Originally published on Monday, 2nd August 2010

The Only Way Is Out, Ba-by

Make the most of the wild with outdoor sushi, takeaway dim sum & the best hampers on Earth

London has it’s fair share of outdoor spots. And for sure nothing breaks the daily grind quite like a leisurely lunch in the wild with friends (preferably attractive ones: you’re on show here, remember). But fancy an al fresco nibble and all too often you find yourself with yet another slither of a Pret or a disappointingly greasy local Chinese. And just try getting a table out in the fresh, balmy air without at least 24 hours notice… Oh how those waiters laugh.

So, solutions:

First up is to actually sit at a, you know, table. Head down to the Southbank and later this month Yo! Sushi are extending their carousel concept beyond the usual four walls. Bundle that with their occasional cheap ‘Blue Mondays’ and bang! Affordable, fun, fresh air. Sorted.

Stretching outdoor excursions a little further, the next step is Now. A new concept from Ping Pong out East, it’s all sexy little hexagons filled with noodles, salads and dim sum for your takeaway pleasure (finally meaning that those ‘little steamed parcels of deliciousness’ now come in, y’know, parcels).

And then there’s the DIY option. Of course, being the chic bunch that we are, it’s a case of DIY, yes, but not as you know it. Pizza East is rocking an unfeasibly cute yellow-gingham hamper of deli delights. The Nobu bento boxes are, well, Nobu. And then there are those fabulous, lim-ed Basso & Brooke’s Globetrotter-esque Dining Sets.

Click here to see the rest of our chic hamper selection.
 

Info
Yo! Sushi, Festival Riverside, Royal Festival Hall, SE1 8XX

Now, 22-23 Liverpool Street, EC2M 7PD

by AC