London’s Top Five Beer Gardens

As temperatures soar in the capital, now is the perfect time to sup a pint in one of London’s gorgeous beer gardens. Cheers!

The Canonbury 

Within spitting distance of Islington’s Upper Street in leafy Canonbury is this Georgian pub which boasts one of the largest backyard boozers in London. Famously known as author George Orwell’s local boozer, The Canonbury provided inspiration for Moon Under Water, his essay on the perfect London pub. Lounge about on a rattan sofa in the walled garden, where you can enjoy both food and drink until 10pm when you can finish your meal in the main restaurant. Expect standard posh pub grub: think Cumberland sausages and mash, steak and guinness pie and hand-made beef burgers.

The Gipsy Moth 

A stone’s throw from Greenwich tourist hotspots, including the Cutty Sark and Royal Observatory, this pub’s sunny beer garden throngs with locals and tourists in the summer months. With seating for 200 punters, the all-weather garden has a retractable cover to keep the rain at bay, making it the perfect spot to sup a real ale, beer, glass of wine or for the brave – a Bloody Mary. The pub is also renowned for its legendary Sunday roasts and summer barbecues.

The Eagle 

While away an afternoon in this heavenly beer garden, which is filled with funky beanbags, deckchairs, swing chairs for two, picnic tables and patterned bunting. On sunny days, the garden has its own bar and barbecue so you don’t have to venture too far for food and drink. There’s even giant Jenga and Connect Four to keep you entertained. As a Geronimo Inns venue, the menu is a cut above with top-notch dishes including curried mussels and whole baked sea trout.

The Magic Garden 

Hyped as a “festival in a pub”, this friendly pub has a gorgeous fairy-lit garden where drinkers can snuggle under furry blankets with hot water bottles if they’re feeling the chill. Nestled in the heart of South West London next to Battersea Park, drinkers can relax on the garden’s comfy sofas covered in colourful cushions and draped in patterned throws, while listening to the live bands and DJs that often perform here: expect to hear everything from reggae to ska, Latin to hip hop. Visit on a Sunday for free blues gigs, roast dinners, board games and Bloody Marys.

People’s Park Tavern 

Backing onto East London’s Victoria Park, this 19th-century pub’s sun-splashed garden has been hailed one of the capital’s top beer gardens by the likes of The Evening Standard and Time Out. The hacienda-style garden boasts a pleasing mix of lush palms, picnic benches, deckchairs, barbecues and jugs of Pimms. The pub even has its own onsite brewery operated by the Laine Brewing Company so you can enjoy a fresh pint, while the impressive food menu includes everything from guinea fowl to cheeseburgers. What’s not to like? 

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