The sun is out and your belly's begging for the booze...Spoonfed's on hand with our top ten favourite beer gardens in London.
It's an indisputable fact that with the anomaly of English sunshine comes an unquenchable desire for booze. Our need is so great that we often bypass the beauty, settling for the first watering hole we lay eyes on, where, following Withnail's lead, we demand to have some booze. Well, your substandard local will no longer suffice because we've collated our top ten favourite beer gardens for you to peruse this summer.
The Garden Bar and Grill – Bramley Road, Notting Hill
One of the best things about this quaint little pocket of nature is that it's quintessentially English; thatched-roof bar, fairy light drapery, dark oak and stone mosaic design with a sizzling BBQ that won't char like papa's. It's also got a pretty large sheltered area for those of you unwilling to fully commit to the bacon rasher tan.
Courtyard at 51 – Buckingham Gate, Hyde Park Corner
2011 sees the beautiful old garden just round the corner from Buckingham Palace transformed into a rather splendid little place for a spot of summer-time decadence. Between May and September, The Summer Courtyard Season is open for lunch, dinner, cocktails and even music in the evenings. Feast on sizzling plates of Turkish deliciousness, sup Tanqueray no.10 cocktails, smoke some shisha. Or perhaps simply relax on the terrace with a cigar and some fine cognac. With music from Cantabile, The London Quartet and Soprano Bella, this is what summer in London is all about.
The Grand Union – High Street, Wandsworth
Searching for respite from subterranean blues? The Thai-themed flavours of The Grand Union's 'Pleasure Garden' may just be the remedy. White paper lanterns and hammocks hang amid fluorescent bean bags and a jungle-like canopy of greenery sprawls across mirrors. There's even a beach-style island bar so you can sneakily perve on eye candy from across the way. Their Lychee Martini comes highly recommended.
Faltering Fullback – Perth Road, Finsbury Park
It's their multi-level outside terrace that sets the Faltering Fullback head and shoulders above its Finsbury Park rivals. This decking staircase heaven is sprawling with overgrown leafy goodness, a little like Pan's Lost Boys fortress. Except, unlike those cheeky little chaps, we're old enough to sample the Irish pub's impressive range of draughts, and Thud Butt won't have bulldozed his way through the chef's speciality Thai food.
The White Hart – Stoke Newington High Street, Stoke Newington
Backing off from the hustle and bustle of Stoke Newington High Street, The White Hart somehow manages to capture a true country pub setting. Its large patio opens out onto an even bigger tree-enclosed lawn that's teeming with picnic benches, so no need for dirty looks and table hanging to secure a decent spot. Look out for the crop-topped Ronnie Wood-wannabe who occasionally fannies about on rollerblades.
Pub on the Park – Martello Street, London Fields
This place does exactly what is says on the tin. It backs right onto the greenery of London Fields, which acts as perfect over-spill for days when the beer garden here reaches full capacity. Its outdoor screen makes for a pretty awesome atmosphere on big game days and their world first Electric Quizzard music quiz, featuring a 'You're the wand for me fatty' specialist section, is definitely worth a shot.
The Albion – Thornhill Road, Islington
Just down the road from our very own Spoonfed offices, The Albion's beer garden sits pretty as a picture, replete with cascading wisteria and ivy-clad walls. More importantly perhaps, is that any place offering a whole roast suckling pig with all the trimmings gets our vote, any day of the week.
The Windsor Castle – Campden Hill Road , Kensington
This rustic wedge of Victorian history boasts views of Windsor Castle on a clear day. But it's what's going on in the ivy-clad beer garden that's more appealing. A self-confessed cider loving bar offers the likes of English potato vodka, black spiced rum, Belgian fruit beer and 'Jugs full of Joy' aka Pimms. There's also heated alfresco dining, above which branches are getting kinky with the fairy lights. It used to be one of Madonna's haunts back when she 'played British', but thankfully this is no longer the case. It also specialises in bangers and mash. 'Nuff said.
The Devonshire – Balham High Road, Balham
This south side gastropub has been thriving ever since its relatively recent makeover. It boasts a pretty massive beer garden, complete with wicker furniture, black umbrellas and late night opening on Fridays and Saturdays, so you can get a few more bevvies in before the exodus to Infernos. Then again, maybe not.
Five and Nine – Yorkton Street, Shoreditch
Move over Shoreditch House, there's a new rooftop terrace bar hangout just opened in East London. Hidden away in a secret(ish) location above a Grade II-listed church hall, the Five and Nine consists of a snazzy bar and vertical garden in which they grow all the herbs for the range of delicious cocktails. With impressive views, grass lawns, secret tunnels, and charcoal firepits this is one seriously cool venue. One thing to note is that visitors have to hire the whole place, which at least keeps the riff-raff out (or in, as the case may be).
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