It is par for the course in Barcelona, Naples and Porto, but eating al fresco in London is one of the city’s great joys, the rarity making it novel.
There is a reason why, at the first flicker of sun, offices drain at lunchtime, then bang on five o’clock. Doing it properly takes a little planning and an acknowledgement that dining outside follows its own shape. It’s not just the risk of being windswept or drowned, of sunburn or frostbite. Outside, service tends to be slower, and staff more likely to forget those they cannot see (order more drinks than you think you need). There seems to be an increased risk of lunch blurring into supper, too. Still, there is something ineffable about a meal with sunshine glinting off the glasses, when passing entertainment is never in short supply, when time slows.
