outdoor dining), Balfearic (sunshine-fuelled small plates and DJ sets), monthly live music and wine tastings. The restaurant’s indoor menu can also be served outside throughout the summer.
Plonk’d, Cornwall
Pull up a stool, order something intriguing, and settle into one of Cornwall’s most characterful outdoor drinking and snacking spots. Plonk’d channels the easy-going charm of Northern Spain, where wine flows, small plates arrive steadily and conversations stretch long into the evening. This sunny indie bar was born from a desire to recreate that intimate, buzzy wine-bar feel, and it really shows.
Expect a constantly evolving line-up of wines alongside seasonal cocktails and a menu of pintxos and tapas designed for grazing under open skies. No two visits are ever the same thanks to menus that shift with the seasons. It’s relaxed, sociable and just that little bit transportive. We like.
Riverford Field Kitchen, Devon
Long tables, glowing festoon lights and the soft hum of the countryside, Riverford’s Field Kitchen terrace is alfresco dining at its most wholesome, plus it’s also quietly magical. Set within the farm itself, this is a place where the connection between field and plate feels immediate and celebratory without feeling worthy.
As the sun dips, the terrace comes into its own, offering a quintessential golden-hour countryside setting. Expect generous veg-led feasts that showcase Riverford’s organic produce at its peak, all served in a relaxed, communal style. It’s unfussy but properly considered, with every dish rooted in the rhythms of the land around you. Come hungry, settle in, and let both the setting and the famous produce do the talking.
Enjoyed our curation of places for alfresco dining in the South West? Check out these places for R&R.
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