London's best outdoor restaurants and terraces

London restaurants with outdoor terraces

Caia, Notting Hill

Expect a menu of steak sandwiches and tequila cocktails at this suntrap terrace on Notting Hill’s buzzy Golborne Road. The terrace’s succinct menu is an extension of Caia’s signature live-fire cooking concept, where bold flavours and textures are cooked over an open grill. The stacked steak sandwich, served in freshly baked ciabatta from Layla Bakery, is packed with meaty umami flavour, layering a reduced Guinness and worcestershire sauce glaze with gorgonzola dolce and Lyonnaise onions. The side dish – a tomato salad of Nutbourne tomato, smoked tomatoes, miso cured beef and whey – is a refreshing, creamy antidote to the sandwiches' richer flavours. Caia’s signature dessert – chocolate and toasted rice soft serve ice cream with sweet and salty popcorn – is a must try for those into the 'swalty' food trend. Wash it all down with a spritz or agave cocktail – make a beeline for the spicy mezcal paloma using Ojo de Dios. caia.london

The Campaner, Chelsea Barracks

Hidden within the new Chelsea Barracks development and opposite the stunning Garrison Chapel, The Campaner offers an exciting Catalonian menu. When the sun’s out, there’s an ample terrace to people-watch and enjoy the dining experience alfresco. It’s rare in London to find somewhere so close the hustle and bustle of city life while remaining peaceful. The menu has a good selection of dishes with a grounding in Catalan cuisine. Particular favourites were the iberian ham croquetas which had the perfect balance between ham and cheese in the filling as well as the seafood salpicón salad and ajoblanco, which was like a chopped seafood salad full of fresh summer flavours. For meat lovers, the iberian pork rice with brava sauce is a great sharing dish with smoky, perfectly cooked pork and a handful of jalapeños on top to give you true Spanish flavours. To finish, the pa amb oli I xocolata is a lovely, rich chocolate ganache, or the strawberry mille-feuille is a fresh way to finish, especially during the summer months. Ask for a view of the church to give you Spanish village vibes, especially when the sun is shining. thecampaner.com

Joia, Battersea

Billed as, ‘Where Lisbon meets the London skyline’, Joia Rooftop Bar spotlights renowned Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s favourite petiscos using the best of Iberian and British produce. Sat atop the 16th floor of the Art’otel development, this art deco inspired alfresco terrace boasts incredible panoramic views of London, as well as adjacent iconic Battersea Power Station. Sá Pessoa’s menu serves as a love letter to blending the best of Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, his intention to further people’s understanding of Portuguese food. As such, the menu includes a much-loved delicacy from his native Lisbon, a traditional bifana sandwich with marinated Iberico pluma and mustard, as well as a cuttlefish bun served in a squid ink roll with coriander mayonnaise. The highlight was the gazpacho, a delicious, creamy and light marriage of savoury heirloom tomatoes and pickled cucumbers with sweet, juicy cured watermelon.

Cap off your visit with a refreshing and delicate cocktail by Joia’s infinity pool while taking in the industrial landscape. For those looking for something more spirited there are DJs, Thursday to Saturday evenings, as well as Solecito Sundays every bank holiday Sunday for exclusive entertainment, cocktails and BBQ Portuguese petiscos cooked on Joia’s Big Green Egg. joiabattersea.co.uk

Circolo Popolare, Fitzrovia

With its extravagant décor, Neapolitan-style pizza and fresh pastas (including a carbonara served in a hollowed- out pecorino wheel), Circolo feels like a portal to Italy. Its leafy terrace, like a courtyard you might stumble across in Sicily or Rome, continues that vibe. Mains from £13.50; bigmammagroup.com

Toklas, Strand

Large, peaceful, plant- festooned terrace above the Strand, serving – example plate: dover sole with courgette trifolati, marjoram and Amalfi lemon – some of London’s best Italian food. Larger plates from £19; toklaslondon.com

Yasmin

Come for the sunny terrace and jewel box interiors, stay for the sharing plates at chef Tom Cenci’s latest venture at Piccadilly Circus. Inspired by a stint in Istanbul, the menu majors on superior dips, flatbreads and zingy salads and grills. Signature desserts are the pistachio ice cream sandwich and turkish delight cheesecake. Delicately spiced cocktails work throughout dinner – try Shapash, which blends tequila with chili, watermelon, strawberry and citrus. yasminsoho.com

Lahpet, West End

Perched in the heart of Covent Garden, Lahpet's terrace offers a harmonious blend of convenience and serenity. Nestled just moments from London's vibrant theatre district, it provides a tranquil escape from bustling city life.

Indulge in a pre-theatre feast featuring a delightful array of small plates like split pea tofu fritters with tangy tamarind dip, or opt for larger plates, such as fried bream in a savoury tomato, shallot and garlic soy glaze. Check out the coconut noodle bowl with tender chicken – the spicy balachaung side perfectly complements its sweetness.

For those seeking libations, Lahpet offers an impressive cocktail selection, ideal for unwinding after work under the sun. Savour the signature margarita infused with betel leaf tequila and jaggery, and elegantly rimmed with Himalayan rock salt. Or, tantalise your tastebuds with the Jewel of Mogok, a delightful blend of coconut tequila, spiced rum and passion fruit. lahpet.co.uk

ACME Fire Cult, Dalston

Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins put the spotlight on vegetables in their live-fire joint beneath a contemporary canopy outside Dalston’s 40FT Brewery. Start by devouring umami-rich slices of marmite Ararat flatbread, blanketed in pecorino cheese. Vegetarian highlights include coal-roast leeks, that fall apart onto pistachio romesco, huge, herb-dressed cuore del vesuvio tomatoes on a bed of vibrant green Goddess sauce, and cauliflower slathered in spiced butter and served with umbrian lentils and pickled jalapeños. Pair with a meat sharing dishes, such as the doorstop of succulent smoked pork collar, charred at the edges into a blackened knobbly crust, served with charred onions and mustard sauce. Finish with rich hazelnut chocolate ganache topped with hazelnuts and beer molasses. Beer by-products feature in ferments and hot sauces, and 10 beers are available on tap, including a lager brewed with ancho chillies. acmefirecult.com

Luca, Clerkenwell

This modern Italian restaurant – spotlighting seasonal UK produce in its Italian cooking – has quietly honed its craft, this year garnering a Michelin star. Deep into the succession of stylish dining rooms, the restaurant conceals a stunning terrace, reminiscent of a Tuscan walled garden. Luca’s Ferragosto menu, available until the end of the month in a celebration of Italy’s late August holiday, is the perfect opportunity to escape the bustle of the city with a holiday at home. Start with a Luca spritz, featuring bittersweet Venetian Select aperitif, before a line-up of Italian summer classics. Burrata served on vesuvio tomatoes and flat white peach, finished with a chilled tomato soup, kicks things off alongside thinly sliced veal tonnato coated in a tuna, anchovy and caper mayonnaise, topped with crispy fried capers, shaved fennel and tema artichoke. Next comes a delicate stack of pistachio pesto tortellini on smoked sheep’s ricotta, before pork chop with English sweetcorn, girolles and rainbow chard. Finish with a boozy rum baba ring, filled with lemon verbena-lifted Kentish strawberries. luca.restaurant

Kapara, Soho

Channelling Tel Aviv, this vivacious Soho complex mixes music, food and cocktails, the fun spilling out onto a large covered, heated terrace. Chef Eran Tibi’s creative food revels in theatrical presentation and playful dish names. Dessert ‘gramp’s cigar’ very much looks like it, while deep-fried paprika marinated chicken thighs, with orange harissa kimchi and wild garlic mayo, are subtitled ‘crispy crunchy bums’. Core plates from £11; kapara.co.uk

Dinings SW3, Knightsbridge

Shaded by an ancient oak, the cute courtyard behind this west London mews offers a serene escape. Chef Masaki Sugisaki’s elevated fish dishes, sushi and sashimi are equally restorative. Plates from £6.50; larger dishes from around £16.50; diningssw3.co.uk

Bentley's, Piccadilly Circus

Richard Corrigan’s classic, AKA the ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’, has been serving oysters, lobster bisque and dover sole from starched white linen since 1916. Its year-round terrace is especially appealing in the city sunshine. Mains from £29; bentleys.org

Tavolino, London Bridge

Tavolino is a relaxed, modern Italian with a killer riverside view and a crowd-pleasing menu that follows the classic Italian model of antipasti, pasta, secondi and dolci. There is also a short pizza menu and daily chef specials. Antipasti include crab on bitter endive with ricotta and burrata with a slick of basil oil and a chunky sweet-sour caponata of olives, courgette, celery and pine nuts. Next try fresh tagliatelle with a spicy slow-cooked pork and ’nduja ragu and saffron-glazed monkfish with tiny gnochetti in a brothy fennel-spiked sauce and little zingy pops of sea herbs. Finish with an amaretto panna cotta and a quirky ‘liquid dessert’ tiramisu – a heady cocktail of coffee liqueur, vodka, cream and chocolate. tavolino.co.uk

The Lowback, Canary Wharf

This luxe Hawksmoor bar has plenty going for it, namely its slick water-level terrace set on a floating pavilion. The terrace offers respite from its business-orientated surroundings, with lush waterfront views and a decadent bar snack menu of seafood, small plates and American-inspired subs, as well as larger steak dishes. Highlights include a bowl of crunchy pickles, trout tartare with zingy citrus, chilli and coriander, langoustine scampi dunked into tartar sauce and fancy hash browns served with a pot of caviar-topped crème fraîche. The ‘Brick Lane’ sub is a crunchy explosion of Indian flavours, stacked with spiced cauliflower, raita and sweet chutneys. For drinks, big-hitters from its brother restaurant sit alongside cocktails ‘designed to be enjoyed with the sun on your back and the wind in your hair’ – the Cantaloupe Bellini has ample sweetness from the melon, lifted with Campari, moscato and prosecco for Italian verve. Desserts hint at childhood nostalgia, with ice-cream sundaes and toffee puddings aplenty, or seek pleasure in the heavenly trio of salted caramel rolos, best served with a tipple from the ‘Nightcap’ menu or a pot of mint tea. thehawksmoor.com/locations/thelowback/

Trivet, Bermondsey

Tucked away in a quiet side street, Michelin-starred Trivet’s sunny, south-facing terrace has its own summer menu, created by head chef (and Fat Duck alumni) Jonny Lake. Start with snacks of springy Coombeshead sourdough and tangy kefir cultured butter, salumi and cheese plates before moving on to light and bright starters – of which the star of the show is the hot tongue bun, a golden parcel of tender, rich folds of meat with anchovy mayo, tangy hits of pickles and blackcurrant mostarda. Classic mains, including tender, well-made chicken leg ballotine, crisp, bronzed potato terrine and a meaty jus gras sauce are deftly executed, and the kitchen has a lovely way with vegetables – particularly in a dish of Cornish Earlies potatoes, creamy and almost fudgy in consistency, served with broad beans, seaweed and lovage. Wash it all down with a wine from Trivet’s 450-plus collection, or delicious non-alcs including zingy carrot beer. trivetrestaurant.co.uk

Fiume, Battersea

Francesco Mazzei's contemporary Italian restaurant boasts a large terrace by The Thames, with dramatic views of iconic Battersea Power Station. Whisk yourself away to southern Italy with summery Malfy Gin cocktails, including the delicate, martini-style Essenza Di Bergamotto, laced with Italicus and bergamot peel, or a refreshing, citrusy take on a spritz using Malfy Rosa grapefruit gin. Pair with inventive cicchetti, such as Sicilian red prawn carpaccio and grilled calamari with watercress pesto, chilli jam and Sicilian lime. Mains include hearty Welsh lamb ragu on generous folds of tagliatelle, and round courgettes stuffed with seasonal veg. fiume-restaurant.co.uk

Ombra, Hackney

This ramshackle restaurant perched above Regent’s Canal in Hackney is a riot of pop art posters, bottles of low-intervention wine and cookbooks, with a hatch behind the bar where Mitshel Ibrahim and his chefs pass out Italian dishes. On a sunny day, sit at contemporary wooden tables on the sun-soaked terrace and sip on a bitterly refreshing Cynar spritz or a zingy, thirst-quenching non-alcoholic aperitif. Start with delicate, ricotta-filled tempura courgette flowers and puffed gnocco fritto pillows topped with peppered wild boar mortadella. Homemade pasta comes in all shapes and sizes, including thick tonnarelli laces that cling to spicy ‘nduja and tubes of rigatoni to soak up vibrant pea and mint sauce. For dessert, the chocolate cream-filled choux buns are the perfect size for a satisfying sweet hit. ombrabar.restaurant

The Pilgrm, Paddington

This boutique hotel on a pretty Victorian terraced street in Paddington has a hidden secret at the top of its original mahogany staircase… A retro-chic lounge, scattered with coral and olive velvet chairs and marble tables, is the perfect hideaway for brunch or date-night cocktails. Doors open onto a cosy terrace, where you can sit under blankets with a hot chocolate or eggnog and enjoy the bustle of Paddington from a distance. Enjoy brunch until 3pm: tuck into brioche brunch baps, including thick-cut bacon with house-made ketchup and smashed avocado with feta and olive salsa. Don’t forget to peruse the grocery store-cum-coffee shop on your way out, stocked with Workshop Coffee, fig jam, Cretan woodland honey and more. thepilgrm.com

CRATE Brewery, Hackney Wick

There are few more lovely places to spend an afternoon than on the canal outside CRATE’s tap room in Hackney. Each week there’s a selection of guest bottles from a fruity brown ale to a dark Indian pale ale as well as regular casks and kegs of zingy lemon gose, velvety Crate stout and a crisp Crate cider. They do great pizza, too, such as sage and truffle, middle eastern lamb and spicy salami. cratebrewery.com

Vinegar Yard, London Bridge

From the folks behind London Bridge’s popular foodie destination Flat Iron Square, this amalgamation of drinking terraces, bars and street-food trucks is a great 'al fresco' hangout. Choose an Atlantic IPA from the bar that shares a space with artist Joe Rush’s workshop (check out his installations made from scrap metal scattered around the space), or order a glass of fizz from the pastel-pink prosecco van.

Take your drink of choice to the covered grassy area of benches and tuck into street food from Baba G’s (chicken tikka burgers, loaded masala fries and poppadom nachos slathered in Indian salsa and fresh mint raita), Up in My Grill (perfectly pink flame-grilled bavette or picanha steak on beef dripping fries with chimichurri) or Nanny Bill’s (burgers and croquettes galore). vinegaryard.london

The Waterway, Little Venice

This large canal-side terrace is an ideal spot for alfresco eating and drinking. The large dining deck is well-equipped with huge parasols and patio heaters so you can sit out until late at night all year round. Huge goblets of gin are spruced up in perfect serves – Plymouth gin comes with refreshing lemon tonic, grapefruit peel and a stalk of lemongrass – or stick to one of the many wines or craft beers. Seared tuna fillet is perfectly pink with a tomato salsa, red peppers and artichoke, half rotisserie corn-fed chicken comes with French fries and slaw, and there are plenty of burgers to choose from, including the super deluxe beef burger with foie gras, crisp bacon and tomato chutney. thewaterway.co.uk

Westerns Laundry, Holloway

A residential road in Drayton Park might not seem the obvious choice for a restaurant with a view, but come summer Westerns Laundry (from the team behind north London’s Jolene and Primeur) outdoor area is the perfect spot to settle down with punchy negronis and bowls of olives among the olive trees. Long wooden benches come strewn with blankets, while trees and lush greenery add a sense of calm. Floor-to-ceiling doors draw back, so, even those sat indoors have natural light and warmth. Small plates and seafood are the focus on the daily changing menu, so expect dishes such as salted sardines, turbot, pickled mussels, baked cuttlefish fideo pasta and crispy ray wing with aioli. westernslaundry.com

Four Hundred Rabbits, Brockwell Lido

After 30 lengths, plot up poolside for gelato, negronis and 72-hour proved sourdough pizzas topped with pickled chilies, Brindisa chorizo and more. 400rabbits.co.uk

Wacky Wombat

Known for its funky basement bar and, as the name suggests, quirky cocktail creations, Wacky Wombat's new summer terrace offers a selection of drinks that are a little more palatable to the unseasoned cocktail enthusiast. Tucked away in a side street off Picadilly Circus, this new outdoor dining experience offers a casual, welcoming atmosphere. A selection of fresh summer cocktails have been curated to be enjoyed alfresco, while still incorporating interesting flavour combinations. Worth trying is their refreshing take on an Aperol spritz, Apricot & Carrot, which blends Aperol and apricot cordial with fortified carrot wine. The iced oat latte is a caffeine-free take on an espresso martini, with vodka, tonka bean, dandelion root cold brew and malted oat milk. And, if the evening cools off, blankets are on offer, or you can pop down to the basement bar to continue your night with some even wackier creations. daroco.com/en/wacky-wombat/

Rooftop bars and restaurants

Llama Inn, Shoreditch

Having built a cult following in New York, Juan Correa and chef Erik Ramirez have brought their critically acclaimed Llama Inn and its playful taste of Peru across the Atlantic, taking over the rooftop restaurant at The Hoxton hotel in east London. The menu draws inspiration from the chef’s Peruvian-American background and the drinks list features many of the original NYC signature serves alongside a wine list with a focus on low-intervention and biodynamic wines. thehoxton.com

Boundary Rooftop, Shoreditch

Boundary Rooftop is the ideal spot to rise above the streetside hustle and sip cocktails as the sun sets over a slightly hushed, 360-degree view of London. Shelter under the pergola and a string of fairy lights with a seasonal cocktail and a sharing plate of octopus and chorizo skewers, or fish or meat dishes cooked on a Robata grill. Or just head up after dinner and sit by the outdoor fireplace nursing a digestive glass of vielle prune. boundary.london/rooftop/

The Culpeper, Spitalfields

There are scant opportunities to escape the concrete in East London, which makes the rooftop garden at this handsome Spitalfields boozer all the more precious. Its raised beds and greenhouse (which doubles as a private dining room), provide herbs, salad leaves, tomatoes and aubergines for dishes, such as heritage tomato, peach and cucumber salad, or courgette risotto with goat's curd and mint. theculpeper.com

Hidden gardens with outdoor dining

The Corinthia, Embankment

The Corinthia has an excellent afternoon tea and is home to Kerridge’s Bar and Grill. Now it adds The Garden to its roster of must-try restaurants. A chic courtyard – fully sheltered if raining – serves hotel classics with elegant twists. Starters include tuna tartare with sesame and ponzu, and a superior burrata and fig salad featuring the London-made La Latteria cheese. With the menu in the hands of executive chef Andre Garrett this is best in class cooking, including lobster linguine and a magnificent veal chop. Spatchcocked poussin with preserved lemon, cumin and harissa and smoky wood-fired pizzette (try speck, blue cheese and truffle honey) offer bigger flavours. A generous rose wine list, sink-into seating and striking flower displays make it an easy place to spend a hazy summer afternoon or evening. corinthia.com/london/restaurants-bars

No.16, South Kensington

On a sunny day, make the most of No.16’s hidden garden oasis The Orangery and enjoy a glass of wine in a thick-cut glass goblet, or afternoon tea perched on pale green garden furniture under elegant white parasols. Vases of white flowers dress the tables and Kit Kemp’s personalised Wedgewood crockery adds a bit of fun, with dancing mythical creatures from her favourite Indian fabric that literally look like they have been stitched on to teacups and saucers. If you’re lucky enough to bag the tiny gazebo, you can look back on the garden, complete with stone fountain bubbling away in the rectangular fish pond.

Petersham Nurseries Café, Richmond

Seasonal, Italian-inspired dishes are the focus at this charming café set within a glasshouse. Try risotto with peas, garden mint and Parmesan or spiced chickpeas with broccoli, courgette and nigella seed flatbread. Many ingredients come from Petersham itself, and, among others, you’ll find herbs, cherries and salsify growing along its walls. Supplementary produce comes from a tight-knit network of small producers such as Haye Farm, run by Harry Boglione, a son of Petersham’s founders. In summer, you can dine outside under a canopy of wisteria surrounded by roses. petershamnurseries.com