The Best Outdoor Bars in London for Summer

A network of converted railway arches and outdoor spaces near Borough Market that functions as a collective outdoor bar and food hall. In summer the courtyard fills with people from about 5pm on weekdays, earlier on weekends, and the combination of multiple bar operators in one space means the quality floor is high — you can move between natural wine, craft beer, and cocktails within about thirty metres. Our editors go here specifically for the natural wine selection, which is one of the better-curated in this part of London.

Order: A glass of whatever orange wine the natural wine stall is pushing — they change it weekly and the recommendation is always reliable

The outdoor terrace of the Sea Containers hotel, sitting directly on the Thames with an unobstructed view across to the north bank. The bar programme is run with the same seriousness as the renowned interior bar, and the terrace-specific summer menu features a rotation of low-ABV and long drinks designed for outdoor drinking over several hours. The most expensive option on this list, but the cocktails justify the price and the position on the river is exceptional on a warm evening. Reservable via the hotel website.

Order: The Thames Vermouth Fizz — English vermouth, elderflower, cucumber, soda, garnished with river mint

A community market and outdoor bar space built from shipping containers in Brixton, with multiple independent food and drink operators sharing a large central courtyard. The quality of the individual bars is variable, but the best of them — particularly the rum bar and the craft beer stall — are worth seeking out. The atmosphere on a warm Friday evening is one of the most energy-specific in South London: local, diverse, genuinely unpretentious, and reliably good. Free entry. Open Tuesday through Sunday.

Order: The Brixton Rum Punch — Doorly's 3-year rum, lime, mango, ginger, served in a large plastic cup — exactly right for the setting

The outdoor bar in the courtyard of Wilton's Music Hall — the oldest grand music hall in the world — operates on summer evenings as a standalone bar without a performance ticket required. The combination of the 1850s building facade, the cobblestones, and a bar programme that is considerably more thoughtful than most venue bars makes this one of the more distinctive outdoor drinking settings in London. Open on event nights and select warm-weather weekends. Check their events calendar before visiting.

Order: The Wilton's Gin Sling — Sipsmith gin, sloe liqueur, lemon, soda — a house variation on a Victorian original

A garden bar within the grounds of Hackney City Farm that operates on weekend afternoons in summer. The drinks selection is deliberately simple — a few natural wines, craft beer, and one or two cocktails — and the setting, surrounded by the farm's animals and gardens, is about as far from the standard London bar experience as you can get within Zone 2. Bring food or buy from the farm kitchen. Best for a long, unhurried Saturday afternoon rather than an evening destination.

Order: A cold natural wine or the farm's own-label lager — the point here is the setting, not the cocktail list

A pub with one of the better outdoor spaces on the South Bank — a terrace that looks directly onto the Thames and catches the afternoon sun from about 3pm in summer. The bar is a proper pub (Young's ales, a reasonable wine list, basic cocktails) rather than a destination cocktail bar, but the setting elevates everything. Gets extremely busy on warm evenings and weekends; arrive before 6pm on Fridays or accept standing-room only. One of the more reliably atmospheric outdoor bars in central London.

Order: A pint of Young's Original at the riverside rail — the setting is the experience, the ale is the vehicle

A sixteenth-century coaching inn on the edge of Hampstead Heath with one of London's most atmospheric pub gardens — ancient trees, old wooden tables, and the sense of being properly out of the city despite being inside Zone 2. The bar itself is a traditional English pub with a reasonable real ale selection and a wine list that has been improved in recent years. Best visited on a warm afternoon midweek when the garden fills with a neighbourhood crowd rather than a tourist one. Dick Turpin allegedly drank here; the gin selection has improved since.

Order: A pint of London Pride in the garden — and take the long walk back across the Heath to earn it

A large Victorian pub on the Thames Path in Hammersmith, with a riverside terrace that catches the afternoon sun and offers views across to the south bank trees. The drink selection is better than average for a pub of this type, with craft beer options alongside the standard lager taps, and the food programme has been improved significantly in recent seasons. Popular with rowers and cyclists using the Thames Path; arrives at its best between 4pm and 7pm on weekdays. Easy access from Hammersmith tube.

Order: A craft beer of your choice on the terrace — the Beavertown Neck Oil is usually on tap in summer

A rooftop bar garden above the Paddington development that runs a seasonal outdoor programme from late spring through early autumn. Multiple bars operate across the space, which includes a vine-covered pergola walkway and a central open terrace with views over Paddington Basin. The cocktail programme varies by operator, but the standard is reliably good and the food offering from the kitchen has improved year-on-year. Reservable in advance; the early evening time slots (5pm–7pm) offer the best combination of light and atmosphere.

Order: The Pergola Aperol Spritz — made with fresh orange rather than the standard garnish, and notably better for it