With the mercury hitting 42, what better than a cool shady terrace to escape the heat and noise of Bucharest? We've searched out the best terraces in the city, which offer drinks and food in little oases of calm just moments away from the big busy boulevards. There are no entries for the Lipscani area, as pretty much every bar, restaurant and cafe has a terrace and they're all much of a muchness. Listed instead in no particular order are a range of spots picked by Romania-Insider.com editors. Some of these terraces are more hidden, but all are fairly centrally located.

1. Gradina Verona

The Carturesti bookstores chain is a local success story and the garden behind the bookshop close to Piata Romana has everything. Lots of space and big tables for larger groups, as well as quiet shady corners for more intimate drinking and dining.

Address: Str Arthur Verona, behind Carturesti bookshop

2. Lente

This one is a beauty; a small terrace off a quiet street completely covered by grape vines, plus Lente's excellent menu and laid back friendly service. There's something wonderfully Bacchic about sitting below bunches of grapes, or is it just tantalizing?

Beer prices RON 7 - RON 15, Coffee RON 6-9, Wine by the glass around RON 10 up

Address: 31 Str General David Praporgescu

3. Zafferano

Something of a Bucharest institution, this Italian restaurant in a large period house has offered a range of typical trattoria dishes for years. The interior is pleasant, but the star of the show is definitely the two level plant laden terrace. Look out for the regular special offers.

Address: 29 Str Popa Savu

4. Green Hours

Another oldie, but another goodie, as well as the subterranean music venue with science fiction décor, the Green Hours has a shady garden cafe, insulated from Calea Victoriei by a music shop. It all murmurs 'Be hip, be bohemian.'

Address: 120 Calea Victoriei

5. Gradina OAR 

It's hard to avoid the phrase 'secret garden' with this place. Hidden from view, yet only minutes away from Piata Romana and Magheru, it's verdant and peaceful with tasteful decor that blends seamlessly with lush green garden.

Just in case you were wondering, OAR comes from the Order of Architects in Romania.

Coffee prices: RON 6 to 12. Beer: RON 6 to 13. 

Address: 19 Gradina Verona St. (in picture)

6. Cinci 

This tea house called Cinci (the Romanian word for five) comes sixth in this list, but it may be the first in choice of place to spend summer afternoons. It is very hidden, and thus not very crowded, somewhere on a street behind Mitropolie, in a hostel yard. A canopy, a bar and an improvised stage in the middle of a yard create a less commercial, more authentic feel - the sense having tea in someone's garden.

Address: 13 Olimpului Street. 

7. Infinitea 

Hot tea is the perfect remedy during hot days. It may sound counter intuitive, but ask everyone who lives in the desert how they cool off  and the answer is tea. An extra reason to recommend another tea place, even though Infinitea is not just another place. It is an unexpected, quiet tea house, in a residential area. To get to the garden- its piece de resistance, first go upstairs to the first floor and cross several pleasant rooms.

Address: 7 Grigore Romniceanu St. 

8. Romanian Peasant Club

This is one of the artsiest places in Bucharest, from what we've seen so far: writers, journalists and musicians are almost part of the furniture. But it has a relaxed feel to it and it is closer to culture than any other terrace in Bucharest: it is located in the Romanian Peasant Museum. The terrace also hosts all sorts of cultural events. Folklore-themed, without overdoing the message, the terrace is usually crowded. They serve food - traditional dishes- as well as drinks.

Coffee prices - RON 5 to RON 10. Beer prices: RON 5 to RON 12. 

Address: 3 Kiselleff  Blvd.(Monetariei, in the back of the Romanian Peasant Museum)

9. Humanitas Kretzulescu reading terrace 

Walking down the old Victoriei avenue in Bucharest, you might easily spot this terrace, just near the Kretzulescu church. This is a more unconventional terrace- it is downtown, just opened in July this year, offers coffee, tea, refreshments and the option to read a book from the bookshop while you're there. On Thursdays, they have readings with Romanian writers and offer traditional jam in an event called the Little Spoon Thursday.

Address: 45 Calea Victoriei

10. Livada cu visini 

This is a restaurant, as well as a terrace, and its name reminds us of Chekhov's 'Cherry Orchard'- well...only its name. The service  is not the best in town and we don't know that much about the food, but it is still a place to check out, at least for the feel of the garden.

Address: 77 Grigore Alexandrescu St.

editor@romania-insider.com