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Pints and Pimms in the great outdoors
By Alex Kasriel, London Lite 22.07.09
Great outdoors: drinkers at The Stag are geared up
Sanctuary: The Avalon's outside space looks like a scaled down version of gardens of Versailles
Outdoor vibe: there are four treehouses to drink in outside at Grand Union
August is set to be a scorcher, we hear. So it's a good thing the capital's pubs have stepped up to the mark by beefing up their beer gardens to include everything from treehouses to cabanas and fountains. Most outside spaces have the added bonus of gas heaters, too, so even after the sun goes down you can still enjoy the outdoor vibe without shivering. Here's our pick of the best...
Tiki-style treehouses: Grand Union
The novelty of climbing into a treehouse to enjoy a pint with friends adds to the holiday feel at the Brixton branch of this popular chain. The huts on stilts are flanked by palm bushes, can be reserved in advance and come into their own on Sunday afternoons, when the barbecue is fired up and the DJ moves outdoors. If you don't manage to bag one of the four treehouses, there are plenty of picnic tables and chairs from which you can take in a cult film classic on a Thursday night thanks to the venue's enormous outdoor screen. If nothing on the barbecue takes your fancy, Grand Union boasts a hefty burger menu — the Fired Earth Burger (£6.75) will be sure to spice up your Sunday afternoon.
123 Acre Lane, SW2 (020 7274 8794, gugroup.co.uk) Jug of Pimms: £13.95. Pint of lager: £3.40. Seats: 200. Sunlight: noon till 8pm.
Country garden: The Albion
Already boasting a beautiful garden where thick curtains of wisteria hang off a pretty pergola, Islington's Albion has upped the ante by incorporating barbecues and outdoor fridges, smart new furniture, and even a herb garden — ensuring the restaurant food benefits from the very freshest of flavours. Set among the smart houses of Barnsbury, the Georgian walled garden makes for an elegant lunch venue and boasts the poshest pub barbie menu in town with spatchcock poussin (£13), pork belly (£14) and wild sea bass (£16).
10 Thornhill Road, N1 (020 7607 7450, the-albion.co.uk)
Jug of Pimms: £18.
Pint of Lager: £3.30. Sunlight: noon till 9pm.
Country fête: The Eagle
The expansive lawn surrounded by covered swing-set tables has a jolly feel that's reminiscent of a posh country house. The menu inside includes a delicious slow-roast pork belly with shallot and apple tart and cauliflower cream (£12.50). The venue also offers traditional picnics complete with old-school hampers, blankets and a delightfully old-fashioned menu including Gloucester ham, potted crab, pints of prawns, sausage rolls, pork pies and trifle galore (hamper for two people, £30, including a jug of Pimm's or a bottle of the house red or white). The only things missing are the Morris dancers and the maypole.
215 Askew Road, W12 (020 8746 0046, geronimo-inns.co.uk/theeagle)
Jug of Pimms: £17.50. Pint of lager: £3.10. Sunlight: noon till 9pm.
Balearic cool: The Stag
Pampas grasses, palms and cabanas dot the new garden at Hampstead's Stag. The cabana-style booths, decorated with vintage lighting and Art Deco mirrors, cater for groups of six to eight people and have their own heating systems. The tasty menu offers up childhood favourites such as bangers and mash and home-made macaroni cheese with spinach or bacon (both £9.50). Drinkers are encouraged to add mint leaves to their mojitos from the assorted pots of herbs. For a romantic evening, bag one of the love seats hidden by tall grasses and enjoy the breezy Mediterranean vibe à deux.
67 Fleet Road, NW3 (020 7722 2646, thestaghampstead.com)
Jug of Pimms: £14.
Pint of lager: £3.30. Sunlight: noon to 9pm.
French château: The Avalon
Enjoy rotisserie piglet and apple sauce in a bap (£6.50) at this newly landscaped sanctuary in Clapham. With table-top parasols, a stone fountain, ornate jardinieres (that's posh plant pots to you and me) and tumbling pansies, the pub's outside space looks like a scaled-down, version of the gardens at Versailles. There are plenty of different seating areas, including some beautiful armchairs in a secluded spot by the fountain — perfect for a secret rendezvous.
16 Balham Hill, SW12 (020 8675 8613, theavalonlondon.co.uk)
Jug of Pimms: £16.
Pint of lager: £3.40. Sunlight: noon till 6pm.
Park life: The Britannia Victoria Park's
Britannia has undergone a much-needed makeover and it's now the perfect venue from which to enjoy one of east London's biggest green spaces. The Garden Grill Menu offers a great choice from Angus beef burgers (£9.95) to grilled mackerel (£11.50) served up with chunky chips or couscous. This summer The Britannia has teamed up with the British Film Institute to screen weird and wonderful British movies by the light of the moon on an outdoor screen.
360 Victoria Park Road, E9 (020 8533 0040, thebritannia
pub.co.uk) Jug of Pimms: £15. Pint of lager: £3.20. Sunlight: noon till 8pm.
