It’s the season for taking things al fresco and I for one couldn’t be happier. There’s nothing quite like sipping something chilled with friends while the sun sets, or enjoying a lazy weekend brunch in the garden with a good book and a great playlist. With the sunshine finally sticking around, I’ve pulled together all of my favourite outdoor dining essentials to help you make the most of it. Now that I’ve stocked up on mine, I thought I’d share the love.
Whether you're planning a full garden party or just a few casual suppers on the patio, this is the perfect moment to start creating your dream outdoor space. Think about the best outdoor furniture to suit your setup, whether that's a bistro table for two or a long bench-style table for all your guests. Once you've got your seating sorted, it's time to have a little fun with the tablescape. Mix and match coloured glassware, layer up your linens, and don’t forget the mood lighting.
As I was browsing for finishing touches, I couldn’t help but get a little carried away with all the gorgeous outdoor living room ideas out there. From lanterns and scatter cushions to chic melamine dinnerware, there's so much joy to be found in the details. So whether you're a seasoned hostess or just dipping your toe into outdoor entertaining, these picks will have your space summer-ready in no time.
Outdoor cooking
There's nothing more exciting than the prospect of having a barbecue at the weekend or firing up the pizza oven. Whilst you can go big and bold with a Gozney (we've got a lot of proud owners in the woman&home team) you can also pick up space-efficient, impressive models for less too.
This works as a smoker, grill, air fryer, baking oven, and much more. It's easy to use and serves-up the perfect burgers, sausages, and bacon. That's all you need for the perfect al fresco set up.
Ooni makes some of the best pizza ovens on the market and the Koda is perfect for popping on the table outside. A gas oven is always easier for achieving consistent results too.
This portable barbecue is excellent value. It's compact enough to fit in any garden or patio, but still spacious enough to cater for the whole family.
Outdoor dining
Once you've established that a BBQ is on the cards, you'll need a set up for dining in. I'll go into detail of the bigger, outdoor furniture deals further down, but it's also worth shopping for the nicer, subtle features that will polish off your tablescapes. These are the ones in my basket, but we're full of tablescaping ideas for the Spring.
If you're staying out late, you will need a citronella candle to avoid getting eaten alive. I love the embossed exterior of this candle, so much so, I'm planning on keeping hold of mine for decoration I've burned through it.
Handmade and woven from cotton, these boho tablemats could come straight out of With Love, Megan. The set of four makes the perfect set-up for any table and they're easy to keep clean too.
These bowls are a stylish, sustainable way to eat and store your food. The lid doubles up as a saucer and each bowl is glazed beautifully too. I love the new jade colourway for picking up on the earthy greens outside.
The drinks bar
Nothing says the summer quite like drinks outdoors. Whether you're planning on setting up a bar in your garden, or you know you'll be taking your drinks outside, these are the deals you'll need.
I'd also recommend popping a tipple in your basket - mine's an Bailey's espresso martini, but we have lots of cocktail recipes for you to explore.
This will keep your champagnes and sparkling wines fizzy for 4 weeks, so that you don't have to drink the whole bottle. It will save you a lot of hassle.
Nobody wants broken glass outside, but you also won't want something that feels cheap. I bought these two years ago and most people don't believe me when I say they're not glass.
No bar is complete without a cocktail shaker set. I love the warm copper shaker and, after using mine for almost three years, it's still as stylish as the first day that I bought it.
Picnic hampers
In my view, no day spent outdoors is truly complete without a well-stocked picnic hamper. Whether you're enjoying a leisurely lunch in the garden, heading to the park for an afternoon retreat, or making the most of an outdoor event, the experience is simply better with a beautifully packed basket by your side. These carefully curated hampers not only bring a touch of charm and tradition to al fresco dining but also ensure that every bite is as delightful as the setting itself.
All of Fortnum & Mason's picnic hampers are special, but this brand new, limited-edition designer's hamper is seriously special. Packed with colourful, delicious treats, it takes outdoor dining to the next level.
This timeless rattan hamper can fit all your al fresco essentials. There's a main lidded compartment for food as well as two bottle holders. It's selling quickly, so make sure you don't end up with picnic envy.
This undoubtedly errs on the side of practical with its boxy aesthetic, but, trust me when I say that nothing will keep your food cooler for longer than this: it's been proven to keep ice solid for six days.
Furniture and accessories
Now is the time that all the exciting outdoor furniture shopping can start. Whether you've been eyeing up the colourful Habitat X Scion collaboration or looking for something more simple, now is the time to invest. Prices are only going to skyrocket as we come closer to the Summer.
This set of five is crafted from aluminium, perfect for a little bistro set up on your patio or balcony. You've got options to choose from four different wooden finishes and there's an umbrella hole for a final flourish.
Whether the sun is showing its face or not, this tilting garden parasol has a handy crank handle and 38mm steel pole. It's heavy duty and offers UV30+ Sun Protection too.
This clever sun lounger will feel almost too good to get up from. The comfy headrest and parasol will let you lounge in the sun without worrying about re-applying suncream. It's foldable and lightweight too.
Garden essentials
You'll have some essential jobs to do in the garden before you want to get out and about and these are the three essentials that'll help you to fly through them. Arguably, these are some of the best deals that I've seen so far.
With power that's made the Kärcher go viral, this pressure washer will make your woodwork and stonework look brand new. It's easy to use and lightweight too.
If you know you get lazy with watering the plants, this covers 90–220 M². It's well-made and comes with a built-in metal filter. At a price like this, I'd buy it just for the fun of having a sprinkler.
Every gardener needs a tools set and I love this one. It comes complete with 8 heavy-duty tools, each with a wooden handle, as well as a thick kneeling pad to keep you comfy when you're hard at work.
There's no time like the present for getting your al fresco set up ready and, if you can save some money in style, you'll have extra to spend on your BBQ bits and cocktail collection. It's what I call smart spending.
