Sprawling across a handful of buildings, The Prince enjoys a
host of street-food options, three bars and a garden that ranks
among London’s largest – and it’s blooming beautiful. Strewn with
hanging plants, pink neon and low-hanging rattan pendants, the
so-called “woodland” has a retractable roof, making this a go-to
come rain or shine.

Reopening: 12 April

The crowd here tends to be of the young and cool persuasion, so
you’ll often find something going on in The Stag’s lively
courtyard, whether it’s a live DJ pumping out jams, acoustic sets
from up-and-coming artists or a smokin’ barbecue churning out
griddled halloumi and hot dogs. Order from a long list of beers and
pitch up in one of the private cabanas (heated and covered) on the
periphery of the leafy garden.

Reopening: 12 April

Gazing over London Fields from its northeastern corner, Pub on
the Park is a hip answer to the traditional British boozer, with a
warren of rooms, several big screens and tipples from the likes of
Five Points Brewing Co. Come summer, patrons spill into the
tree-lined garden – there’s space aplenty for spreading out, giving
it something of a buzzy, festival atmosphere.

Reopening: 12 April

Decked out with exposed brick, faded family portraits and granny
lamps, Crooked Billet draws a predictably edgy E5 crowd. As the
mercury rises, the outdoor area fills up fast – it’s particularly
good, with several distinct areas, beach-hut booths, plants, a
ping-pong table and its own bar. Craft beers are best paired with
Caribbean fare from Andi Oliver’s Wadadli Kitchen.

Reopening: 12 April

A stone’s throw from the River Café, between the Hammersmith and
Putney bridges, this chichi spot has a sombre, Victorian interior –
though you hardly notice it; the main attraction is the enormous
Thameside garden. Head here on a summer evening, find a spot
beneath the weeping willow and gaze across to Barnes and the London
Wetland Centre.

Reopening: 12 April

This historic riverside pub is loved by South West Londoners for
its huge decked garden. Expect private, heated booths (you’ll have
to come early to nab one), a dedicated alfresco bar and great
burgers. British weather not playing ball? Make a beeline for the
glass-roofed garden room.

Reopening: 12 April

A medley of worn leather Chesterfields, exposed-brick walls, a
refined take on pub grub and a calendar packed with sports and
quizzes, the White Hart is a hotspot among Stokey’s residents.
Throughout late spring and summer, the spacious garden comes into
its own, with picnic benches spread out across two leafy tiers.

Reopening: 12 April

Sure, this Irish pub’s outdoor area is a far cry from London’s
biggest, but it’s a hot contender for the city’s most clever. Split
across multiple levels and strung with ivy, the small courtyard has
been transformed into a warren of cosy drinking nooks that feels at
once spacious and intimate. Head here in the early afternoon, when
the sun streams in. And do beware: there’s a lot of stairs to
contend with once you’ve had a few.

Reopening: 12 April

If you missed Glastonbury, this is the place to come to drown
your sorrows. Tent-like tarpaulins, a graffitied black cab and
mismatched furniture peppered with blankets and hot-water bottles
are illuminated by fairy lights. Eclectic atmosphere aside, live
music is the headline act here.

Reopening: TBC

The Pergola (sibling to The Prince) may feel a little overdone,
but it stands out as Central London’s biggest and most-loved
summertime terrace. Head here for bottomless Sunday brunch followed
by an afternoon snoozing on the daybeds – there’s a covered section
if the weather turns nasty. For something more east, try Skylight in Tobacco Dock.

Reopening: 12 April

Step into this Brixton beer garden and you’d be forgiven for
thinking you’d landed in a suburban neighbourhood; this paved
courtyard is awash with greenery and, by London standards,
generously roomy. Have a whirl on the Tiki-themed crazy-golf course
before coupling a Brixton Brewery pale ale with grub from White Men
Can’t Jerk.

Reopening: 12 April

The Albion is known for looking its best in April, when its bows
of wisteria decorate the terrace with purple-blue blooms, it is
truthfully a great spot throughout the warmer months too. Halfway
between Upper Street and the Caledonian Road, this Georgian pub is
sheltered from traffic noise, giving the feel of a countryside
drinking den. The wine list here is great, as is the Sunday
roast.

Reopening: 12 April

With three separate outdoor areas – a massive rear garden,
lively terrace and patio – The Avalon is a go-to for Londoners who
don’t want to be knocking elbows with their drinking neighbours.
Against a backdrop of secluded booths and a living wall, wash down
Josper-grilled meats with a summery cocktail or two.

Reopening: 12 April

This place is regularly namechecked among the capital’s best
beer gardens. Though it has the feel of a proper village pub, it’s
also home to an on-site microbrewery and a taproom serving a
roll-call of world beers. The outside space backs onto Victoria
park and is dotted with heated booths – ideal for eeking out those
summer sessions.

Reopening: 12 April

Strolling across Hampstead Heath? The Spaniards Inn is a great
lunchtime pit-stop or late-afternoon endpoint. Roaring fires and
romantic nooks are great in winter, but this place is at its best
in summer, when the 400-seat garden with plant-covered walls and
fairy-lit huts welcomes punters with barbecue, jugs of Pimms and a
dog wash, for those of the four-legged variety.

Reopening: 12 April

Think of urban Peckham’s outdoor drinking dens and you think of
Frank’s Cafe where a pink stairwell leads you to the
roof of a multi-storey car park for sunset negronis gazing across
London’s skyline. It’s what we’ve grown to expect from SE15. More
surprising is The Rye, where an outdoor garden isn’t a paltry
decking area but a great expanse of grass lined with old-school
picnic tables, a split-level terrace and glass-roofed sunroom.

Reopening: TBC

Dreamed up by the same people who brought us The Avalon, The
Rosendale comes complex with a boules pitch, table tennis and table
football all on site. We’re sure swigging bottles of rosé won’t be
the only activity you’ve excelled at during lockdown (better dust
off those gym trainers). If you weren’t already sold, this secluded
sun-trap offers a menu that mixes proper pub grub with snacky,
ideal-with-Aperol nibbles – think flatbreads, burrata bowls and a
banging sausage and mash.

Reopening: 12 April

If it was good enough for George Orwell, then it’s certainly
good enough for us. In a quest to find London’s perfect watering
hole, Orwell once ranked The Canonbury Tavern as one of the three
boozers that inspired his Moon Under Water Essay. History aside,
sunny, weekend (or weekday, we’re not fussed) afternoons should be
spent in the leafy garden lounging on the rattan sofas. Crisp pinot
gris comes as standard.

Reopening: 12 April