The second the sun makes an appearance in London, any outdoor seating area becomes a game of musical chairs. We’re all so starved of sunshine and heat that we’d readily trade a kidney to secure a table for two on a decent terrace.

108 Brasserie, the modern all-day brasserie at The Marylebone Hotel, is now helping us maximise our vitamin D intake while it lasts with the launch of La Terrasse On The Lane.

Inspired by Côtes de Provence and in collaboration with Château La Coste, this summer-long rosé terrace comes a floral installation inspired by Château La Coste’s Provence estate, and a curated menu of Provençal-inspired dishes alongside Château La Coste cuvées and rosé spritz cocktails.

What’s the vibe like?

The vibes were definitely vibing when we visited, but your experience of the terrace will very much depend on the weather. If the sunshine decides to play ball, you’re in for a reinvigorating evening. Bring your SPF50, order a rosé, and bask in those precious final rays of sunshine while they still exist.

A quick note: this outdoor “terrace” is on the pavement, so there’s no pretending you’ve been magically transported to Saint-Tropez. But there’s plenty of space, and thanks to its position in a quieter corner of Marylebone, it never feels like you’re dining on the side of a busy road. There’s a friendly, local energy that makes the terrace feel more like a tucked-away neighbourhood spot.

What’s on the food menu?

For starters

Seafood lovers, rejoice – you’re in for quite the spread. The menu celebrates fresh, summery flavours, with plenty of options for leisurely grazing. Light bites include a selection of breads and a lobster roll. Packed with a fresh, zingy mix of lobster and shrimp, it has a kind of mayo-to-seafood ratio that would horrify a nutritionist but it sure delighted us. Served alongside a portion of fries, it’s substantial enough to pass as a main course, though technically shareable.

For mains

If you want a real taste of the South Coast, the seafood platter (£85) might get you there. It certainly looks like the headline act, if only because of the ridiculous amount of seafood piled onto it. Smoked salmon, hot-smoked salmon rillette, tiger prawns, prawn cocktail, dressed white crab meat, peppered mackerel, bread and condiments all fight for space on the plate. That’s a mouthful to read and enough mouthfuls to keep a village fed for the afternoon.

If you’re after something lighter on the stomach but still impressively sized, there’s also the Caesar salad. We ordered one and gave the seafood platter a miss because it would have been too much food. It’s a lettuce-based salad at the end of the day, so we’re not going to pretend it delivered some earth-shattering culinary revelation, but the chef was pleasingly heavy-handed with the Parmesan. It also arrived with two portions of fries on the side (for balance!). If you’re vegetarian, you can ditch the anchovies and swap the anchovy dressing for olive oil.

For dessert

Dessert is a cherry clafoutis (£12). Clafoutis first-timers here, so we don’t have much of a benchmark, but it was fabulous. This French classic had a soft, flan-like texture and a beautiful sticky crust clinging to the edge of the pot, topped with a scoop of Château La Coste olive oil ice cream. Before you wince, the olive oil note is subtle – so much so that we’d argue it could have packed a little more punch. Do order it – it will send you home on a high.

And importantly, what’s to drink?

Well, we’re in the south of France(ish), so in true fashion, the menu boasts six rosés, all from Provence. Prices range from £14.50 for a glass to £150 for a magnum bottle. We went with the Château La Coste Rosé Classique (£75), per the server’s recommendation, and it was fabulously fruity and crisp.

There are also three spritz options and one non-alcoholic option on offer. The Jardin de Coste (£16.50), with Malfy Gin Rosa, grapefruit juice, mango syrup and grapefruit soda, is probably our favourite.

Verdict

Competing with long lunches on the Côtes de Provence is an ambitious undertaking, but this beautiful terrace does an exemplary job of catering to those of us that can’t jet off to the South of France at a moment’s notice. If the weather gods are on your side and you’re not counting the pennies, you’ll really be in for a few delightful hours of holidaying at home.

Key details

Address: 108 Marylebone Ln, London W1U 2QE

Website: 108brasserie.com/la_terrasse

Socials: @108marylebonelane

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