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The best London park restaurants
By Ursula Hirschkorn, London Lite 25.06.08
Sweet treats: Brew House, near Kenwood
Modern look: great views from the Pavilion Cafe in Thames Barrier Park
New look: Garden Cafe in Regent's Park
Not that common, really: Common Ground
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Getting out for a walk in the park in all that fresh air is bound to work up a healthy appetite, but where once we had to make do with a Mr Whippy and a bag of crisps, park cafés have now gone all upmarket and offer lovers of London's green spaces a real gourmet dining experience.
From Brew House on Hampstead Heath to the Spark Café - a hidden gem in Hackney's lesser-known Springfield Park - here's our pick of the best park Cafés where you can while away a lazy summer's afternoon and take in the scenery.
BREW HOUSE
HAMPSTEAD HEATH
Set behind the splendour of Kenwood, Brew House is renowned for its hearty, high quality nosh. It's a firm favourite with north London luvvies and if you're lucky you might spot stars like Ewan McGregor, Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter. Food is mainly Fairtrade with free-range sausages and organic cheeses. The menu is seasonal, but summer lunch specials can include spinach and nutmeg soup with a crusty roll (£4.50) or griddled chicken with balsamic tomatoes and chilli (£8.95).
9am-6pm or 9pm on concert nights Brew House, Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath, NW3 (020 8341 5384)
PAVILLION CAFE
THAMES BARRIER PARK
In the contemporary Thames Barrier Park, with its sculpted shrubs designed by horticulturalists Alain Cousseran and Alain Provost, this café's minimal design of concrete, glass and metal matches its modernist surroundings. You get spectacular views of the park and the Thames Barrier. The real draw here is the architecture but sandwiches and pastries are freshly baked and made to order. Choose from paninis, bagels and ciabatta with fillings from piri piri chicken to roasted ham and cheese (all £3.65).
10am-6pm weekdays, 9.30am-7.30pm at weekends. Pavilion Café, Thames Barrier Park, Barrier Point Road, E16 (020 7511 4111)
COMMON GROUND
WANDSWORTH COMMON
With Gordon Ramsay as a regular, Common Ground comes highly recommended. But the stellar names don't stop there - other celebrity locals include Take That's Mark Owen and Johnny Vaughan. Owner Paul Rooney wanted something "more fashionable than your average park caféî, and Common Ground is kitted out with dark wood flooring, leather sofas and mismatched wooden tables and chairs. Located at the heart of the common overlooking the cricket pitches, you can down a nice cool beer to the sound of leather on willow or eat food sourced from local suppliers - all cooked fresh to order. Menus change daily, and include goat's cheese, cherry tomato and asparagus tart (£7.95) or sunblush tomato and mozzarella salad (£5.95).
Weekdays 9.30am-5.30pm, weekends from 10am Common Ground, Wandsworth Common, SW12 (020 8874 9386)
SPARK CAFE
SPRINGFIELD PARK, HACKNEY
A green oasis of calm amid the council estates of Hackney. Housed in the Grade IIlisted White Lodge Mansion, with huge French doors opening out to reveal views across the whole expanse of park, it's no surprise that the Spark has become a popular location for fashion shoots. At weekends it's packed with local trendies enjoying breakfast. You can choose from the full English with sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes (£5.90) or veggie style with mushrooms, tomatoes and vegetarian sausages (£5.90). All choices are healthy, though.
10am-6pm Spark Café, Springfield Park, Hackney, E5 (020 8806 0444, sparkcafe.co.uk)
THE GARDEN CAFE
REGENT'S PARK
The Garden Café has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a Little Chef. Back in 1964 the Chef was the last word in foodie fashion. Now it has been given a chic, modern edge. Openair theatre buffs can eat in style on starters including roast plum tomato and organic buffalo mozzarella with basil oil (£5.90) and mains such as herb roast chicken, new potato and minted peas (£10.95).
12pm-8pm, The Garden Café, Inner Circle, Regents Park, NW1 (020 7935 5729)
PAVILION CAFE
DULWICH PARK
Nestling in the centre of Dulwich Park, the pretty Pavilion Café is run by sisters Domani and Tarka Cowlam. Their simple home-cooked dishes made from top-quality ingredients have won won them a host of fans. The real stars of the show are the delicious home-made cakes (from £2.20).
8.30am-5.30pm weekdays and from 9am at weekends. Pavilion Café, Dulwich Park, SE21 (020 8299 1383)
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Does anyone know if these premises are licensed?
- Liz, London
SCHMIDT's Cafe on Rookery Rd in Clapham Common is fast becoming my favourite weekend hang out. The owner, Stefanie, is one of the sunniest people on the planet. And the brunches, which are astonishingly good and nearly all under a tenner, are very generous and served until 4pm Sat and Sun (which is great for us night-lifers). The servers are lovely, the chef is amazing, and the outdoor space is reminiscent of a beach - pebbles and deck chairs and all.
Weekday lunch is quite good as well, and I understand the lunch menu changes every week.
Just go - you'll fall in love with the place pretty much straight away.
- Frank H, London, SE11
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