Tired of traipsing around town in search of the best beer gardens in London? We've all been there, but luckily enough we're here to help you count those days as a thing of the past. Wherever you are and whatever your preferences, we’ve made it our duty to line you up with the best summer pubs and bars in London. Rally up some pals, slap on the sunscreen and prepare yourself for a day of sipping in the sunshine.
Last updated on 17th August 2018
While the insides of the Park Tavern is beautiful – with it being a lovingly restored 19th century pub – the outside is equally great to catch some rays while you drink one of their 50 craft beers, 100 spirits or eat some of their seasonal food.
Fitting of its space on the Shoreditch scene, it's no wonder that Rolling Stock is a wonderland of art and debauchery. Not only boasting its own art gallery and a neat rotation of top DJ names, their beer garden is a corker of urban art, and outside bar, cutesy tables, industrial offsets and more in the heart of Kingsland Road.
The spacious beer garden is the jewel in the Jam Tree Chelsea crown. With room to seat 60 and an overall capacity of 200, the garden also has its own dedicated outside bar and BBQ with a reputation for whipping up mouth-watering hog roasts, meat and fish. Dark clouds circling? No need to retreat inside just yet; the garden features considerable covering and the heated patio means you can stop by in winter too.
The Star by Hackney Downs is a lively East End boozer that's a popular spot for locals and those in the know. This quirky pub has an array of colourful interiors, but it also has a great outdoor space that is a perfect suntrap. With tables looking out over the adjacent Hackney Downs park, this is a great spot for a cool pint on a hot summer's day.
Lovingly known as Fulham's 'village pub', there's a comfortable and relaxed feel to The Rose. That's due in no small part to the beautiful garden, with its secluded areas, water feature and flowerbeds creating an ambience that always impresses. These guys fire up the BBQ come the warmer months and the garden is heated, which means you can enjoy something from their extensive menu of wines, premium spirits, cocktails and bottled beers no matter what time of year you're visiting.
If you're looking for a grand olde boozer with a bangin' beer garden then look no further than the Fentiman Arms. Known quaintly as the wild country beer garden, this Geronimo Inn boasts a hefty outdoor spec complete with summer BBQ set-up for those hot hazy days.
The Prince Albert is a modern gastro pub in Camden that offers traditional British pub food and delicious locally brewed drinks. If you're looking for a place to soak up the sun then the beer garden will not disappoint. With plenty of seating, cool cabanas and swinging chairs this is the complete oasis in Camden.
Boasting one of the biggest beer gardens in Fulham, this popular bar's backyard is comfortable and covered making it a perfect drinking spot whatever the weather. Its interiors aren't too shabby either, with botanical and jungle motifs filling every corner of the pub.
While you never may have thought it, Tooting harbours one of the best places to drink outside in London. Head on down to The Castle as their big garden not only provides a quaint British experience, there's real ale, bookable huts and British grub to boot.
We can't think of many better ways to spend a sun-soaked day away from the office than at The Miller. Bag yourself a spot in the garden and work your way through their extensive list of local craft beers and real ciders, with authentic pizzas on the agenda if you should find yourself feeling peckish.
Set in a stunning building within the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, this is a unique and historic hangout that's one of the best pubs in Greenwich. Their lovely outdoor terrace is found just a few yards from the legendary Cutty Sark and is an ideal spot to cool off with a pint of locally brewed craft beer when it's warm and sunny in London town.
As part of a group of beer and ale enthusiasts, Highbury's Brewhouse & Kitchen delivers a menu full of mouth-watering dishes alongside a selection of international and home-brewed craft beers. To soak up all the summer sunshine, their idyllic beer garden, decked out with rustic stools and barrels, offers guests the perfect, Vitamin D boosting spot to unwind in after a long day of work.
You might think of Cargo as a thriving clubbing destination first and foremost, but the venue also features an enormous decked beer garden and BBQ area just perfect for chilling in. Set yourself up with a chilled glass of wine or a crisp pint and prepare to wile away the hours at this top Shoreditch destination.
Reasons for visiting the WGT beer garden are three-fold. For starters, it's huge - so there's no need to worry about whether you'll get a spot, just head down in your own time and soak in the buzzing atmosphere. Secondly, it's an absolute suntrap, doused in glorious rays for a significant part of the day. Finally, it's got its own bar, so you can sun yourself without having to traipse back to queue for your next round inside. Result.
What with its spot in suburbia, it's no wonder that the Sun of Camberwell boasts one of the finest beer gardens in South London. Not only home to the humble Sunday roast and quiz nights, sunny afternoons with a pint or ale in hand at the ultimate must here.
You'd be hard pressed to find a more comfortable and jolly beer garden in London than Candlemaker's delight of an outside space! Split up into brightly clad booths; generously laden with foliage and fairy lights, this is the perfect place to enjoy a pint and something from the excellent menu. Get your brunch on, or sample their hearty menu full of British classics.
South London is definitely not short of great beer gardens, but the White Bear's garden certainly has to feature high on the list. Having been created in 1780, just as the British lost their grip on the American colonies, the venue is full of vintage antiques, and the walls are covered in grainy photographs and satirical newspaper cartoons. As you'd expect to find in a modern pub, the venue's chef plates up a range of traditional British recipes, including gravy drenched roast dinners and piping hot catch-of-the-day dishes.
Roehampton's King's Head boasts a serene garden space with lots of tables and plenty of cover for if the weather should turn, and it's just lovely. Get yourself out here with a chilled tray of drinks - the pub offers Young's ales, craft beers and a superb wine list - and don't lose faith if you've missed out, the floor-to-ceiling windows lets the light flood in to make it feel like you're pretty much outside anyway.
Can't have a brewpub without one hell of a beer garden can you? Welcome to Aeronaut, where traditional is not something they exploit. The circus is truly in town at this beer garden lined with stripy coloured booths paying homage to the hook-a-ducks, strong man and coconut shys of the circus trade. Retreat into one of these semi-private seating booths for cool beer under a warming heater. A cornucopia of vibrant colours and lots of character, Aeronaut is a fun-filled pub with beer garden to match.
Head over to Bermondsey for a charming local boozer; The Grange is a lovely little pub that will quickly become a favourite. Join the Sunday roast club, slurp affordable wine and hang out in the secret beer garden.
A secret beer garden with quality beers – sounds like a match made in heaven right? The Chelsea Pensioner is everything you could want from a pub and much more. With an eclectic entertainment programme, brilliant happy hour deals and delectable bar snacks it's a socialising experience that won't break the bank.
A trusty gastropub that's a huge hit with Winchmore Hill locals, The King's Head also features a gem of a decked beer garden. Pick up anything from a good range of ales, fine wines and refreshing beers from inside and make straight for this tranquil outside space; there's an all-day menu of fresh and ethically sourced food if you should fancy a bite to eat.
Beer gardens in London have a cutesy and cool contender on their hands in the shape of The Leather Bottle. Not only a firm South London favourite, this boozer is a haven for gastro bites, garden pints and British fare aplenty.
Family friendly and found on the streets of Richmond, The Rising Sun is giving you London beer garden bliss all round. Perfect to tide over both a balmy lunch and dinner, head on down to this casual spot where the young, old and everyone in between love to hang out.
With an enormous beer garden space that stretches out to meet the tip of Victoria Park, this is one of the best open-air drinking and dining spaces in East London. We'd heartily recommend popping over as soon as that sun pokes through the clouds, your reward comes in the form of BBQ'd treats and loads of chilled drinks.
A babe in Battersea, The Lighthouse is London's cutest beer garden. Perfect for drinks tucked away amongst the greenery, head on down for plates of pure British grub and some of the best pints of beer in the business at this hidden, London gem.
This multi-facing South London pub is one of Tooting's best kept secrets. As is their beer garden. Though the inside of the pub fronts everything from delicious gastro grub and craft beer, to its very own cinema room, the beer garden at Gorringe Park is also impressive, boasting a large space with quirky furniture, making it perfect for the warmer months.
Just a few steps away from London Bridge and the Shard is Tanner and Co., a cute restaurant bar that has a great London beer garden. Escape the streets in their unique little hideaway, complete with wooden floors and cool furnishings where you can relax, drink a delicious cocktail, beer or wine and have fun in the sun.
Beautifully decorated with vintage photographs, colourful furniture and an outdoor patio that could rival any in London, the Richard I pub in Greenwich is an easy-going bar that's become a favourite den for locals and tourists alike. Alongside a great range of real ales, craft beers and classic gastro food, the pub's patio comes to life during the summer months, washed with golden sunlight and offering a great spot to unwind during those lazy weekends.
With a gorgeous and spacious garden, this west London boozer is the perfect place for a spot of alfresco sipping. Choose from real ales or cocktails and even biodynamic and organic wines.
With a great beer garden and cool craft beers to enjoy in it, this cool and quirky North London pub boasts some of the finest Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy decor in the city.
The Four Thieves is a wonderfully special establishment, and a glorious place to spend lazy evenings. Let your night filter outside even on chilly winter nights, as charming covered areas, heaters and squishy seating makes the garden a very hospitable environment. In the summer, the scent of lavender will waft down from the roof, where it is growing in preparation for being distilled into gin.
Sitting comfortably on Battersea Park Road, Lost & Co is a versatile restaurant and bar that's become a favourite amongst the locals in South London. Priding itself as something of a jack-of-all-trades, the venue serves Australian coffee in the morning in addition to the hand-crafted cocktails and ice-cold craft beers. Perfect for when the sun makes a rare appearance, the venue's pretty beer garden is capable of rivalling any in South London.
Elegantly decorated and bursting full of colour, the beer garden at The Wood House offers Dulwich's residents a cosy spot to unwind and take in all that the summer has to offer. Complete with ping pong tables and beautifully crafted garden furniture, the real gems in this idyllic location are the brightly coloured huts. Each is heated, and lined with colourful flowers and winding branches, offering visitors a quaint spot in which to fade away and escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
One of the most historic and beautiful pubs in the whole of south London, The Devonshire's alfresco garden is spot on for a spot of summertime basking. Get yourself set up with something from their extensive range of ales, craft beers, spirits and wines then get out into the great outdoors as they fire up the BBQ.
A hot-to-trot party spot in the heart of Clapham, Gigalum is a gem for those late night antics and easy, breezy summer drinks. With their outside plot ever packed with punters come the summer, and their seething party beats heard through the door, Gigalum a go-to destination for all things Vitamin D and debauchery.
Head east to find a quirky, laid-back and traditional boozer with bags of charm. The Birds in Leytonstone is a quirky and stylish spot that is inspired by Alfred Hitchcock; find craft beers, mismatched furniture and a quaint beer garden at this spot.
A little slice of paradise in the heart of East London, Barrio Shoreditch is a taste of all things tropical without the daunting price tag. Toting the wares of South America meets the South Pacific and cavorting with all things colourful, this nugget is a den of cool benches, charming murals and cracking cocktails.
The Exhibit is an all-day drinking and eating hub full of friendly staff and great times – but they also have a killer of a beer garden too. Not only does it have its own balcony for al-fresco drinking – and the perfect spot for people watching – there's even a hidden terrace complete with plants and vibrant summer vibes. Grab a cocktail and you've basically escaped the smokey summer streets.
With charming beer garden and cosy interior, this West Norwood pub is a gem in the area. Boasting delicious food and quality wines, beers and spirits it's a simple, humble and always welcoming affair.
A restored Victorian pub in Notting Hill, The Union Tavern sure does spoil us Londoners with a beautiful canal-side garden. Watch the boats drift down the river on a sunny day while you choose from their wide selection of craft beers and wines. This pub features an electric mix of décor and has an outdoor screen for films too.
