Covent Garden adds 500 al fresco covers

Covent Garden has unveiled new plans for an al fresco dining scheme that will add 500 new covers across more than 25 of the area's restaurants from 12 April.

The new al fresco seating will span seven streets as well as the historic Piazza, with the majority of covers providing weatherproof drinking and dining options for visitors, with heaters, large parasols and windbreak screens.

Additional streets being pedestrianised to allow for extended al fresco dining include Henrietta Street, Floral Street, Maiden Lane and Southampton Street - which join the already pedestrianised Piazza, King Street and James Street.

“Our new al fresco experience transforms Covent Garden into London’s leading outdoor dining destination, offering an unrivalled choice of cafés and restaurants on beautiful pedestrianised streets," says Michelle McGrath, executive director of Capco, which owns Covent Garden. 

"The strength in bookings observed ahead of reopening on 12 April reflects the underlying demand for experience-led dining and shopping and we look forward to welcoming visitors and workers back to London’s West End.”

Henrietta Street, Southampton Street and Russell Street and will operate for all day dining, in line with Westminster City Council’s wider al fresco scheme.

Restaurants using the scheme will include Frenchie, Cora Pearl, The Oystermen, The Ivy Market Grill, SUSHISAMBA, Mariage Freres, Balthazar, Avobar, Da Henrietta, Din Tai Fung and more, ahead of them reopening indoor dining in May.

Existing outdoor terraces around the Piazza will double in size, including Ladurée, VyTA, The Ivy Market Grill and a new Lebanese concept Na-Na.

This initiative will sit alongside a new outdoor picnic and garden dining area on the estate’s East Piazza, which opened 29 March for takeaway dining from Covent Garden’s cafés and restaurants.

The area will also welcome a six-week, pop-up residency from street food business Feast It on the Piazza, running from 8 April until 16 May.