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If August proves to be anywhere near as sizzling as June (let’s forget about July), there will only be one place to tuck into a delicious meal and glass or two of something relaxing, and that’s the great outdoors!
Check out our recommendations below...
Orelle
Taking its inspiration from the botanical world, Orelle’s new summer terrace is perfect for alfresco food & drinks.
Customers can check out a Tanqueray-focused cocktail menu - created by the in-house mixologists - alongside high-quality French cuisine provided by Executive Chef Chris Emery.
A prix fixe menu can be enjoyed as a three-course offering at £42, or as two courses for £35. Both include a glass of Chandon.
Grace + James
Grace + James is a neighbourhood bar, restaurant & deli serving up wine, local beer, cheese, charcuterie and sandwiches - plus a hot food and small plates menu curated by Chef Matt Wilden every Friday and Saturday evening.
The street is pedestrianised. Neighbours Poli (offering some of the city’s best pizzas), Hare & Hounds (One Star Doner Kebab) and The Juke (home to some fantastic street-food pop-ups) also offer outdoor seating.
Chapter
Located in the heart of Edgbaston Village, Chapter boasts great food and an outdoor terrace, making it a top choice for a spot of alfresco dining.
Chef Director Ben Ternent and his team are committed to quality British produce and implement a nature-led style that’s rooted in seasonality. If lobster tickles your fancy, then you’re in for a treat, as the tasty crustacean is available for lunch and dinner until the beginning of September.
The Plough
Offering something for everyone and a large outdoor area (a rarity in Brum), award-winning pub The Plough is a popular choice both with locals and those from further afield.
The main menu features pub classics such as burgers and cod & chips, plus a range of Cuban sandwiches and pizzas. There are vegan options too, blue light card holder discounts, two-for-one deals, a brunch menu and a Sunday lunch menu.
Luna Springs
A boogie with your burger? As well as being one of the city’s most popular party venues (think gigs, festivals, mass karaoke and more), Digbeth’s Luna Springs offers a range of pizzas, burgers and loaded boxes to help soak up those all-important weekend cocktails with friends.
Bottomless events are plentiful here, and tickets for Brunchaoke, Mamma Mia XXL Brunch, Cosmic Disco and Pure Lunacy Brunch are on sale now.
Digbeth Dining Club
If street food is your thing, then the ‘summer tour’ of leading event company Digbeth Dining Club needs to be on your radar.
Throughout August, enjoy some of the best burgers, pizzas, kebabs, cheesecakes, toasties, hot dogs and more - not to mention music and ‘good vibes’ - at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club, Shirley Park, Redditch’s Arrow Valley Country Park, Compton Verney in Warwickshire, Wolverhampton’s West Park, Stafford’s Victoria Park and Dudley’s Himley Hall.
Dogs are welcome, and all events are subject to weather conditions.
The Boat Inn
If you’re looking to, er, push the ‘boat’ out, then a trip to Michelin-recommended restaurant The Boat Inn is a must!
The prestigious guide’s description reads: “This old roadside hostelry is personally run by chef-owner Liam, and the wine list features bottles from his father’s vineyard in France. Shelves burst with goodies, which are showcased in refined, modern dishes, and the tasting menu lists some luxurious ingredients.”
The blueBAR
Shrewsbury’s blueBAR is the definition of a ‘hidden gem’. It’s hidden (you need to walk through independent homeware shop Wyle Blue World to enter), and boy, is it a gem!
Offering stunning views over the picturesque town and boasting an outdoor kitchen and courtyard café, it’s decorated with the beautiful handmade glassware, bowls, throws and other items sold in the shop. Enjoy pizza or a charcuterie board and cocktails from Wednesday to Sunday.
Fishmore Hall
Boasting unrivalled views, Fishmore Hall is a privately owned boutique country-house hotel overlooking the town of Ludlow.
Visitors can sit outside and enjoy dishes from the venue’s new ‘garden menu’ if the weather is favourable.
Also on site is Michelin-recommended conservatory restaurant Forelles. Not strictly alfresco (you can still enjoy the views, though!), it’s a brilliant option if you’re after something more ‘fancy’.
Embers
Cafe by day, pop-up events space by night, the former Green Wood Cafe has been given a new lease of life by Adam Purnell - aka Shropshire Lad.
Located in a unique space in the woodland, the venue offers burgers, breakfast parathas, grilled prawns, tacos and more.
If you’ve heard of Adam, you’ll probably know that cooking over fire is his ‘thing’. Fancy learning from the best? Cooking schools are coming to the venue soon!
Fiume
This independent, family-run Italian bar, restaurant & café offers cuisine ‘with a southern Italian influence and a fresh twist’.
The à la carte menu features everything from pasta dishes and pizza to fresh fish and meats. Oh, and make sure you don’t leave without trying the tiramisu!
Customers have the option of dining alfresco whilst watching canal boats pass by - and dog owners will be pleased to know that you can even take along your four-legged friend.
Pensons
Special occasion coming up? Michelin-starred restaurant Pensons has you covered.
Housed in a beautifully restored barn, the venue overlooks farmland on the 1,200-acre Netherwood Estate.
As much as possible is sourced from the estate (even the fabric for the napkins and chair coverings is woven in the on-site mill!) and visitors can expect a concise, daily-changing menu comprising classically inspired dishes.
Carters at Westlands
Okay, so this one isn’t strictly alfresco, but it’s a temporary offering for summer that’s sure worth a mention!
Michelin-starred Birmingham restaurant Carters of Moseley has relocated to one of Westlands UK’s glasshouses until September.
Surrounded by living herbs, flowers and fauna, guests will be able to enjoy a unique nine servings inspired by the area’s natural bounty and Carters’ ethos of ‘ultra-British seasonality’.
The George
The George at Kilsby has recently launched a brand-new garden and alfresco dining area.
The revamped village pub, which reopened last year, serves up a mix of top-quality traditional pub classics as well as Asian-inspired dishes from chef patron Hari Krishnamurthy and his team.
The garden features bespoke timber seating and planters, as well as a pergola area, while the cocktails are proving to be a hit both with locals and patrons from further afield.
The Old Coffee Tavern
Ideally situated between St Mary’s Church and the square, The Old Coffee Tavern is a popular place to gather and enjoy a range of local products, from real ales and craft beers to meat cooked over the robata grill and ‘the best Sunday roast in Warwick’.
This traditional pub has maintained its characterful charm from the days of Dale’s coffee tavern and invites its visitors to bask in sunlight on the secret outside terrace during the summer months.
RSC Rooftop Restaurant
The RSC’s Rooftop Restaurant, located on the third floor of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, offers visitors the opportunity to dine outside on the balconies overlooking the River Avon and Bancroft Gardens.
With seasonal food being served all day, the restaurant is a perfect place in which to enjoy a light lunch, a lazy afternoon tipple or a pre-show dinner (a fixed-priced pre-theatre menu is available on days when a play is showing downstairs).