The Top 2%: The best al fresco restaurants around the UK

Hiding in plain sight, you’ll find the demure Camille in one of the busiest foodie destinations in London. Happily, it’s on the very edge of Borough Market, meaning you don’t have to experience the full chaos of the foodie nexus, merely skirt around the rim. There are a handful of tables outside, which is hands-down the best spot for whiling away entire afternoons tucking into the regional French cooking of head chef Elliot Hashtroudi. Think tartare, John Dory, onglet and plenty of offal washed down with good, affordable French wine.

The name understates its case: far from being your average beach-side caff, Porthminster Beach Cafe is a serious restaurant in the body of a laid-back beach house – albeit a very classy one. Australian chef Michael Smith’s sun-kissed menu sets the perfect tone for holiday dining with the emphasis on Mediterranean flavours and fresh seafood, as well as posh fish and chips. Friendly, slick service, fresh decor and dreamy views from the sunsoaked terrace over the white sands of its namesake beach make this the ideal perch with a glass of local bubbly (try the Polgoon Aval or Camel Valley Bacchus).

Tropea in Birmingham is making waves as a modern Italian trattoria and thankfully without a whiff of the British high-street interpretation of such restaurants. Indeed, there’s no red-and-green branding here – think pops of jewel-toned colours, industrial furniture and pendant lights – plus a small but perfectly formed terrace that transports you directly to the Mediterranean. Since everything on the menu sounds delicious, it’s tempting to go for broke, but our picks are the burrata with strawberry, rocket, roasted pistachio, salt and basil oil as well as the beef cheek ragu pasta.

Nigel Haworth is a household name for anyone partial to a bit of fine-dining in Lancashire, so it was good news for everyone when he took the reins of The Three Fishes. The menu at this pretty, whitewashed locale is proudly driven by produce from its one-acre vegetable garden complete with polytunnels, greenhouses and, of course, a rather fancy garden. The food here is spectacular with dishes like foraged herb soup with pink trout pâte, quail egg and caviar, roe deer with purple flowering broccoli, damson jam, maitake mushroom and fermented pumpkin, and herb-crumbed fennel with broad beans and an onion fritter.

Coppi is a Venetian cicchetti and barcari restaurant serving small plates and full meals, including a range of pizzas and pastas that are made fresh in-house daily. There’s other Italian favourites too – with a dedicated and thoughtful vegan menu thrown in for good measure. The feta fritters, doused in honey, are local legend, as is the confit duck ragu. We dread to think of the uproar if either were swapped out. To try a little bit of everything, order multiple plates from the cichetti menu, and make sure you do it outside on the pretty terrace overlooking Belfast’s St Anne’s Square.

Michelin-starred Timberyard is a very special spot on the Edinburgh restaurant scene – mostly because it nails so many of the things required for an excellent meal out. Firstly, there’s the room itself. Timberyard is, as you might have guessed, a former timber yard. It has been converted beautifully, tastefully, serenely – as though the whole building, and the outside courtyard, one of the best in the city, were being prepared for a design shoot. Secondly, there’s the menu, which is headed up by Bart Stratfold, changes weekly and has two versions – the full shebang or a scaled-down lunch affair.

This Pontcanna pearler describes itself as an independent modern Welsh bistro, and a more accurate description may not exist. There is a homely quality to Milkwood that has made it as popular with neighbourhood residents as hungry businessmen, proving again that good food is the thing that unites all strands of society. Milkwood is predominantly a brunch venue, although the small plates and cocktails on offer on Friday and Saturday are well worth a try. There’s a lot to love about Pontcanna, and Milkwood deserves its place on that long list – not least because of its cute terrace.

Get more from your money with 2% cashback on restaurant spending with Chase.

*18+, UK residents. Eligibility applies. Chase current and saver accounts required. 2% cashback on debit/credit card spending on groceries, restaurants, cafes, takeaways, everyday transport, fuel & public electric vehicle charging points. Max £20 per month. Make 15+ payments per month using your debit or credit card and/or Direct Debits and maintain £1,000+ across your savers (excluding round-up accounts). Standing orders, refunds, bank transfers and other transactions won’t count towards the 15 payments. You’ll only earn cashback on eligible card purchases, not on Direct Debit payments or bank transfers. Exceptions and T&Cs apply. chase.co.uk/cashback