Last chance for al fresco dining

We’ve been promised one last splash of summer sunshine next week so it’s perhaps your last chance to do the al fresco dining thing (certainly without a coat!).

I went along to the much-touted Rose Terrace at Kapara in Soho on one of those deliciously balmy evenings last week. This lovely little square was full of life with music pumping and that joe de vivre which warm weather brings to London. It’s a lovely concept – a small menu of middle eastern tapas dishes to be shared alongside rose wine and rose spritz cocktails.

I went for the Thelma – a heady combination of rose, lemon, gin and pomegranate, beautifully iced and eminently drinkable! As was the glass of Minuty Prestige I had after that.

We enjoyed spiced maple nuts with our cocktails and then tucked into hummus with short rib, date and miso aubergine and swapped out the harissa olives for pita chips with zhoug and tahini dip.  A really delightful setting under large canopies which keep the sun off during the day if it gets too hot.

Instagram aficionados will know that Dalloway Terrace in Bloomsbury has a stunning decorated  terrace, which has a new theme every year – for summer 20205 it’s all about biodiversity and bee-friendly flowers. Ideal place for summer afternoon tea.

I’m a huge fab of the Ham Yard hotel, whose eponymous yard is a little hidden gem in the heard of Soho. Perfect for lunch or tea on a sunny afternoon, and drinks or dinner in the evening.

Prefer to stay in north London?   Try these:

Michael Nadra in Primrose Hill has a sunken garden area which is the ideal spot to enjoy exemplary cooking and a great list of cocktails.

The Red Lion and Sun in Highgate has a fabulous large terrace at the front and a pretty garden at the back  strung with fairy lights and lush with olive trees and foliage.

Fredericks in Islington has had a resurgence of late and has a lovely patio and gardens at the back.

Canalside dining at The Waterway in Maida Vale is always a treat and the varied menu with simple but well-cooked dishes makes it suitable for the whole family.

For Indian food lovers Bhageecha in Elstree has The Glassroom with a retractable roof, plus a car park – always a bonus!