Outdoor dining sounds brilliant until the British weather gets involved.

In Peterborough, the best choice depends on one thing: do you want a proper meal with a back-up plan, or are you happy to take your chances for a table in the sun?

The White Swan in Woodnewton is the strongest option for weather-watchers.

Its official website says the venue has terraces with both sun-trap and covered areas, and terrace tables can be booked.

It recommends booking ahead, especially for larger groups. The restaurant and terrace are open Wednesday to Friday from 5.30pm to 10pm, Saturday from noon to 10pm and Sunday from noon to 8pm. It’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

That makes it the closest thing on this list to an outdoor meal with a safety net.

You can aim for the sunny terrace, but you’re not relying entirely on a cloudless forecast. It’s at 22 Main Street, Woodnewton, PE8 5EB, so allow for the fact that this is a Peterborough-area choice rather than a city-centre stop.

For a livelier riverside setting, Charters at Town Bridge has a large outdoor beer garden, a covered patio and an outdoor bar.

Its official garden menu includes lunch and burgers, while the Riverside Pizza Kitchen runs at weekends.

Pizza service is subject to the weather, so check before setting off if that’s the main reason for your visit.

The bar is open from noon to 11pm Sunday to Thursday and noon to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Las Iguanas on Church Street is more flexible if you’re deciding on the day.

The restaurant takes online bookings and walk-ins, but its FAQ says outdoor tables can’t be booked specifically because the weather is unpredictable.

You can ask for outside seating, but it isn’t guaranteed.

The terraces are there, alongside Mexican and South American food, but don’t book the restaurant expecting an outdoor table to be held for you.

Opening hours are noon to 8.30pm Monday to Wednesday, noon to 9.30pm Thursday and Friday, 11am to 9.30pm Saturday and noon to 8pm Sunday.

Nando’s at 4 Cathedral Square is the clearest walk-in option.

Its official page confirms outdoor space and wheelchair access, and says it doesn’t take online eat-in bookings. It’s open from 11.30am to 10pm Monday to Wednesday, 11.30am to 10.30pm Thursday, 11am to 10.30pm Friday and Saturday, and 11am to 10pm Sunday.

The page doesn’t set out a cover or weather-relocation policy, so treat the outside tables as a bonus rather than a promise.

A couple of things haven’t been published by the venues checked: no minimum spend or fixed outdoor seating time was listed.

 Accessibility information is also limited beyond the wheelchair or disabled-facilities markers shown on the official pages, so it’s worth contacting a venue directly if you need specific arrangements.

So, do you need to book?

For a planned terrace meal, start with The White Swan. For a city-centre drink, garden table or spontaneous bite, Charters, Las Iguanas and Nando’s offer different levels of flexibility.

If rain is likely, or you need a guaranteed comfortable table, staying indoors may be the better call especially where no outdoor back-up policy is published.

These are starting points, not a Peterborough-wide verdict.

Which local venue has the outdoor table you’d actually choose on a changeable summer evening?

Send us the name and tell us what makes it work: cover, atmosphere, food, access or a reliable plan when the rain arrives.