Words by
Izzy Schaw Miller
30th August 2024
In this weather-temperamental country of Britain, we know all too well how quickly the warmer weather can slip through our fingers. To make the most of the last of the sunkissed days ahead, Izzy Schaw Miller shares her favourite al fresco dining spots in the capital, from swanky garden terraces to spectacular rooftop havens. Roll on an Indian summer!
Soak in the last of summer dining in London at DAROCO terrace
Zephyr, Notting Hill
There are so many beautiful backdrops in London, but one particularly enchanting scene is the iconic pastel-coloured houses on Portobello Road. Bang opposite, with the sun beaming down on you, if you’re lucky, Zephyr’s white-clothed streetside terrace is one picture-perfect dreams are made of. Named after the Greek god of the west wind, an experience at Zephyr is a breezy one. Try the refreshing and punchy smoky tommys on arrival, classily poured in front of your eyes from a glass jug, while dipping bread into whipped spicy feta and smoked aubergine. For mains, waltz through the lightly grilled sea bass platter with a glass of white - what better way to seize those Hellenic-inspired summery days?
Learn more and book a table at Zephyr via zephyr.london
Streetside dining at Zephyr, Portobello Road
In Horto, Southwark Quarter
Latin for ‘in the garden’, In Horto’s stone patio, a bamboo-style canopy and low-hanging lampshades could transport you to Ibizan beach club, rather than Southwark’s beating heart. Pulsing background house music and Latin American sharing plates add to the fun of the restaurant, which fires up its dishes in an open brick oven. A cheerful setting for summer nights with friends or family, there is something for all in the plates, from the roasted aubergine and tomato ragu with burrata and parmesan to the whole sea bream bedded on a green sauce. co*cktails are quirky, with their take on a margaritarefreshing and zingy, and featuring herbs that taste freshly picked from a garden, while wines are splendid, thoughtfully selected by sister site Tap & Bottle pub round the corner.
Learn more and book a table at In Horto via inhorto.co.uk
In Horto's atmospheric courtyard in Southwark
DAROCO, Soho
Round the back of Tottenham Court Road’s new commercial site, DAROCO hosts a terrace that gathers pace in the warmer weather. Plucked from the 2nd and 16th arrondissem*nts of the French capital, this third sister site is where Parisian chic meets Italian levity in London. While its interiors boast decadent plush furnishings and mirrored walls that sparkle, the outside terrace has a more subtle finish, with sprightly yellow sofas making for a classy summer setting to wash down a spritz. Generously-doughy pizza arrives straight from a statement butterfly-decorated oven - because why not - and the burrata starter in a light oil adorned with seasonal asparagus is a must.
Learn more and book a table at DAROCO via daroco.com
Jolly DAROCO adds to a Soho summer vibe
From the Ashes, Hackney
A sprawling courtyard, barbecued bites and a (sometimes) sizzling sun, what more could we summer fanatics ask for? Set in the back of a brewery, the graffitied, brick-walled East London surroundings make for an ultra-laid back vibe, but when it comes to whipping up the grub this spot does not take its feet off the gas. The menu is both exciting and compact, including smoky pork sugared doughnuts and braised beef tacos with chilli and lime to start with, and hefty roasts, from porchetta strips to fire-grilled chicken, served alongside a generous portion of fat potatoes, charred cabbage and salsa verde. Quality is an obsession as founders Martin Anderson and Curtis Bell, who started the joint out of their hatch in Hackney Wick in the pandemic, serve nose to tail meat dishes deriving from some of the best of UK farming.
Learn more and book a table at From the Ashes via fromtheashesbbq.co.uk
From the Ashes' pork doughnut special
Sparrow, Mayfair
Competition may be rife when it comes to Italian dining in London - there are two on this list alone - but Sparrow stands out from the crowd. Tucked away on one of Mayfair’s quieter streets, this restaurant has all the glamour of its neighbourhood while serving its many regulars with plates that whisk you away into a foodie paradise. Passing through the discreet building spanning four floors - including a secret cigar smoking room - guests can climb to the recently opened roof terrace. Sitting up high in the city, where you can almost touch the tops of the buildings you look out on, this is just the spot to drench yourself in the last of those rays in style. Plump for rich truffle honey pane and tender parcels of bone marrow ravioli, while soaking up intelligently concocted co*cktails, such as the Molise, with Italian chilli-infused tequila, watermelon, agave, yuzu, blood orange oleo and fire.
Learn more and book a table at Sparrow via sparrowitalia.com
Sparrow's discreet rooftop dining
Bar Kroketa, St Christopher’s Place
Tapas fans may be familiar with box-sized fried potato whizz Bar Kroketa in Soho, but new to St Christopher’s Place near Bond Street is the spot’s larger sister site. Keeping in Northern Spanish character, seating spills from the bar’s glass doors onto the square outside, with a countertop bar inside lined with stools for perching and chattering. The clue is very much in the name here, but any croquette on the menu is as vivacious as the Basque region they are inspired by. Tapas at lunch or sunset can be blissfully complemented with a punchy sangria in hand, or to soak up those beaming rays earlier, the restaurant dishes up Northern Spain’s finest breakfast from eight o’clock in the morning.
Learn more and book a table at Bar Kroketa via kroketa.co.uk
Croquettes at Kroketa
Gasoline Grill x Double Standard, Kings Cross
Named one of the best burgers in the world by Big 7 Travel and Bloomberg, Gasoline Grill brings its beefy (and veggie) range straight from the culinary powerhouse of Copenhagen (think Noma or Kadeau) to none other than the sophisticatedly eccentric Standard Hotel in Kings Cross. Nestle within the cosy Double Standard terrace under fairly lit parasols, and gnaw into what might become one of your own top pattie contenders, all made with simple, organic ingredients. Perhaps in efficient Scandi-style, the pop-up isn’t waiting for summer to dwindle down gloomily and will be swiftly jetting off on the 15th September. The London specialty Surf n’ Turf, marrying lobster and prawn with a tender hamburger, alongside some crinkle cut fries, is certainly worth hurrying down for.
Learn more and book a table at Gasoline Grill's takeover of Double Standard via standardhotels.com
Mighty fine burgers at Gasoline Grill
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