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The merest glimmer of sun and the capital's drinking population goes plastic, ditching pint glasses in a bid to quaff copious amounts of alcohol outside on terraces, in beer gardens and around parks. London is packed with places perfect for al fresco drinking - all along the banks of the Thames, out in the suburbs and hidden away amid the concrete in the centre of town. Here's our pick of the bunch...
 The Admiral Codrington 17 Mossop Street, SW3 2LY Retractable roof, sleek surroundings and modern cuisine in Knightsbridge Affectionately referred to as "the Cod", this Knightsbridge boozer-come-gastropub has acquired a reputation for serving high quality, modern food in no-fuss, sleek surroundings. If you do want to eat you'll be ushered into a bright restaurant with a long row of high-backed, cushion banquettes and lots of natural light pouring in from the retractable roof. For those after a bit more intimacy there is also a set of cosy, covered booths. Opt for just drinks and you'll find yourself in a traditional wood-panelled bar with sofas, lamps and low tables. There's also a covered outdoor area for summer drinking. On a quiet residential street this is usually a safe bet if you want to avoid the crowds on the King's Road or the Brompton Road. Address: 17 Mossop Street, SW3 2LY Phone: 020 7581 0005 Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube The Admiral Codrington - Information   At ProudThe Ginhouse, Stables Market, Camden, NW1 8AH Art, outdoor terrace, bits ‘n’ bobs and beer in Camden This stylish bar attached to a photography gallery was planning to be Camden’s top celebrity nightspot. Unfortunately, the The Hawley Arms opened at the same time, casually stealing all those skinny-jeaned rock stars from under their noses, and making the Proud Gallery look like it was just trying too hard. Here at LondonTown.com, however, we always thought it was really rather good, especially when the sun was out. Damaged by fire, celeb-city Hawley Arms is going to be out of action for a while (aww shame), which means it's Proud's time to rise like a phoenix from the ashes - just in time for summer, which is when Proud comes into its own. The outdoor terrace here is huge, and has a Glastonburyish vibe, with lots of weird art and bits ‘n’ bobs, the photography on the walls is way cool (and you can buy it if you have a hundred quid burning a hole in your pocket), and there are no glassy-eyed celeb-spotters frantically trying to decide if you’re the bass player from Towers of London. Address: The Ginhouse, Stables Market, Camden, NW1 8AH Phone: 020 7482 3867 Nearest Station: Chalk Farm Tube At Proud - Information  BFI Southbank (previously the National Film Theatre) BarSouth Bank, Waterloo, SE1 8XT Free outdoor entertainment and views on the South Bank Admittedly, the bar inside isn't up to much, but come summertime the BFI Southbank's superb location and outdoor seating area offers its patrons a view unrivalled anywhere in London. Standing on the South Bank, the panorama - taking in the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye in one direction, and stretching down to the dome of St Paul's in the other - is truly remarkable and will leave drinkers with plenty of talking points. There's a lot of bench space to sit down on if you need to rest your legs, or you can wander off down the riverside walk. It's a great spot for people-watching too. Over the summer the National Theatre traditionally hosts a series of free, outdoor performances at lunch times and after work, showcasing an array of dance, theatre, music and entertainment. Grab and pint, sit in the sun and enjoy the show. Address: South Bank Centre, SE1 Phone: 020 7928 3232 Nearest Station: Waterloo Tube or Rail / Embankment Tube BFI Southbank (previously the National Film Theatre) - Information  The Castle54 Pentonville Road, N1 9HF Laid-back tunes, roof gardens and an off-the-beaten-track location in Islington The roof garden is the summertime attraction at The Castle but it proves popular with the Islington crowd in the less clement months too. Away from busy Upper Street, Islington's main thoroughfare, it has an off-the-beaten-track appeal. Don't think that this means you're the first to discover it though, Friday and Saturday nights can get pretty busy. Lunchtimes and Sunday afternoons are a lot more sedate with the laid-back tunes providing a suitable soundtrack for the affordable bar food. Menu choices include aubergine stuffed with marinated seasonal veg and minted cous cous as well as old-fashioned pub grub like fish and chips or steak and Guinness pie. Address: 54 Pentonville Road, N1 9HF Phone: 020 7713 1858 Nearest Station: Angel Tube The Castle - Information  Colton Arms187 Greyhound Road, W149SD Old-school boozer, pints in jugs, and cute, cottage garden in West Kensington Utter the word "gastropub" or mumble the phrase "wine bar" inside this dinky local boozer and chances are you'll be gently shown the door and promptly redirected back towards Hammersmith or Shepherd's Bush. The Colton Arms is a traditional, old-school pub and a good one at that. No faux fripperies here, no fake pandering to tourists desperate for a touch of olde worlde charm. What you see is what you get, a charming unaffected local with a cosy, friendly feel. Inside it's all dark oak, pints in jugs and regulars propping up the bar. It's fairly tiny so you'll definitely attract the attention of the locals and bar staff when you enter, but go with the flow and you'll soon forget you used to drink anywhere else. A dinky, enclosed garden at the back provides a decidedly rural retreat in summer. Plonked unassumingly on a residential street in Baron's Court, there's no denying it's off the beaten track but well worth the trip out west. Address: 187 Greyhound Road, W149SD Phone: 020 7385 6956 Nearest Station: West Kensington Tube Colton Arms - Information  Duke of Edinburgh204 Ferndale Road, SW9 8AG Behemoth of a beer garden, bbqs and DJs in Brixton This pub has Brixton written all over it. Inside it's a fairly traditional wooden affair with some tidy long tables and sink-into-me armchairs. Weekend nights see DJs perking up clusters of young ones, office workers and locals. The real draw here though is the absolutely MASSIVE beer garden. Crammed with wooden tables, peppered with leafy trees and seething with youngsters, the Duke of Edinburgh is a real crowd-puller in the summer months. There are heaps of gas heaters scattered across the garden and every weekend the sweet smell of sausages roasting on the pub's BBQ wafts through the air. On balmy nights, it really is a great place to chat to your mates, sink a pint or two and soak up the infectious summer buzz. It's recently been placed under new management - fingers crossed they won't interfere with what has, up until now, been a very successful recipe for summertime drinking. Address: 204 Ferndale Road, SW9 8AG Phone: 020 7326 0301 Nearest Station: Brixton Tube / Rail Duke of Edinburgh - Information  Edinboro Castle56 Mornington Terrace, NW1 7RT Party vibe, shabby sofas, beer garden buzz in Camden The large beer garden at Edinboro Castle - big enough to accommodate 200 people - is the main draw here and makes this pub something of a Camden institution. The concreted garden and wooden tables are quickly filled as soon as the sun comes out (despite the location sandwiched between the congested Delancey Street and noisy train tracks). Packed with trendy twenty-something Camdenites who flock here in large numbers for a post-work drink on a summer's evening, the place has a buzzing, party vibe. In the colder months it's less hectic and the smaller inside space, decorated with shabby gilt framed mirrors and worn sofas, provides a good place to get a drink. Do make sure you're not in a hurry though - service can be painfully slow. Address: 56 Mornington Terrace, NW1 7RT Phone: 020 7255 9651 Nearest Station: Camden Town Tube Edinboro Castle - Information  EGG200 York Way, N7 9AP Beer and breakfast, dancing and djs, sunsets and sunrises on a balcony terrace in King's Cross EGG is a rare London nightclub, in that they seldom bring in big international star DJs. Instead, some excellent regular nights push out a quality diet of electro, house, minimal and eclectic, as well as one of the capital’s best Goth nights. The real reason to come here, though, is the large garden and the balcony terrace. On a hot summer night, head for Breakfast at Egg, their after party which begins at 5am every Sunday morning and is one of London's most fabulous clubbing events. Best enjoyed on a hot and sticky summer weekend, its popularity with London's costume/burlesque/transvestite clubbers makes for a wildly varied, but always friendly party. Watch the sunrise in the company of London’s maddest and most alluring ravers. Address: 200 York Way, N7 9AP Phone: 020 7609 8364 Nearest Station: Kings Cross Tube / Rail EGG - Information  The Flask77 Highgate West Hill, N6 6BU Village charm, barbeques and outdoor heaters in Highgate One of the villages lost to London’s urban sprawl, Highgate does at least retain a modicum of rustic charm, community atmosphere and a fine local boozer.  The Flask is one of the original village buildings and still the hub of social activity for local residents. The beautiful building which dates back to the early 18th century has all the low ceilings, wooden floors, panelling and small interconnecting rooms you could want. It might not be as olde worlde as it once was – sturdy wooden tables and chairs have given way to low tables and leather sofas – but it still has a pleasant, traditional air about it. This all becomes totally irrelevant in the summer as customers shift outside into the large, attractive beer garden which comes complete with a handy undercover heated area. Getting a table can be troublesome but, fear not, the surplus spills innocuously out over the road onto the grassy knoll opposite. The menu has a tasty gastro stab at all the time-honoured classics – be it a Sunday roast or a full English breakfast - but it is the summer barbeques which really delight. Sizzling sausages and meaty burgers fill the gap between pint number one and a night on the town. So if you fancy a bit of village ambience without having to leave the capital, head to north London’s next best thing.Address: 77 Highgate West Hill, N6 6BU Phone: 020 8348 7346 Nearest Station: Highgate Tube The Flask - Information  Garden Gate14 South End Road, NW3 2QE Outdoor sofas, barbeques and halloumi burgers in Hampstead Hampstead outpost South End Green has much to recommend it - right by the heath, it has a collection of good pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops. It's also not as full-on as Hampstead itself, feels a bit less claustrophobic and more down-to-earth. The Garden Gate pub fits in pretty well here. Just a 2-minute walk from the heath, it's a big venue with a lively vibe and a hugely impressive beer garden - its crowning glory. Pretty plants in pots, trellises, sofas and plenty of covered areas make this outdoor space exceptionally popular. In summer they've usually got the barbeque cranked up and popping out well-received charcoal-encrusted fare accompanied by tasty extras - halloumi, tabouleh, salmon and salads. Inside it's fairly formulaic in terms of decor - sofas, wooden floors, low lighting, lower tables - but perfectly nice. Throughout the day it welcomes a mixed clientele, from dog-walkers to canoodling couples and buzzing, up-for-it groups. It comes into its own in the summer but is still a safe bet throughout the rest of the year. Address: 14 South End Road, NW3 2QE Phone: 020 7435 4938 Nearest Station: Belsize Park Tube / Hampstead Heath Rail Garden Gate - Information  Gigalum7-8 Cavendish Parade, Clapham Common, SW4 9DW Palm trees, cocktails on the common and candlelit terraces in Clapham One palm tree does not a tropical paradise make. However, it's about as close as you're ever going to get to a beach vibe in London. Which is why, on hot summer days and sticky summer nights, you'll find happy crowds downing cocktails and munching on tasty bar snacks on the palm-tree adorned terrace outside this lively Clapham bar. Ok so there's only one palm tree, but it's better than nothing and provides welcome shade in the midday sun. In colder months, heaters keep the outdoor area well-stocked with punters, but there's also a funky modern interior with slouch-enducing pale leather sofas to retire to when the weather gets the best of you. Directly opposite both the Tube and the common, Gigalum's location is hard to beat in this part of town. A good bar year-round but best enjoyed with the sun in your eyes, a frond in your face and a glass in your hand. Address: 7-8 Cavendish Parade, Clapham Common, SW4 9DW Phone: 020 8772 0303 Nearest Station: Clapham South Tube Gigalum - Information  The Lock Tavern35 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AJ Cool music, a canopied roof terrace and leather banquettes in Camden The Lock Tavern has become the mainstay setting for summer celebrations and merriment. Punters can guzzle cold beer on the cobbled stones of the beer garden or sip Pimms up on the canopied roof terrace. A few years ago, it was nothing but a dingy little hovel. Under the watchful eye of its proprietor, DJ Jon Carter, the establishment has blossomed into something of a super-pub. Inside, it's spacious and stylishly furnished with polished leather banquettes and swivel armchairs. Effortlessly cool, fiercely independent, and infectiously laid back, it attracts a rather friendly, jovial sort who loyally pile in every weekend. Unsurprisingly, the music is staunchly good and summer Sundays traditionally kick into gear early with the hedonistic Sunday Best parties. Cheap food and booze are available all day and there's a hugely appetizing pub BBQ as afternoon sessions regularly attract an appreciative crowd. Address: 35 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AJ Phone: 020 7482 7163 Nearest Station: Chalk Farm Tube The Lock Tavern - Information  The Long BarSanderson, 50 Berners Street, W1T3NG Japanese garden, night-lights, Martinis, high barstools and high prices in the centre For a little refinement and an offensively expensive tipple, the Sanderson hotel's Long Bar and Courtyard Garden is a very exclusive sanctuary. The courtyard is something of an urban oasis; modelled on a Japanese garden, it's crammed with colourful mosaics, Oriental flowers and streaming fountains. In the evenings the tiny little night-lights shine out from beneath the undergrowth. The Long Bar is hugely chic but it's still one of the more accessible of London's many flashy bars. Inside, it's sleek, modern and starkly white - as you'd expect from the name, it possesses one of London's longest bars. Posh punters perch on eye-stencilled bar stools craning to see and be seen. Providing you're dressed to kill, you'll find the staff and clientele a little less aloof than in London's other high-brow establishments. The bar serves all manner of Martinis and champagne cocktails, including some outstanding house specials. This modish saloon casually coaxes you into indulging in the high-life, so it's probably best to leave your credit card at home. Address: Sanderson, 50 Berners Street, W1T3NG Phone: 020 7300 5587 Nearest Station: Goodge Street Tube The Long Bar - Information  Lost Society697 Wandsworth Road, Clapham, SW8 3JF Late nights, secret gardens, conservatories and cocktails in Clapham It's not difficult to believe that this decadent, chandelier-filled arena - home to London's louche pleasure-seekers, to drinking and dancing - once played host to a banquet held in honour of Queen Elizabeth I and her alchemist ally John Dee. Now Art Deco in style, a collection of solid beams buttressing the walls provides an architectural reminder of a time when the building took the guise of a 16th-century barn and manor house frequented by the party-loving "Virgin Queen". A varied, yet cohesive, gorgeously decorated, cluster of rooms have since evolved to make up the interior. From the Conservatory to the Crystal Ballroom, the Library Bar to the Oriental Lounge, there's a lavishly decorated space for whatever mood you're in. Outside, a secret garden - perfect for escaping the crowds on hot summer evenings - echoes back to the bar's Elizabethan heritage, evoking images of secret trysts and clandestine exchanges. Madrigals and mead may well be a thing of the past but this place still hasn't forgotten its party roots. From Thursday through to Saturday a collection of mix-mongers spin a variety of breaks, hip-hop, funk or whatever else to an appreciative, laidback crowd, while a quick glance at the brimming bar demonstrates a commitment to providing a cosmopolitan array of liquid refreshments. Address: 697 Wandsworth Road, Clapham, SW8 3JF Phone: 020 7652 6526 Nearest Station: Clapham Common Tube Lost Society - Information  Pub on the Park19 Martello Street, Hackney, E8 3PE Decking, park setting, football screens and family-friendly pub near London Fields Perched overlooking London Fields this is one of the finest pubs in the East in which to spend a summer's day. Outside there's a large section of decking and plenty of tables where you can catch some rays and admire activity taking place in the park opposite (cricket matches are a regular feature in summer months). If there's no room on the decking, the bar staff are happy to pop your pint in plastic so you can wander off into the park. The pub houses a healthy mix of people ranging from young families and locals who've been there for years to the new generation of Hackney's young professionals. The assortment of beers reflects this with a blend of well-kept traditional bitters, run-of-the-mill lagers and nouveau Belgian brews. The interior of the restored Victorian building is smart and simple. The landlord is a football fanatic, which means there are a few screens for fellow fans. A chilled-out, well-balanced boozer. Address: 19 Martello Street, Hackney, E8 3PE Phone: 020 7275 9586 Nearest Station: Bethnal Green Tube Pub on the Park - Information  The Ranelagh82 Bounds Green Road, Bowes Park, N11 2EU Big beer garden, barbeques and gastro grub in Bounds Green Venture north on the Piccadilly Line all the way to Bounds Green and you'll find this large refurbished pub with one of the biggest beer gardens in the capital. The interior is stock fare with weathered leather sofas, chandeliers, subdued walls, patterned lamps and wooden floorboards. In the summer the leafy, terraced beer garden proves popular with locals - particularly gastro-inclined thirty-somethings and young families. Arrive in time for the barbeque and settle in for the day. Address: 82 Bounds Green Road, Bowes Park, N11 2EU Phone: 020 8361 4238 Nearest Station: Bounds Green Tube The Ranelagh - Information  White SwanRiverside, Twickenham, TW1 3DN Windy lanes, waterside drinks and island views in Twickenham With probably one of the most idyllic settings of any of London's pubs, the White Swan is well worth a visit if you're in this neck of the woods. On a quiet, winding country lane, right on the edge of the Thames and opposite Twickenham's historic Eel Pie Island, the main body of the pub is elevated to minimise risk of flooding - a steep flight of steps needs to be mounted before you'll stand any chance of ordering a pint. Built in the 17th century the interior remains relatively untouched with lots of wood and open fires. You will, however, notice a somewhat unhealthy proliferation of rugby-oriented memorabilia - a hint towards the pub's support of the game that Twickenham's mammoth stadium has made its own (be warned the place gets understandably packed-out by loud chaps in rugby shirts on match days). Directly outside the pub there's a small veranda, while opposite, across the lane, there's a larger terrace (also owned by the pub) right on the water. Venture here in the summer months and combine your trip with a walk along the river or a visit to nearby Marble Hill House. Prices are said to be significantly higher than other boozers in the area, but there's no doubting the lure of the location and setting which, most would say, warrants the added premium. Address: Riverside, Twickenham, TW1 3DN Phone: 020 8892 2166 Nearest Station: Twickenham Rail White Swan - Information  Windsor Castle114 Campden Hill Road, W8 7AR Cloistered history, greenery and ivy in Notting Hill Built in 1835 and untouched since then, the Windsor Castle is a cavernous pub decked in timber. Inside it's a creaking wooden wonderland, full of cosy alcoves, wooden settles, panelling and hidden rooms. In many ways the quintessential cosy winter pub, its dark and musty interior hides a secret. Hidden out the back, is a large ivy-clad beer garden which, adorned with delicate fairy lights, creates a peaceful idyll on long, warm evenings. Flagged with vast stones and eclipsed by a fabulous plane tree mushrooming out from the centre it offers areas of shade for over-heated sunseekers. The refreshments here are decidedly traditional - good, solid, high quality British fare (namely sausages) and huge jugs of Pimms in the summer. Grab a seat in the sun and settle in for the evening. Address: 114 Campden Hill Road, W8 7AR Phone: 020 7243 9551 Nearest Station: Notting Hill Gate Tube Windsor Castle - Information |
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