How to build your own outdoor kitchen for al fresco cooking

If you always dreamed of having an outdoor kitchen, now is the time to turn that dream into reality! When staying in became the new going out over the past few years, lots of us started cooking more in our gardens. This sparked a move toward seriously stylish outdoor kitchens where once a squeezed-in BBQ sufficed. Al fresco cooking spaces are now show-off garden features that set the tone for relaxed outdoor living.

Black Friday deals on outdoor kitchens

We interrupt the regularly scheduled content to let you know that Black Friday is currently in full swing, and with it, a whole host of Black Friday deals on outdoor kitchens. Want a bargain? Below are the best retailers with outdoor cooking deals Or, keep scrolling to continue reading our buyer's guide.

Shop Black Friday BBQ deals on: B&Q | Appliances Direct

Save £908: BeefEater Signature 3000E Cabinex Outdoor Kitchen, WAS 9075.50, NOW £7510.50
Save £425: Char-Broil Ultimate 3200 Full Outdoor Kitchen, WAS £3024, NOW £2599
Save £200: Monster Grill Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen, WAS £3499.97, NOW £2999.97
Save £1124: BeefEater ProLine Signature Roaster - Cabinex Outdoor Kitchen WAS £10111.50, NOW £9310

So if you’re tempted to add one to your plot this year, take advantage of these innovative outdoor kitchen ideas. Create your own outdoor kitchen area using a hybrid, gas or charcoal BBQ and table station or fork out on a purpose-built outdoor kitchen. A stylish al fresco kitchen gives you a practical outdoor living space and is a great investment that’ll add value to your home.

Best outdoor kitchen shortlist:

• Best all-in-one BBQ for families: Texas Outdoor 4 Burner Gas BBQ Kitchen
• Best healthy all-in-one BBQ: John Lewis Grillstream 6 Burner Hybrid Gas and Charcoal BBQ
• Best for work surfaces: Vonhaus Gas BBQ and Modular Kitchen
• Best pizza oven: Morso Forno Outdoor Oven Deluxe Package
• Best premium BBQ kitchen: Cirencester 6 Burner Gas Grill and BBQ

We'll guide you through the best all-in-one BBQ units, plus how to create an outdoor kitchen from scratch. Using tables, screening and modular units you have the freedom to design the outdoor kitchen of your dreams. Also, we'll share some of our tops picks on-trend outdoor kitchen accessories.

We've worked with Jules Barton-Breck, Modern Gardens writer, to create an edit of ideas. These showcase the big garden trends right now that will work whatever your budget, size, and style. Hungry for more? Scroll to the FAQs at the end of this article.

Outdoor kitchen ideas UK

Use an all-in-one barbecue unit

One of the cheapest ways to create a smart outdoor kitchen yourself is to buy an all-in-one unit that features a BBQ plus storage space and surfaces to prep food. Position it against a wall and fix shelves and hooks in matching materials to create that full kitchen vibe.

You can even cheat the idea with a storage/serving unit lined up next to your barbecue for extra preparation space or by building a surrounding service area.

Many of these BBQ kitchen units are on wheels too which means you can easily move them. Want to grill breakfast in the sunshine? Shelter from a chilly east wind? Let garden guests barbecue their own skewers to break the ice at a party? Just wheel your kitchen to wherever you want it and you’re good to go!

Create an outdoor kitchen from scratch

If your barbecue doesn't have wheels, pick a tabletop oven or grill to put on a wheeled shelving unit instead.

What’s great about this option is that you can also easily store it in your shed or garage throughout the winter and wheel it out on a dry, sunny day. Plus, it gives you more versatility - use your wheeled shelving as a mobile kitchen or take off the tabletop grill and use it as a drink or entertainment trolley instead.

Alternatively, you could create your own integrated kitchen diner by using an extra-large table and placing a tabletop barbecue or pizza oven at one end.

Rather than trying to fit in an outdoor kitchen and a separate dining area, combining the two with a built-in island creates a multifunctional entertaining zone.

Have freedom with freestanding modular units

Freestanding kitchen and shelving units with backs can be placed anywhere in your garden on a hard surface and are great for creating the all-in-one kitchen station of your dreams. Installation is super-speedy and it can be moved should you decide to switch around your garden. Look for outdoor kitchen ideas and designs made with low-maintenance materials so you won’t need to waste precious hours keeping it looking good.

As well as having good space for meal prep and a tabletop grill, you can make sure there's room for gas storage and even a fridge if you'd like to store food and chill drinks for guests - it's a great way to customise your kitchen. Just make sure your electricity provisions are met.

Splash the cash on a bespoke outdoor kitchen

If you're looking for the best of the best and have the budget, why not buy a complete, bespoke outdoor kitchen for your garden? With space for cooking, prepping, and storage, they are made from low-maintenance materials meaning they’ll look good all year round and won’t need covering up. If you need any further incentive, then statistics show that you could recoup the costs of building an outdoor kitchen by up to 200% when the time comes to sell your house.

Think your garden is too small for an outdoor kitchen? Think again, because you can still enjoy the outdoor cooking experience by going for a compact shelf design that will fit along just one side of your patio, turning the entire area into an outdoor kitchen/diner.

Outdoor kitchen accessories

Add some fun outdoor kitchen accessories, such as an outdoor clock, outdoor radio, pendant lights, or a wall-mounted planter grid behind the cooking area so you’ve got fresh herbs to hand.

It'll be just like a proper kitchen.

Create the illusion of an outdoor kitchen room

Perhaps you want to squirrel yourself away in your garden to try out some new al fresco-cooked recipes? Putting your outdoor kitchen in a corner of your plot and screening it off with a short wall will create a defined cooking zone.

The beauty of this outdoor kitchen idea is that the wall doesn’t have to be huge – you can use a low screen, create a wall of plants or use a doorway to accentuate the sense of entering a room. You could even create a tiled wall of your own against the garden fence!

Another idea is to make a feature of your outdoor kitchen and create a separate room by setting it up on a large raised deck or by putting different flooring beneath your kitchen space for a stylish indoor-outdoor look.

Or you could place your kitchen beneath a pergola to recreate a beautiful galley kitchen effect. The options are endless!

Top tip: If you use a screen or trellis, you can use the gaps and hooks as a savvy storage solution for your outdoor kitchen utensils!

Outdoor kitchen inspiration

If you're not sure which direction to go, there is loads of inspiration online. Check out some of our favourite outdoor kitchen ideas:

FAQs

What to consider in your outdoor kitchen

Before you set a budget or decide what you want in your outdoor kitchen, throw your mind open to the many possibilities your garden presents.

Placement

Your outdoor kitchen should be a designated area with enough room close by for a dining table and chairs, where you can prep, wash and cook a variety of foods on different appliances, and include storage units and work surfaces. But it doesn’t have to be huge. Have a walk around your plot and consider what options might work where.

Use

Think too about how you’ll use your new kitchen. Will you be a fair-weather chef? Then moveable units on wheels that can easily be stored in a shed or garage over the winter might suit. Or do you want to use your outdoor kitchen all year round? Then a permanent covering such as a pergola or canopy to protect it from bad weather is a must-have.

Catering needs

How many people will you be catering for? If you like entertaining regularly in your garden then buying small appliances could be a false money-saver as you’ll have to constantly cook in small batches, using more power, rather than being able to sit down and enjoy the party. The clean-up afterwards will take some work, though.

Power

Consider whether you’ll need a power source for lighting and appliances, as the cost of installation will need to be included in your budget if you don’t already have an existing outdoor electric supply.

Dreaming done? Now’s the time to be realistic about what you want and what your budget will allow, along with the space you have available. Decide how much money you want to spend, and start making a detailed plan of what you want, and where. It’s well worth drawing up plans for two or three kitchen options in different configurations and/or parts of your garden. You may find one delivers far more with your budget than the other.

What to read next:

The best hybrid BBQs back in stock for spring and summer cookouts

Best BBQ deals right now for cooking up a storm

Best gas BBQs under £200 for seamless outdoor cooking

Charcoal BBQs for an authentic flavour and cookout

Eleanor Weaver is the Deputy Homes & Garden Product Editor for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in kitchen accessories and appliances, including washing machines and microwaves. Having been a renter for a decade now, she loves looking for home inspiration in her spare time and is a master of DIY.