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

Outside lies an alfresco dining area and a relaxation space. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 14 Jan. 2026

On the restaurant front, Nepenthe and Big Sur Roadhouse are two popular options that offer alfresco dining. —Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026

At Littlejohn Farm, guests can get a tour, see where their food is coming from, and get alfresco cooking lessons. —Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Dec. 2025

The trestle legs on this dining set are designed to give all your guests or family members maximum leg room during alfresco mealtime. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alfresco

• fresco

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