Finding a sunny meal in Cambridge can be one of the best ways to spend an afternoon especially with the warm summer weather we have been experiencing this year.

It can also mean paying restaurant prices for a chair beside a service road while watching the clouds roll in.

So here’s the better test: does the outside space give you a reason to choose the venue, or is it simply an indoor restaurant with a few tables put outside?

These six Cambridge-area options offer something more distinctive. They aren’t ranked as the county’s best meals food, service and value need a proper visit to judge that.

This is a shortlist for choosing the setting, with the booking catches left in.

For a riverside garden: Garden House at Graduate Cambridge

 Has a riverside garden for lunch and dinner, open from midday to 9.30pm when the weather allows.

Advance booking suggested, so is better for a planned meal than a last-minute punt along the river.

The beautiful setting comes with a premium price point: the sharing menu is listed at £39 per person, afternoon tea at £35 and sparkling afternoon tea at £45. (with a bottle of a bubbly )

Check the forecast before committing, and ask what happens if the garden can’t open.

For Cambridge views: The Anchor

The Anchor’s terrace is beside the River Cam, looking towards the Mathematical Bridge and Queens’ College.

That’s a serious location advantage for a warm afternoon in the city centre, especially if the view is part of the reason you’re going out.

The terrace isn’t guaranteed, and the venue doesn’t publish a clear wet-weather fallback.

 Call ahead if sitting outside is essential rather than a pleasant extra.

For a courtyard meal: The Oak Bistro

The Oak Bistro offers al fresco dining in a courtyard, with British and European dishes plus set-lunch and à la carte menus.

It’s the contained city option: you get an outdoor meal without needing a rooftop view or a trip beyond Cambridge.

Ask for the courtyard when booking.

The website confirms the outdoor offer but doesn’t set out the details on heaters, umbrellas or indoor tables if the weather changes.

For the skyline: SIX

SIX, at The Varsity Hotel, sits on a sixth-floor rooftop with 360-degree views across Cambridge.

The terrace serves drinks and has a weekend barbecue menu during its seasonal opening period.

The catch is blunt: it’s weather permitting, reservations aren’t accepted, and hours may change in poor conditions.

Check before setting off. This is a view-led plan, not a guaranteed outdoor booking.

For a managed terrace: Browns Cambridge

Browns offers a more conventional restaurant terrace, with parasols and table service.

Terrace bookings can be made by phone or through the venue’s enquiry route, and the space is presented as usable in cooler weather for hot drinks and wine.

No guaranteed rain-cover arrangement is stated, so ask before booking if you need shelter rather than just fresh air.

For room to spread out: The Plough Coton

Three miles from Cambridge, The Plough Coton has one acre of meadow, a large terrace, a beer garden, parking and family facilities. Its menu includes à la carte dining, set lunch and Sunday roast, with seasonal dishes and kitchen hours published online.

This is the best choice here for outdoor space, but the terrace and garden are warmer-month options and no detailed rain policy is published.

So choose Garden House or The Anchor for the river, SIX for the skyline, Oak or Browns for a closer-to-town terrace, and The Plough for space in Coton.

Before you go, check the weather, confirm the outside seating and ask about an indoor fallback.

If you’ve got a Cambridge venue that deserves adding and can explain what makes the outdoor experience worth the booking tell us the name and the detail that makes all the difference.