21 Brilliant Beer Gardens Ideal For This Summer
Alfresco spots in London are always buzzing in the summer months. With the warmer weather here to stay (we hope at least), we’ve put together a guide to the best beer gardens in London. From Instagrammable spots to old-school pubs with yards of space, these are our favourites.
The Prince, West Brompton
On the border between Fulham and West Brompton sits The Prince. The home of West London’s leaving drinks, birthday get-togethers, post-work dos, and just about any other occasion, the stand-out feature here is, of course, the garden.
Sit under the floral pergola in the ‘woodland garden’ and settle in for an afternoon and evening filled with good drinks and laughter.
Expect a whole lot of Instagrammable garden decor, from the floor-to-ceiling flower walls to the old-school telephone boxes.
where: 14 Lillie Road, SW6 1TT
website: www.theprincelondon.com
The Ship, Wandsworth
A SW18 favourite, The Ship is Wandsworth’s biggest pull. Home to stunning West London sunsets, riverside drinking and dining, it’s the perfect place to raise a pint on whatever the occasion.
Head here mid-week for a post-work celebration or battle through the crowds on a Saturday night for a blasting weekend filled with fun.
Settle in, enjoy the view, dig into juicy burgers or fish and ships.
where: 41 Jews Row, Wandsworth, SW18 1TB
website: www.theship.co.uk
The Lighterman
To celebrate the warmer months, The Lighterman’s terrace is a perfect spot for an after-work beverage or a longer weekend hang. In addition to cocktails like the Pink Lady Lillet with rouge, spiced rum, summer fruits, lemonade, the Al Fonzo Vodka, spiced mango, cloudy lemon, or Yellowstone Bourbon, fig, walnut, verjus, the zero-proof offerings are equally as entertaining.
For food, “Steak on chips” beef tartare, crispy potato, pecorino, and Charred asparagus, parmesan hollandaise are must-get starters, while the buffalo mozzarella flatbread and pan-roasted Shetland salmon with turnip greens, and champagne butter sauce will fill you up the rest of the way.
where: 3 Granary Square, London N1C 4BH
Website: www.thelighterman.com
People’s Park Tavern, Hackney
Let the people have what the people want, which in this case is the People’s Park Tavern. Set alongside Victoria Park, known as The People’s Park for its lefty history.
The garden, which backs onto the park, isn’t your usual beer garden. For a start, it’s got trendy East Londoney stuff like a mini golf course, along with the ubiquitous huts and lodges we now expect from a beer garden.
where: 360 Victoria Park Road, E9 7BT
website: www.peoplesparktavern.pub
The Spaniard’s Inn, Hampstead
The Spaniard’s Inn has been around for centuries- being name-dropped in Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers, among others. But it’s no less excellent in the present day and has a lovely beer garden to grab a cold beer on a hot day in Hampstead.
It has a chill, relaxed atmosphere, and looks idyllic in the summer months. Alongside a great choice of drinks, there’s some delicious food to have if you’ve worked up an appetite walking on nearby Hampstead Heath.
where: Spaniards Road, Hampstead, London, Greater London, NW3 7JJ
website: www.thespaniardshampstead.co.uk
The Edinboro Castle, Camden
Right in between the bustling Camden markets and blooming Regent’s Park, you can head to The Edinboro Castle’s courtyard on a warm summer’s day, where you’ll find inviting picnic tables and an energetic atmosphere.
It’s got both a quirky charm and a personal touch, as well as an outdoor bar to make sure you don’t miss a minute of sunshine.
The perfect setting for a laid-back drinking and dining experience.
where: 57 Mornington Terrace, London, Greater London, NW1 7RU
website: www.edinborocastlepub.co.uk
Pergola London, Brixton
For those searching for the best party vibes and outdoor space, look to Pergola London, with a great spot in Brixton.
Expect a space designated to free-spirited partying, complete with tropical plants, cabanas, and endless margaritas.
A sun-drenched oasis for party people.
where: Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London SW9 8PS
website: www.pergolabrixton.com
The Woodman, Highgate
Moving up to North London, The Woodman in Highgate is another excellent beer garden to sit in when the sun’s shining. The biggest in Highgate, the pub is both child and dog-friendly, with rows of benches in the garden giving a traditional pub garden feel.
The interior is also not to be missed, with the kind of stylish decor you’d expect in one of London’s most expensive suburbs. The food is also very high quality, with plates like pork belly bites and stuffed zucchini boats, plus sandwiches, burgers, snacks, and desserts.
where: 414 Archway Road, Highgate, N6 5UA
website: www.the-woodman.com
The Eagle, Shepherd’s Bush
One of Young’s Pubs Geronomio Inns, The Eagle does everything that you’d expect from a smart pub, but it adds something special with its outside space. The Eagle is the perfect place for a summer Sunday roast, just gather friends and a board game or two, and sit outside.
Aside from the extensive burger shack menu, summer spritz menu, and even a little eagle’s menu for children under fourteen, The Eagle has something for everyone.
Our gorgeous pub is the cosiest local around.
where: 215 Askew Road, Shepherd’s Bush, London, W12 9AZ
website: www.theeaglew12.co.uk
Mercato Metropolitano, Elephant & Castle
Housed inside a former abandoned paper factory, Mercato Metropolitano is one of London’s largest outdoorsy venues. You’ll always find something going on here, from street food traders serving up delicious pub grub to DJ sets at the weekends.
The space also offers loads of events and venues like the Vinal Records Club every Monday, playing classics and German Kraft Brewery, brewing beer fresh every day.
where: 42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR
website: www.mercatometropolitano.com
I first went to Mercato Metropolitano when I was 18 and have never stopped since, it was perfect then and it’s perfect now. Something for everyone in terms of food, drinks, or activities and a great place to get stuck in for sunset
Mallory, Junior Food & Drink Editor
The Crabtree, Fulham
Any Fulham dwellers will already know about this hidden gem, but for those who don’t, expect to find a stunning green garden waiting for you.
With views stretching over the Thames from their dining room and terraces, there isn’t a better place to delight in refined pub classics like cider-battered fish and chips and dry-aged double cheeseburger. Outside in their garden, expect plenty of shade and parasols to help you stay cool in the heatwaves, as well as heaters for those cooler days.
The Crabtree is an iconic pub situated on the quietest and most picturesque stretch of the Thames.
where: Rainville Road, London, W6 9HA
website: www.thecrabtreew6.co.uk
The Leather Bottle, Earlsfield
Busy and, at times, not-so-salubrious Garratt Lane plays a blinder with The Leather Bottle. Despite being in the hinterland between Tooting and Earlsfield, it feels like you’re in the middle of the countryside. The pub itself has an old-world thing going on, but the garden is brilliant.
With a burger shack, huts, outdoor tables, and a pergola area, The Leather Bottle’s outdoor space makes for one of London’s best beer garden experiences.
where: 538 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield, SW17 0NY
Website: www.leatherbottlepub.co.uk
The Telegraph, Putney
Located on Putney Heath just at the edge of Wimbledon Common, The Telegraph boasts a very nice beer garden that’ll make you feel as though you’re in the countryside.
The food here is excellent, with an evolving menu of diverse cuisines and fantastic Sunday lunches. Drinks-wise, there’s an expansive list of wines, gins, and beers, and the whole place has a very friendly vibe.
Our bar is at the heart of everything.
where: Putney Heath, Putney, London, SW15 3TU
website: www.brunningandprice.co.uk
The Crooked Billet, Clapton
A fantastic beer garden in Clapton, The Crooked Billet is a lovely place to go for a cool pint in the hotter days of the year. The interior is very stylish yet appealingly homely, and the beer garden out back is huge and inviting.
There’s a large wine and drought list, and the food menu is no slouch either, with stone-baked pizzas, mains like beer marinated chicken & bbq rib or buttermilk crispy chicken burger, plus bar snacks like mac & cheese and mushroom arancini, and tempting desserts like sticky toffee pudding.
where: 84 Upper Clapton Road, London E5 9JP
website: www.e5crookedbillet.co.uk
Vauxhall Beer Garden, Vauxhall
One of the biggest in London, if you come to the Vauxhall Beer Garden this summer, you won’t be short of things to do. There’s a huge amount of delicious street food available to sate your appetite here, alongside the large drinks selection, and the whole place feels almost like a small city.
Live comedy is performed here throughout the week, and there are also huge screens showing sport.
where: 6 South Lambeth Place, London, SW8 1SP
website: www.vauxhallfoodbeergarden.com
Pub On The Park, London Fields
Pub On The Park is a pub on, um, the park. London Fields, to be precise. The pub’s DJs play in the spacious, sunny, gardens throughout the summer months, and this spot is ideal for watching sport with its huge screens.
where: 19 Martello Street, London, E8 3PE
website: www.pubonthepark.com
I’m definitely biased because I love London Fields on a sunny day! Pub on the Park is the perfect next stop after spending hours in the park with friends and a few tennies.
Caitlin, Senior Campaign Success Manager
The Albion, Islington
Over in Islington, The Albion is a local favourite for garden-side tipples. Home to a blooming wisteria tree that’s just perfect for snapping on the ‘Gram, book in here for great food and drinks.
The all-day menu features British pub classics, from beer-battered haddock with triple-cooked chips, tartare, and mushy peas to dry-aged Shorthorn Cross Steaks grilled over charcoal with chips, watercress, and peppercorn sauce.
The Albion is a Georgian gem.
where: 10 Thornhill Road, Islington, N1 1HW
website: www.the-albion.co.uk
The Terrace, Alexandra Palace
Another huge beer garden in North London, The Terrace in Alexandra Palace is the place to go if you feel that your beer garden trip needs more of a landscape in the background. When you’re not gazing across Ally Pally’s famous view, you can indulge yourself in the delicious food. There are stone oven-baked pizzas, street food on weekends, and plenty more. There’s also a fab selection of spirits, wines, and cocktails, as well as some great beers from independent breweries.
Drink in the view at London’s largest beer garden.
where: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London, N22 7AY
website: www.alexandrapalace.com
The Earl of Essex, Islington
This craft beer pub may well be the best beer garden in Islington, in a very inviting Georgian-era building. The garden itself is quite small but very cosy, with a real back garden feeling.
But the number one reason you should come here, especially if you’re keen on beer, is the pub’s extensive range of craft beer available on tap. There’s a huge range of kegs of beer from all over the world, and even the most picky beer fans will be hard-pressed to find anything wrong here.
where: 25 Danbury Street, London, N1 8LE
website: www.earlofessex.net
The Castle, Tooting
The Castle is a reflection of a changing Tooting, with a multi-million-pound overhaul a few years ago resulting in a great interior. However, the garden is where The Castle shines, with pergolas and a number of chalets.
On the menu are classic pub starters, fresh pizzas, and mains like a Short rib & brisket British beef burger and pan-fried salmon.
We’re all about those ‘just because’ vibes.
where: 38 Tooting High Street, Tooting broadway, SW17 0RG
website: www.castletooting.com
The Duke of Edinburgh, Brixton
Bright yellow umbrellas and hanging sunflowers bring a cheery vibe to the absolutely massive garden at The Duke of Edinburgh. Located a short walk from Brixton Station, it’s a popular spot for a drink under clear skies and the sun’s rays.
They have a range of beers on tap guaranteed to satisfy any taste, as well as a seasonal cocktail menu and a variety of spirits. And if you’re hungry, you don’t have to go far. The pub offers barbecued Caribbean flavors for meat-lovers and vegetarians alike.
where: 204 Ferndale Road, London, SW9 8AG
website: dukeofedinburghpub.com
