Thomas Street
The vast majority of Thomas Street is now pedestrianised – and it’s fucking fantastic! From where Rivet & Hide is, right up to the crossroads with High Street is covered in seats and tables now – serving food and drink for the street’s excellent establishments. Cane & Grain have managed to get themselves a massive space alongside big spaces outside The Bay Horse Tavern and Wolf At The Door. It looks great and hopefully – this will be a permanent fixture.
Photo by Quarter House
Stevenson Square
The pedestrianisation of Stevenson Square, once a pipe dream for many is now a reality, as they’ve closed pretty much all of it to cars and buses due to social distancing guidelines. That means that there’s tons more space in which to have a drink and few posh kebabs from BAB outside in the sun. Expect it to be heaving this weekend.
Tariff Street
With such a selection of bars and restaurants on one tiny street its a shame that a worldwide pandemic has had to happen for Tariff Street to get some quality terrace space – but here we are. There’s space for Beatnikz Republic, Tariff & Dale, El Capo, The Whiskey Jar and The Pen & Pencil – so whatever you want – you’ll find it here. The Pen & Pencil have some new burgers actually – go and give ’em a try in the sun.
Credit: @eatmcr
Cutting Room Square
This central space in Ancoats has always benefited from both sunshine and a profound popularity when the sun comes out, but now – there’s LOADS more. Edinburgh Castle and Canto both have ample space outside, while Rudy’s, Jane Eyre, Elnecot and the other venues surrounding the square have much more space to work with. Head on down to Elnecot and give their new menu a try – I did the other week and I was blown away.
Crazy Pedro’s Bridge Street
Just look at that image above. The outdoor bit of Pedro’s on Bridge Street has always been pretty impressive, but they’ve now been given a HUGE part of ‘the square with no name’ – effectively tripling their capacity and size. Fantastic news. So sitting in the sun with a ton of frozen margs and about 10 slices of pizza? Done and Done.
Erst & TROVE
Located just off Cutting Room Square you’d think Erst and Trove would be gutted, holding the short end of the stick when it comes to terraces. Well, you’d be wrong because they’ve managed to extend their offering on the pavement so there’s more space in which to tuck into some truly excellent delights and sup some fantastic wines.
Edge Street
Just like Thomas Street, Edge Street is now home to an abundance of tables, chairs and parasols, all just waiting for you to park your fat arse on and enjoy yourself. Venues like Yard & Coop, Common and Home Sweet Home are all getting involved, and I must say – eating a HUGE Nell’s Pizza from Common outside in the sun – you’ll feel like you’re in LA for sure.
Ducie Street Warehouse
This huge space on Ducie Street is now able to extend their offering outside with a sizeable terrace out the front in which you can enjoy some food and drinks in the sunshine. It’s also worth noting that the new booth in the entrance has been given over to the cookie and donut masters – Gooey – so you can enjoy their indulgent delights out in the sun with a pint and a smile.
Alvarium
What used to be a space for people to cut through to get to Spar or the Craft Centre, post COVID, this little area just off Tib Street has become home to a cosy sun trap for everyone that’s frequenting neighbourhood eatery and cocktail bar, Alvarium.
The Peveril of the Peak
Sure, the Pev has always had a couple of tables and chairs outside but now – there’s LOADS more – meaning you can enjoy a pint at one of the city’s best boozers and not worry about indoor social distancing rules and restrictions. You can usually get some great sunshine here too for most of the day – jut wear some sun cream please.
New Islington
When the sun comes out, so do the people of New Islington, relaxing on the grass, feeding the ducks and sunbathing on their barges. Pollen have managed to extend their terrace on the waterfront here too – so there’s more space to eat their outrageously good baked goods and sip a coffee in the sun. It’s easy to waste a few hours here just watching the world go by – and there’s nothing wrong with that at all.
Alphabet Taproom
The team over at Alphabet Brewery have always had their outdoor terrace to work with, but with social distancing restrictions – they’ve been able to utilise it better and offer more space for people to sit out in the sun and drink endless pints of their delicious nectar. The beer is (obviously) the freshest you could ever have it – literally being served 2 metres away from the tank in which it was brewed just a few days before.
King Street
You’ll occasionally find a few tables and chairs out on King Street but with these new post-lockdown times, there’s now LOADS of space in which to tuck into some food and get tipsy. So it’s time to get yourself sat down outside El Gato Negro or Tast and go crazy with the tapas and wine in the sunshine.
Dakota Hotel
Okay so they’ve always had a terrace over at Dakota Hotel but this one is brand-new and it looks absolutely fantastic. They’ve spent about £1m on it, transforming the space into a waterside haven, perfect for al fresco drinking and dining. It’s also got a retractable roof in case it rains, something that’s unlikely to happen this weekend let me tell you.
