There is no shortage of great beer gardens in London, including everything from stunning traditional spaces to more unconventional venues where you can try something a little unexpected.
Each of the beer gardens on our list provides a glimpse at a distinctively British way of enjoying a few drinks, with many of the top venues opening their beer gardens come rain or shine.
Rosendale
Dulwich
There’s plenty of outdoor space at The Rosendale, and its been noted for championing opportunities to get active on your pub visit. The area itself is secluded, but it also includes a table tennis space, table football and a boules pitch.
All of these activities can be enjoyed before or after your drink, or accompanied by a meal served at the venue. Specialities include homemade pizza.
Alwyne Castle
Canonbury
A sprawling beer garden attached to a fancy gastro pub, Alwyne Castle is noted for its summer events and its urban landscaping. There’s room for around 300 people here, to give you an idea of quite how spacious it all is.
The décor is decidedly more colourful than at some of the other beer gardens in the city, complete with decorative bunting and thriving plant life. If you’re looking for somewhere that screams individuality and fun, then Alwyne Castle could be just the ticket while staying at your Marble Arch Hotel.
The Albion
Barnsbury
A Georgian-era pub with a stunning beer garden, The Albion offers traditional surroundings and a quiet, peaceful place to enjoy a pint. The beer garden is walled, so there’s hardly any traffic noise to distract you from your conversations. In addition, there’s a surprisingly extensive selection of cocktails and wines for you to choose from, in addition to the more expected beer varieties on offer.
The Albion has also become a favoured space during the summer months, when the venue regularly hosts barbecues.
Prospect of Whitby
Wapping
The pub this beer garden is attached to is more than 500 years old, with a dark and moody interior which all adds to the unique ambiance. The beer garden is where you’ll really be able to relax, however. It includes stunning local views of the River Thames, as well as a terrace where you can watch the world go by.
Prospect of Whitby has had a lengthy and sometimes tumultuous history, which has included everything from a spell as a favourite with pirates to a favoured local amongst minor royals. There’s a large selection of ales on tap, ensuring this is one place you’ll love to visit while staying at luxury hotel rooms.
Avalon
Balham
There are actually three beer gardens – two terraces and a larger garden – located at Avalon, each landscaped to perfection in keeping with the vibe of this delightful bar and kitchen. There’re lots of added luxuries for you to enjoy, too – including heated segments, booths where you can get a bit of privacy, and a lot of delightful greenery everywhere you look.
All of these features combine to create a place you’ll genuinely love to spend time in, while the menu (which offers a range of grilled meats and even a very special hog roast) add more reasons to visit.
Rye
Peckham
There’s something very traditional, even ‘old school’, about Rye in Peckham. This London pub is home to a real, true pub garden, complete with picnic tables and plenty of grass. There’s also a terrace which is split across two levels, and a sun room where you can get the benefits of the great outdoors without being rained on during less pleasant weather.
The sheer flexibility of the space has made it pretty popular with Peckham’s residents, and the relaxed ambiance ensures that everyone can enjoy the very best of the city’s hospitality without having to worry too much about London restaurant etiquette.
Stag
Belsize Park
Known for its relaxed, youthful patrons and its fantastic selection of ales, Stag also boats an impressive garden space. The garden includes table service (so you don’t have to worry about losing your seat) and plenty of room to roam. There are a few covered areas where you can take shelter during poor weather.
During the summer evenings, the pub garden regularly transforms into a live music venue, where acoustic performers share their latest tracks. The Stag offers barbecues throughout the warmer months of the year and a fantastically welcoming atmosphere.
For those who want to try an upscale take on the pub garden experience, there’re even a few private cabanas where you can gather with friends and toast to long summer nights.
Pub on the Park
Hackney
Hugely popular with locals during the summer, this pub in the East End is located close to a Tube station, helping to make it extra accessible to visitors. The outdoor space is pretty spacious, and also particularly vibrant.
Here you can enjoy a few drinks in the sunshine or head to the venue after dark to hear a DJ set. It’s also a favoured pub amongst fans of great sport, as one of the best places in the city to watch a range of different events throughout the sporting calendar.
The drinks menu includes ales on tap, as well as new and exciting varieties which the pub has been known to champion. This would make the ideal after-dinner stopover after a visit to restaurants near The Arch, helping you get all the benefits of a London night out.
Stein’s
Richmond
A Bavarian beer hall in the centre of London, Stein’s is open throughout the year but most popular during the summer. There are many reasons for this, but largely the reason the venue is so favoured in the warmer months is the complete absence of indoor seating!
Outside, the beer garden provides plenty of space to sit and enjoy the beers on offer – including one-litre steins – or buy a bottle and sample some of the bratwurst which the beer hall has become so famous for.
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