Al fresco tables are at a premium at this time of year, especially if the view you want is one of leafy nature rather than city traffic or nearby buildings. Add quality food into that equation and the choices narrow even further. However, one place that fits the bill perfectly is Park Side Cafe, down in the Yokohama suburb of Nakamachidai.
We first discovered it some seven years ago, when it was still very new, but it has changed little since then. The elegant building — designed by architect Ken Yokogawa, whose offices are on the second floor — nestles among trees and bamboo. From the terrace tables, all you see is the narrow strip of unspoiled parkland known as Seseragi Koen. And thankfully, the cooking — predominantly Italian in inspiration — is as good as ever.
In the evening, the mosquitoes and other bugs make the outdoor tables less enjoyable. But for lunch or a leisurely afternoon tea (as we extolled in this column), it would be hard to find a finer or more stylish spot than this.