42 brilliant beer gardens in London to visit, now that the sun is (finally!) making an appearance
Beer gardens are the not-so-secret jewel in the crown of a London summer. Elsewhere in Europe, the locals might enjoy buzzy piazzas, or seaside restaurants – but here in the UK's capital we know our strengths. A pub beer garden, plus a group of pals, a chilled cider or G&T, and a packet or two of salt n' vinegar to share is the recipe for al fresco socialising.
And it's now time to book those coveted spots. While summer took its sweet time coming around this year, we can finally declare that the sunshine is here – with temperatures creeping up around 30 degrees this week.
That's why, with no time to spare, we've rounded up our favourite places to enjoy outdoor bevving in our magical capital city. In our round-up of London's best gardens, you'll find The Lamb, a Victorian pub once frequented by Charles Dickens in London's literary hub of Bloomsbury; The Telegraph, a Putney venue with unbeatable views over the Thames; and some of the best al fresco venues to soak up the sun once summer comes around. Also not to be missed is The Compton Arms in Islington, where Dara Klein, known for her authentic Italian cuisine and all-female culinary team, is doing a residency with her concept, Tiella. Fellow foodies, see you there.
So, from Bow to Bermondsey, Kensington to Kennington, Shepherd's Bush to Stokey, Hammersmith to Highgate, Westminster to Wapping (okay, you get the idea), these are London's best beer gardens to visit now the sunshine is, hopefully, here to stay for a while.
Best London Beer Gardens
The Axe PubThe Axe, Stoke Newington
A firm favourite among Stoke Newington – or “Stokey” – locals, The Axe is serious about its beer offering – with 22 taps of brews from near and far – plus a range of natural wines for those who'd like to sip an orange wine in the sunshine. Its intimate outdoor garden is a great spot to enjoy a Sunday roast among friends.
https://www.theaxepub.com/
The Crab TreeThe Crabtree, Fulham
Get away from the crowds at the Crabtree pub, which is located at one of the quietest parts of the Thames and has plentiful riverside outdoor seating where you can watch the water lap up against the shores. The pub grub offering is also pretty special: with firm favourites like Scotch eggs together with the world food additions of Korean fried cauliflower and wild mushroom arancini: tasty deliciousness to soak up those drinks.
https://www.thecrabtreew6.co.uk/
The Telegraph, PutneyThe Telegraph, Putney
Get ye to Putney Heath to enjoy this traditional, dog-friendly country pub set among plenty of parkland – with a two-mile ‘pub walk’ around the local area beginning and ending there every Saturday morning at 9:30am. Alternatively, visit from lunchtime onwards to enjoy the impressive selection of gins and whiskeys.
https://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/telegraph/
The Lamb, BloomsburyThe Lamb, Bloomsbury
A sure way to impress a bookish friend or date, The Lamb is a Grade II listed, Victorian pub located London's literary hub, Bloomsbury – the namesake of the Bloomsbury Group. It's known the likes of Ted Hughes, Sylvia Plath and Charles Dickens once drank here. Book ahead for an outside table in the intimate pub garden, to escape the hustle and bustle of central London in the heat.
https://www.thelamblondon.com/
The Mitre, Hampton CourtThe Mitre, Hampton Court
More of a wine bar than a pub garden (OK we cheated!), the riverside terrace at The Mitre hotel has a stylish terrace to enjoy Whispering Angel rose from the themed bar, with gorgeous decor and riverside views. Look out for the regular themed wine events throughout the summer.
https://www.mitrehamptoncourt.com/food-drink/wine-at-the-mitre
The Compton Arms, IslingtonThe Compton Arms, Islington
Looking for an authentic ale house, with a lovely decor? The Compton Arms' pub garden offers just that combination all year round, with lovely touches of hanging foliage and pot plants dotted around. The exciting foodie news for this summer is the residency of Tiella, a concept from former Sager & Wilde chef Dara Klein. Dara and her all-female culinary team specialise in rustic Italian cooking including hand-rolled pastas.
https://www.comptonarms.co.uk/
The Clissold Arms, Muswell HillThe Clissold Arms, Muswell Hill
This family-owned gastropub in Muswell Hill has a loyal local following, and comes into its own as a place to visit on a sunny day – with an (appropriately) family-friendly vibe to embrace adults and kids et. al. Enjoy cocktails and Greek Cypriot pub grub, while little ones will be enamoured with the kids' menu.
https://clissoldarms.co.uk/our-menus
Mercato Metropolitano, Elephant & Castle
Mercato Metropolitano is one of London's best-kept secrets; a massive beer garden concealed in Newington Causeway SE1. The partially-covered garden area spans 15,000 square feet with over 500 seats (!!!) and more than 40 food and drink vendors. Basically, this is the capital's leading food and drink metropolis. Don't miss on-site micro-brewery German Kraft, a craft brewery rooted in German tradition which specialises in fresh, authentic German style beers, and a distillery from sustainable urban gin, Jim and Tonic.
Two Tribes Campfire, King's Cross
Campfire is the brand new outdoor fire pit and taproom being opened by Two Tribes Brewery in the heart of King’s Cross. The bar is centred around an open-fire pit where live-fire chefs (yes, live-fire chefs) serve up mouthwatering BBQ dishes to a backdrop for visiting DJs and musicians. There's plenty for meat-lovers, veggies and vegans alike (plus plenty of excellent beverages), so grab your rule-of-six pals and book in ASAP!
Lloyd WintersThe Terrace, Alexandra Palace
Reservations for 12th April onwards are booking up fast at this Ally Pally beer garden which is able to host up to 400 socially-distanced customers, with iconic, panoramic views across the city, and the Palace’s 196 acre park. The bar has everything you need, from fizz to craft beer and cocktails, and plenty of street food vendors dishing up delicious grub.
The Duke Of Hamilton, Hampstead
This stunner of a pub, loved by locals and just a two minute walk towards the heath, is going to be our first port of call post-lockdown. There's classic cocktails (remember them?), an impressive selection of beers and wines, and most importantly, these guys know how to do a G&T. The food is exceptional and isn't to be missed. Head chef Ben Smith uses seasonal British produce and local ingredients to dish up high-end food that is anything but 'pub grub' – the Sunday roasts are some of the best we've had in London (and trust us, we've tried a lot).
thedukeofhamiltonnw3.com
The Alwyne Castle, Islington
There's tons of space at Alwyne, located on St Paul's Road, making it an ideal north London pub to hit up post-lockdown. You can't miss the huge beer garden out the front, which spills around the sides of this colourful, friendly pub.
thealwynecastleislington.co.uk
Skylight, Wapping
Okay, not a 'beer garden' per se, but Skylight deserves a mention for being London's largest outdoor venue (an impressive feat in a city obsessed with al fresco bevving). You can book areas such as one of the sunshine garden booths, mezzanine-covered heated booths, or simply an outdoor table which costs £5-£10 (depending on whether you want a parasol). There's also a two-hour bottomless prosecco and meal voucher for £39.95 – oh, how we've missed bottomless fizz!
tobaccodocklondon.com
The Albion, Islington
With its creeping wisteria vines, old Georgian charm and very decent wine list, this walled beer garden halfway between Upper Street and Caledonian Road is one of our favourite places to drink in the summer. Save room for a bite to eat; the food here is not to be missed.
the-albion.co.uk
People's Park Tavern, Homerton
The beauty of this expansive beer garden is that it's just like drinking in the park – because that's essentially what you're doing, except there's also an on-site brewery, BBQ kitchen, a tap room serving around 70 world beers, and a pop-up cocktail bar.
peoplesparktavern.pub
The Magic Garden, Battersea
Looking for something a bit quirkier than a traditional beer garden? Battersea Park Road's 'Magic Garden Pub' will tick all the boxes. Come for its huge beer garden and laidback boho vibe, stay for the live music serving all the summertime festival feels.
magicgardenpub.com
Vinegar Yard, Bermondsey
Not exactly a pub but worth a mention is Vinegar Yard, particularly as it's the capital's largest outdoor dining and beer garden. Select from an array of London's top street food traders and sip on bevs from the newly-added two new mezzanine cocktail bars.
vinegaryard.london
Green Goose, Bow
Green Goose-rs flock to this spacious astroturfed beer garden which opens out the back of this cosy, quintessentially British pub in the summer. Don't miss the bottomless brunch on Saturdays.
greengooselondon.com
Faltering Fullback, Finsbury Park
This hidden gem in north London is like a treehouse – what was once a small yard was built upwards by the owners, creating various split levels of decking dotted with several tables. Sure, getting a table in the summer can be tricky, but time it right and you'll have an unforgettable day sipping cold beers and snacking on nibbles from their delicious Thai menu. Just make sure you save us a table.
falteringfullback.com
The Junction Tavern, Kentish Town
The atmosphere in this Fortress Road boozer never disappoints. Head outside to one of the picnic tables under heated parasols and enjoy one of the five, weekly-changed, often-local cask ales.
junctiontavern.co.uk
The Gipsy Moth, Greenwich
Enjoy views of Cutty Sark from this homely pub who boast a decent-sized outdoor space and a cracking roast dinner (including vegan options) on Sundays.
thegipsymothgreenwich.co.uk
The Prospect Of Whitby, Wapping
This 500-year-old pub is steeped in history and lays claim to being the site of the oldest riverside tavern, dating from around 1520. Figures such as Charles Dickens, Samuel Pepys, Samuel Johnson, and artists Turner and Whistler were said to drink here, as well as smugglers, pirates, thieves and river criminals, due to its Thames-side location. If you look closely, you'll see an ancient noose hanging outside the pub (some say it marks the spot of Execution Dock). History aside, The Prospect of Whitby is a lovely spot to enjoy a chilled glass of wine in the paved beer garden with views of the Thames.
greeneking-pubs.co.uk
The Tattershall Castle, Embankment
Beer gardens don't get much more central than Westerminster's Tattershall Castle, a former passenger ferry moored on the Thames with views of the London Eye with plenty to drink and snack on (their fish and chips are chef's kiss).
thetattershallcastle.co.uk
The Castle, Tooting
The Castle's character-packed garden (formerly a car park) is a well-loved summer haunt with in-the-know Londoners. There's seven colouful cabana-style huts, some of which have built-in drinks fridges and fires, plus on-demand heating on the terrace and an excellent cocktail list.
castletooting.com
The Tankard, Kennington
This Victorian pub was built with a large roof terrace so that guests could look over the wall into the infamous Bedlam insane asylum next door. Bedlam closed in the 1930s and became the Imperial War Museum, and now this branch of Draft House pub's is a great choice for those looking for an outdoor drink in the sun.
drafthouse.co.uk
The Herne Tavern, Honor Oak
Opposite Peckham Rye, this Victorian pub is tucked away on Forest Hill Road in East Dulwich and its flower-lined beer garden was made for relaxing summer drinks away from the south London crowds.
thehernetavern.co.uk
The Canonbury, Canonbury
You'll never have the fear of not finding a table at this Islington pub as it's beer garden is very vast and impressive, as is the beautiful 19th century building in which it's housed (not to mention its extensive wine list). George Orwell, who lived in Canonbury Square, wrote part of 1984 whilst sitting under one of the trees in The Canonbury's garden in the 1940's.
thecanonbury.co.uk
The Ship, Wandsworth
The Ship isn't quite the hidden gem it used to be, so if you want one of the best outdoor seats (or any outdoor seat at all), get there early. There's a reason it's so loved: the historic riverside pub boasts a massive decked garden with five heated booths, an outdoor bar, and a gourmet burger menu (featuring a veggie and vegan option).
theship.co.uk
The Faber Fox, Crystal Palace
For sprawling views over the city in a fun, colourful setting, head to The Faber Fox in SE19. There's tons of great drinks on the menu, plus a new bottomless brunch offering, and a pub quiz every Sunday at 8pm.
thefaberfox.co.uk
Duke of Edinburgh, Brixton
There's some great local beers on tap at this well-loved Brixton boozer, as well as an enormous beer garden with Caribbean fusion food, jerk chicken and lots of meat-free options from the guys at White Men Can't Jerk.
dukeofedinburghpub.com
The Prince, Hammersmith
This once-pub now-food-hall in southwest London has a huge covered garden and four restaurants to choose from, which at the moment are Patty & Bun, Wildcard, Utter Waffle and Jack's Sprat. Settle in with a jug of Pimm's & Lemonade or Frosé.
theprincelondon.com
The Scolt Head, De Beauvoir
Find a table out front and enjoy the reasonably-priced bevs at this smart yet cosy pub in pretty, tree-lined area of N1. They also pride themselves on a fresh, seasonal menu using locally-sourced produce, so come with a rumbling tummy.
thescolthead.co.uk
The Stag, Belsize Park
This large, leafy outdoor beer garden is full of atmosphere in the summer and The Stag offers up an extensive wine list plus fresh, mouthwatering pizzas thanks to their pizza oven.
thestagnw3.com
The Bull, Highgate
The pretty beer garden in this independent pub nestled away on North Hill isn't the largest in the capital, but it's a great place to dive into after an afternoon pottering around Highgate to enjoy a home brewed beer in the sunshine.
thebullhighgate.co.uk
The Windsor Castle, Kensington
The Windsor Castle is truly a hidden gem in Notting Hill, whose pubs are often overflowing once the sun comes out. It's an old refurbed boozer with wood-panelled walls and a 'lovely' (as the sign says) garden out back, plus some great real ales.
thewindsorcastlekensington.co.uk
The Engineer, Primrose Hill
Close to the canal, this two-level gastropub has a flower-dotted outdoor garden that was made for ducking into after a day exploring (and shopping) in Camden Town.
theengineerprimrosehill.co.uk
The White Swan, Twickenham
Across the road from the 17th century, award-winning White Swan pub is its gorgeous outdoor space, right on the water with views of the weeping willows that line the banks and the occasional boater passing by. The White Swan pride themselves on supporting new, local and London breweries and their pumps change regularly. In the summer though, you'll find plenty of drinkers sitting outside with Aperol Spritzes.
whiteswantwickenham.co.uk
The Crown & Greyhound, Dulwich
Known as 'The Dog' to locals, The Crown & Greyhound in Dulwich Village's main draw is its huge garden plus its outdoor barbecue area.
thecrownandgreyhound.co.uk
Pub On The Park, London Fields
This east London favourite backs onto London Fields and is often slammed in the summer thanks to its spacious outdoor terrace, projector screens, DJs and great selection of drinks.
pubonthepark.com
White Hart, Stoke Newington
This quirky Stokey boozer opens up its outdoor space in the summer with two tiers – one patio, one lawned – to choose from. Enjoy al fresco beers, wines or cocktails and order a sharing platter or two for you and your pals to tuck into while enjoying the warm weather.
whitehartstokenewington.com
The Eagle, Shepherd's Bush
A vibrant pub that comes alive in the summertime, The Eagle's well-sized outdoor area is decked out with plenty of tables, fairy lights aplenty and its own burger shack.
theeaglew12.co.uk
The Crown & Shuttle, Hackney
Vines climb the walls and festoon lights dangle above brightly-coloured benches in this east London beer garden, which has won awards for its craft beer.
crownandshuttle.com
