alfresco

adjective or adverb

al·​fres·​co al-ˈfre-(ˌ)skō 

: taking place or located in the open air : outdoor, outdoors

an alfresco lunch

an alfresco café

dining alfresco

Did you know?

In addition to describing a type of dining, alfresco can also describe a kind of painting. The word fresco, which comes from the Italian adjective fresco, meaning "fresh," refers to a method of painting on fresh plaster. Although the "outdoors" sense of alfresco is by far the most common in current use, the term is sometimes used to describe painting done in the fresco manner—that is, on fresh plaster.

Synonyms of alfresco

• outside
• out
• outdoors

Examples of alfresco in a Sentence

the restaurant's shaded terrace is highly recommended for those seeking to dine alfresco

during the summer months, the theater company puts on a series of alfresco performances

Recent Examples on the Web

The backstory As the second Tarabel hotel, the Lisbon property follows the brand’s first opening in Marrakech and has just nine suites, a private pool, alfresco dining, and a veranda with front-row seats over the river. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Sliding glass doors spill out to a loggia ideal for alfresco lounging and dining. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2026

For more traditional Vietnamese food, Phở Lụa, an alfresco dining spot, serves a warm chicken pho that makes for a hearty breakfast. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026

Weather-resistant wicker and outdoor cushions with Sunbrella slipcovers ​​are key for exterior furniture, and this armchair is a comfy, swiveling mixed-media accent for alfresco entertaining. —Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 14 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alfresco

• fresco

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