7 Of London’s Best Pool Menus For The Ultimate Summer Day
A swim is all well and good, but the best pool days come with excellent food. Across London and just beyond, hotels are raising the bar with menus that rival some of the city’s best restaurants, meaning there’s every reason to linger long after you’ve dried off. From rooftop terraces serving Mediterranean small plates to poolside sushi, Champagne and spritzes, these are the pools worth booking this summer for the food alone.
Great Fosters
A pool day feels even better when lunch is taken care of, and Great Fosters has exactly that covered. Less than an hour from London Waterloo, the historic hotel pairs its Art Deco outdoor pool with a light, summery poolside menu featuring classics like a Caesar salad and prawn cocktail, alongside sushi and refreshing drinks. Whether you’re booking a full day by the water or combining it with a spa treatment, it’s an idyllic spot to while away a sunny afternoon without ever having to leave your lounger.
Where: Stroude Rd, Egham TW20 9UR
Website: www.alexanderhotels.co.uk
The Ned
If you’re lucky enough to bag a spot on The Ned’s rooftop, there’s no need to leave your lounger when hunger strikes. Food and drinks can be ordered directly to the pool, with a menu of salads, raw dishes and light bites designed for long afternoons in the sun. Pair your lunch with a cocktail while taking in sweeping views across the City and St Paul’s Cathedral, and you’ll quickly see why it’s one of London’s most sought-after rooftop pools. Just note that access is reserved for Ned’s Club members and hotel guests.
Where: 27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ
Website: www.thened.com
Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch
There’s something undeniably glamorous about watching the sun dip behind the City skyline with a cocktail in hand, and Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch delivers exactly that. Head up to the rooftop restaurant and pool, where Mediterranean-inspired small plates like yellowfin tuna tartare or wild mushroom tagliatelle, crisp spritzes and panoramic views set the tone for an easy summer evening. Whether you’re sharing fresh seafood, pizzas and salads or simply settling in with a drink as golden hour hits, it’s one of East London’s most stylish spots for a dip and a bite.
Where: 45 Curtain Rd. Shoreditch, London, EC2A 3PT
Website: www.virginhotels.com
The Berkeley
Few pool menus come with a better backdrop than The Berkeley Rooftop Pool & Bar. Returning for summer, Capri in the City, in partnership with Acqua di Parma, transforms the rooftop into an Italian-inspired escape complete with lemon trees, striped loungers and skyline views. The poolside menu leans into Mediterranean flavours with burrata, marinated octopus and freshly baked pizzas, while Aperol spritzes, citrus-led negronis and other Capri-inspired cocktails make it all too easy to spend the entire afternoon by the water. Save room for the tiramisu or Amalfi lemon sorbet served in the fruit itself.
Where: The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RL
Website: www.maybourne.com
Shoreditch House
One of London’s original rooftop pool destinations, Shoreditch House remains hard to beat for poolside dining. Reserved for members and hotel guests, the rooftop combines skyline views with attentive drinks service and Pen Yen, the Japanese restaurant overlooking the pool. Expect sushi, sashimi, robata dishes and saké, making it all too easy to spend an entire afternoon moving between the water, your lounger and lunch. If you can get access, it’s one of the capital’s quintessential summer pool experiences.
Where: Ebor St, London E1 6AW
Website: www.sohohouse.com
art’otel Battersea Power Station
Poolside dining doesn’t get much more impressive than this. High above Battersea Power Station, JOIA Rooftop pairs the hotel’s heated infinity pool with Henrique Sá Pessoa’s Iberian-inspired menu of small plates, sharing dishes and cocktails, all served against sweeping views of the London skyline. Whether you’re grazing on croquetas and octopus or simply ordering another cocktail between dips, it’s one of the capital’s chicest places to spend a summer afternoon by the pool. Just note that the pool itself is reserved for hotel guests.
Where: 1 Electric Blvd, Nine Elms, London SW11 8BJ
Website: www.artotel.com
Sea Lanes Canary Wharf
Poolside lunches don’t have to mean a luxury hotel. At Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, London’s floating open-water pool is paired with a waterside restaurant serving Mediterranean-inspired dishes from breakfast through to dinner. Think colourful brunch plates, grilled seafood, fresh salads and cocktails enjoyed from the terrace overlooking the 50m pool. Whether you’ve just finished a swim or are simply soaking up the atmosphere dockside, it’s one of the capital’s most unique places to eat by the water.
Where: 15, Newfoundland Place, Canary Wharf Estate, London E14 4BH
Website: www.sealanescanarywharf.co.uk
