Over half of Brits (52%) prefer to dine outdoors in summer

Over half of Brits (52%) prefer to dine outdoors in summer, with 48% of those doing so as it improves their mental wellbeing, according to OpenTable commissioned survey

To help diners find a new favourite outdoor terrace or beer garden, OpenTable launches its 100 Most Popular Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in the UK

OpenTable’s new commissioned research2 unveils pub gardens as the most sought-after venues for outdoor dining amongst Brits (65%), followed by waterfront restaurants (42%).
18 – 24 year olds splash out the most compared to any other age group when dining al fresco in the summer: 58% say they’re more likely to spend more money on food and drink (UK average: 31%) and 29% say they tip more

Summer is here and newly commissioned research from OpenTable reveals that more than half (52%) of Brits prefer to dine outdoors during the summer. To help diners find the perfect al fresco spot, OpenTable releases its annual list of the UK’s 100 Most Popular Outdoor Dining Restaurants, featuring a wide variety of spots all the way from St Ives to Glasgow.

“With over half of UK diners preferring to dine al fresco this summer, it gives restaurants with outdoor seating a brilliant opportunity to elevate and make the most of their outdoor spaces,” says Robin Chiang, VP of Global Sales and Services, OpenTable. “For those who need inspiration on where to dine al fresco next, our diners’ favourite list has a variety of incredible spots for all budgets and tastes. Diners can also use OpenTable’s Seating Options filter to discover more, too.”

Research shows that pub gardens reign supreme when dining outdoors: nearly two-thirds (65%) of UK diners most often look for
pub gardens when dining outdoors, followed by venues with waterfront views (42%). This year’s 100 Most Popular Outdoor Dining list, curated by analysing over 1.3 million OpenTable diner reviews, features plenty of these outdoor settings, including:

Pub gardens:

The Duke William Ickham in Canterbury features a fresh and local menu out in the garden, complete with panoramic views across the Ribble Valley.
The Black Bull in Blackburn, serves inventive pub classics in a dog-friendly pub garden, with views of rolling fields.
The White Hart at Fyfield in Oxfordshire is set in a picturesque spot with a beautiful patio terrace.

Waterfront spots:

The Melusine in London, for sustainably sourced seafood from the British Isles, is enjoyed against the backdrop of St Katharine Docks.
The Star Inn The City in York, for enjoying Contemporary British cuisine and scenic views of the River Ouse close to the historic Lendal Bridge.
The Belgian Arms in Maidenhead, with stunning waterfront views in a pub garden setting, serves tasty British food and a great wine selection.

Top Reasons Brits Dine Al Fresco

Survey data also unveils the top reasons Brits prefer to dine outdoors: to make the most of the nice weather (80%), to take advantage of the view (71%), for the ambience (54%)
and because it improves their mental wellbeing (48%). For those whose top priority is a great view, this year’s Outdoor Dining list includes picturesque al fresco spots including:

Porthminster Beach Café in St Ives, for beachside dining, delicious seafood and uninterrupted views of St Ives Bay to Godrevy Lighthouse.
Bolney Wine Estate Ltd in Bolney, with unique vineyard views, offering a selection of light bites and mezze plates.
Little Rock in Folkestone, serving fresh, local and seasonal seafood in a beachside setting.

For Some, Summer Outdoor Dining Means Splurging

The majority of those aged 18 to 24 say they’re more likely to spend more money on food and drink in the summer when dining outdoors (58%) compared to the UK average of 31%.
Almost one in three (29%) 18 to 24 year olds say they tip more during the summer – compared to the UK average of one in 10 (11%) – due to being in a better mood (56%) and understanding that it’s more strenuous for staff in the sun (46%).

Pizza is Most Popular When Dining Al Fresco

Pizza was cited as the most popular meal (39%) to eat when dining outdoors, and UK diners can get their fix with list selections including: Palomino’s Restaurant at Ingliston Country Clubin Bishopston; The Rustic Crust Pizzeria in Nottingham and Fino Pizzeria & Cicchetti in Wakefield.
Other popular dishes include: meat (38%), salad (36%) and seafood/fish (35%).

The complete list of the UK’s 100 Most Popular Outdoor Dining Restaurants can be viewed here and
below, in alphabetical order.

Restaurant	Restaurant Cuisine	City
Aberdunant Hall	British	Porthmadog
Bar Douro London Bridge	Portuguese	London
BAR SAN JUAN	Tapas / Small Plates	Manchester
Bird In Hand	British	Woking
Bolney Wine Estate Ltd	European	Haywards Heath
Branca	Italian	Oxford
Bucks Bar – Trongate	American	Glasgow
Burnt Truffle	Bistro	Heswall
Churrasco Steakhouse	Steakhouse	Liverpool
Devour	Contemporary Italian	Holmfirth
Escape Restaurant & Bar	Mediterranean	Leeds
Fino Pizzeria & Cicchetti	Italian	Wakefield
Fiume Restaurant	Italian	Wolverhampton
Gather	British	Castle Douglas
Greyhound Country Inn	British	Honiton
Jolly Fisherman at Craster	Gastro Pub	Craster
Judges Restaurant & Cocktail bar	Modern European	Hertfordshire
Kiln	Middle Eastern	Newcastle Upon Tyne
Little Rock	Seafood	Folkestone
Lot Bar & Restaurant	Contemporary European	Brentwood
Lussmanns – Harpenden	Modern European	Harpenden
Muse	British	Yarm
Nags Head Inn Abercych	Gastro Pub	Boncath
Oaktree Vegan Restaurant	Vegan	Leigh on Sea
Ognisko	Polish	London
Olive Grove	Greek	Brighton
Palomino’s Restaurant at Ingliston Country Club	Italian	Bishopton
Porthminster Beach Café	Seafood	St Ives
Pranzo Italian Harrogate	Italian	Harrogate
Provenance Kitchen	British	Cambridge
Pythouse Kitchen Garden	British	Tisbury
Red Lion Inn – Shamley Green	Pub	Guildford
Saint Jacques	French	London
Sergios	Italian	London
Shibden Mill Inn	Gastro Pub	Halifax
Shoals	Seafood	Brixham
Shrub	British	Chester
The Allan Park	Scottish	Stirling
The Anchor Danbury	British	Chelmsford
The Baiting House at Upper Sapey	Gastro Pub	Upper Sapey
The Bank At Bude	Tapas / Small Plates	Bude
The Beaver Inn	British	Bideford
The Beetle & Wedge	British	Wallingford
The Belgian Arms	British	Maidenhead
The Bell & Cross at Clent	Gastro Pub	Stourbridge
The Black Bull	British	Blackburn
The Black Horse	British	Kirkby Fleetham
The Bluebell	British	South Wingfield
The Britannia Richmond	Gastro Pub	Richmond
The Buttery	Contemporary British	London
The Cat Inn	Contemporary British	West Hoathly
The Chequers Rowhook	Gastro Pub	Rowhook
The Cross House Inn	British	Bristol
The Daffodil Inn	Gastro Pub	Llandysul
The Derby Inn	British	Hook
The Duke William Ickham	British	Canterbury
The Durham Ox	Gastro Pub	York
The Farmhouse at Redcoats	British	Hitchin
The Ferry Inn	Gastro Pub	Cardigan
The Ferry Inn	English	Stone-in-Oxney
The Fleece Inn	Home cooking	Evesham
The Folly	British	Oxford
The Fox at Barrington	Pub	Burford
The George Inn	British	Maulden
The Grange	British	Princes Risborough
The Greene Oak	British	Windsor
The Hatch Inn Hartfield	Gastro Pub	Hartfield
The Holly Bush	Gastro Pub	Redditch
The Horseshoes	Gastro Pub	Stourbridge
The Melusine	Seafood	London
The Moorfields	Gastro Pub	Bath
The Old Forge Lelant	Continental	Hayle
The Old Inn	British	Wimborne
The Old School BBQ Bus	Barbecue	Chadderton
The Plough at Hanney	British	Wantage
The Red Lion Chobham	British	Chobham
The River Shack	Contemporary British	Totnes
The Riverside Dunblane	British	Dunblane
The Rose and Crown	British	Birmingham
The Rustic Crust Pizzeria	Pizzeria	Newark
The Ship Inn	British	Weybourne
The Smoking Goat Bar and Grill	British	Ayr
The Star Inn The City	Contemporary British	York
The Sully Inn	British	Penarth
The Swan Pub	Gastro Pub	London
The Sword Inn Hand	Gastro Pub	Buntingford
The Thomas Egerton	British	Bolton
The Tollemache Arms	British	Harrington
The Westwood Restaurant, Beverley	English	Beverley
The White Hart at Fyfield	British	Fyfield
The White Horse – Brancaster Staithe	British	Brancaster Staithe
The White Horse at Tilbrook	British	Huntingdon
The White Lion	British	Soberton
The Yurt at Nicholsons	British	Bicester
Tom’s Lyme Regis	British	Lyme Regis
Vercelli Restaurant	Italian	Hexham
Villa di Geggiano	Italian	London
Volta	Tapas / Small Plates	Manchester
White Lion	Contemporary British	Crewe
Worlington Hall	English	Bury Saint Edmunds