London's restaurants and bars are sprucing up their terraces with makeovers, takeovers and new menus. Here's our guide to the new places to try.
The Margarita Terrace at The Stratford
The Stratford Hotel, Queen Elizabeth Park, 20 International Way, London E20 1FD
If you fancy a spot of DIY cocktail making the Cointreau Margarita terrace at The Stratford Hotel has a fun touch with “pedal for margarita” blender static bikes where you can whizz up your own drinks through pedal power. They'll be firing up the wood-fired pizza oven and serving up a menu of sliders and grilled meat. Plus, everything about the bar has been designed to use recycled materials and sustainable products.
The Veuve Clicquot terrace at Aqua Kyoto
5th Floor, 240 Regent Street (entrance 30 Argyll Street), London W1B 3BR
Tucked away on the fifth floor of this building so you escape the madding crowds at Oxford Circus, the rooftop at Aqua Kyoto has been taken over by champagne house Veuve Clicquot this summer. With cushions picking up the deep yellow of the champagne's label and fairy lights twinkling away, it's a lovely spot to enjoy the restaurant's Kyoto Sunsets menu paired with champagne.
The Whispering Angel rooftop at The Trafalgar
7th Floor, 2 Spring Gardens, St. James's, London SW1A 2TS
Escape the tourists on Trafalgar Square by heading up to the rooftop at The Trafalgar St. James hotel where they've turned their terrace into a space straight from Provence with a wine menu from Château d’Esclans, better known as the home of Whispering Angel. There'll be rosé based cocktails and a light summer food menu to pair with your wines while you gaze over the rooftops of central London.
Theo's on the Terrace at Number One Park Lane
One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London W1J 7QY
Chef Theo Randall has taken over the terrace at Number One Park Lane for the summer, bringing in Campari for the drinks side of things. If you can't get to Italy in the coming months this will be the next best thing with Negronis and Aperol spritzes matched with a selection of antipasti and pizzas to enjoy under the lemon trees.
The aperitivo terrace at Norma
8 Charlotte Street, London W1T 2LS
You might be on Charlotte Street but, covered by parasols and surrounded by lemon trees, the streetside terrace at Norma is doing its best to make you feel like you're in a corner of southern Italy. On the menu, you'll find seasonal Sicilian small plates and punches in the late afternoon while the full a la carte menu is available for al fresco dining at lunch and dinner. Pitchers of Palermo, Catania or La Nonnina punches will go down particularly well with larger groups.
The Rathfinny courtyard at Native at Browns
Native at Browns, 39 Brook Street, London W1K 4JE
Up from Sussex for the summer, Rathfinny Wine Estate is joining up with Native at Browns in Mayfair. The Rathfinny Garden menu focuses on local British ingredients in dishes that have been paired with the vineyard's best wines. So their 2018 Rosé is matched with Vadouvan carrot hotdog, hay ash honey and curry mayo to give you an idea. All Rathfinny wines will be available by the glass and by the bottle in the courtyard, with magnums of the 2017 Classic Cuvée and 2017 Rosé Brut on offer for groups (or thirsty individuals).
The Casamigos terrace at The Sipping Room
West India Quay, 16 Hertsmere Rd, London E14 4AX
This summer terrace by Canary Wharf hopes to make the city waterfront feel a little more like the Pacific seafront of Mexico. Drake & Morgan have teamed up with top tequila folk Casamigos for cocktails like the Spiced Pineapple Margarita or Tequila Spritz. There are beach huts, cockle popcorn and dishes like grilled salmon with seaweed mash on offer.
The Provence terrace at The Churchill Bar & Terrace
Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill, 30 Portman Square, London W1H 7BH
Tucked away from the traffic in Marylebone you'll find this snug terrace studded with oranges and lavender plants to give you the sense you're in the south of France. To go along with the decor Pommery and Chateau La Gordonne are the champagne and rosé partners. Enjoy them on their own or combined in two new summer spritzes - Madame Pommery and the Clementine.
Terrace on the Plaza at Pan Pacific London
80 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AB
St-Germain and their elderflower liqueur are the inspiration behind the summer offering at the Pan Pacific London by Liverpool Street. There are St-Germain highballs and spritzes and a summer menu of seafood with an Asian accent - so think tuna ceviche with sliced radish, wasabi mayo and ponzu and a prawn rojak salad.
The Aperol Spritzeria x Terrazza at Eataly
135 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3YD
As you might expect, Eataly have picked Aperol Spritzeria as the partner for this year's summer terrace in the City. You'll find it by the orange trees and luridly coloured Aperol Spritz van. Enjoy a menu of antipasti, pasta and pizzas alongside spritzes and negronis. There's also an interesting selection of non-alcoholic cocktails too.
The summer terrace at Sachi
Pantechnicon, 19 Motcomb St, London SW1X 8LB
Sushi lovers looking for a new space to enjoy sashimi in the sunshine should hotfoot it over to the new alfresco terrace at Sachi. Tucked under giant parasols on Motcomb Street and a scene of tranquillity with cream cushions and starched linen tablecloths they'll be serving new additions to the summer menu by head chef Collin Hudston.
The Juremma terrace at The Mandrake
20-21 Newman Street, London W1T 1PG
The hanging gardens of jasmine and passionflower and towering ferns at this award-winning terrace are opening for the summer to serve up a range of ethnobotanical cocktails and South American-inspired modern European small plates from The Mandrake hotel's YOPO restaurant. Enjoy dishes like their Portland Crab, Gala Apple, and Caviar Brioche with drinks like their Mangosteen made with mangosteen & hibiscus infused Patrón Silver Tequila with chipotle agave.
Also see...
The Hot Dinners guide to summer
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