Al fresco dining: you hear it and images of bohemian terraces, furnished with early 20th century country style decor come to mind. A topiary here, the sunset there, rustic, wholesome yet elegant cuisine in your plate. A Michelin starred bistrot that nobody knows about, if that was possible. 

In English, that’s what the locution “al fresco” is associated with: the idea of having your meal outside, sitting in a restaurant’s outdoors area. And mind, the association is not at all casual, because in Italian “al fresco” means “cool,” “to be or to stay somewhere cool:” so the idea that eating “al fresco” means eating outside makes perfect sense, especially when you think of the immense pleasure of having a bite in the evening Summer breeze, after a day spent sweating.