While the sun is gracing us with its presence, what better way to while away the hours than grazing on delicious food and drink in a terrace or beer garden? We’ve rounded up twelve of the city’s best spots for outdoor eating and drinking, so you can tick them all off your list before the summer ends.
The Blind Rabbit
9 Weekday Cross, NG1 2GB
New York inspired bar The Blind Rabbit brings a slice of the Big Apple to Notts. Situated on the corner of Weekday Cross and High Pavement, this venue has plenty of outdoor seating. The food menu pays homage to all-American favourites: chicken wings, burgers and loaded fries. Don’t miss out on 2-4-1 cocktails during happy hour, including stadium cup pint cocktails and signature creations.
Fothergills
5-7 Castle Road, NG1 6AA
Designed by (and named after) one of our city’s most famous architects, Fothergills serves bistro-style food, from classic pub grub like steak & ale pie to pistachio & herb crusted lamb and a fisherman’s platter. This upmarket pub also offers al fresco drinks and dining on the cobbled streets of Castle Road against the grand backdrop of Nottingham Castle.
Canalhouse
48-52 Canal Street, NG1 7EH
Nottingham canal flows directly through this iconic pub, with resident narrowboats docked inside and a twinkling footbridge for safe passage across the water. The outdoor terrace is heated so drinks can continue after the sun sets and the temperature drops. Canalhouse has a solid reputation for its excellent variety of craft beers and there is a wide-ranging food menu if you get peckish.
Nottingham Secret Garden
17 ¾ Trinity Walk, NG1 2AN
The discreet entrance to this secret summer spot is located down an alleyway off Trinity Square. Nottingham Secret Garden promises fun and colourful cocktails, plus feel good beats and vibes on weekends when the bar plays host to a variety of DJs. While this exclusively outdoor venue has a retractable roof and heaters to keep you warm and dry in all weathers, don’t forget to take a ‘just in case’ jacket for chilly evenings.
Blend
Unit 30, Avenue C, NG1 1DW
Blend now has three city centre coffee shops, each with its own distinct character, but the flagship store at Sneinton Market Avenues is the place to go for a cup of Joe in summer. Grab a seat at one of the picnic tables and order an iced coffee or something more unique, like a turmeric or beetroot latte. Alongside its famous grilled cheeses, Blend serves brunch dishes, sandwiches and tasty salads.
Bustler Market
Avenue E&D, Freckingham Street, NG1 1DW
Another fantastic Sneinton Market venue, which foodies will love! Bustler is the laidback destination for all occasions, whether it’s spontaneous after work drinks, date night or weekend plans. Following Bustler’s exciting transformation into a 500-seater food hall, four independent traders from the local street food scene - Dirty Chicken, Banquet 1415, Big Mouth Gyoza and Little Big Sicily - are now permanently onsite.
Café Coco Tang
8 Byard Lane, NG1 2GJ
‘The Saigon Garden’ is a secret oasis on the rooftop of one of Nottingham’s best-loved food and drink destinations. Café Coco Tang’s outdoor terrace features tropical trees and ample seating, providing an idyllic setting to enjoy authentic Vietnamese cuisine. With so much choice on the menu, a bamboo basket sharer is a great way to try the best of the food on offer at this day-to-night restaurant and bar.
Another? Wine Bar
9 Trinity Square, NG1 4AF
Explore a selection of more than thirty wines at this self-service wine bar, which has its own rooftop terrace. Aside from taking a trip to a local vineyard, there is nowhere better to savour a glass of Sauvignon in the sunshine. If you get hungry, one of the best pizzerias in town, Slice ‘n’ Brew, is just a few doors down and you can order pizza straight to your table.
Junkyard
12 Bridlesmith Walk, NG1 2FZ
Junkyard is a craft beer bar and pour house with an inventive small plates menu and beer garden (feat. a disco ball) out back. You don’t have to like beer to appreciate a visit to Junkyard as there is a vast range of other tipples to try. Tucked away on Bridlesmith Walk, this bar is a relaxed haven from the hustle and bustle of town.
Hopkinson
21 Station Street, NG2 3AJ
There’s only one place in Nottingham where you can uncover a vintage treasure, buy a good coffee AND get a tattoo all under the same roof! Hopkinson is a vintage antiques and art centre with three floors of independent creatives, makers and sellers for shoppers to browse. The quirky coffee shop and bar on the ground floor has a mish mash of colourful tables and chairs that extends outside onto Station Street.
The Magic Garden
24-26 Low Pavement, NG1 7DL
The Magic Garden has one of the largest and most aesthetic outdoor spaces in the city centre. Hidden out of sight from passers-by on the streets outside, you’ll find a Wonderland-esque garden, with flowers and foliage in vibrant colours, and bunting and fairy lights overhead. An imaginative cocktail menu adds to the magic and summer food options include small plates, flatbreads, burgers and salads.
Dispatch Coffee
2 Goose Gate, NG1 1FF
This specialty coffee shop has gained popularity for its colourful, Wes Anderson inspired decor and community feel. Coffee and pastry lovers alike can often be seen basking in the sun in Dispatch’s bistro-style seating area. On breezier, blue sky days, there are blankets so you can still sit outside in fair weather. The upstairs window seat is a prime people watching spot with a birds-eye view of Hockley.
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