The best picnic spots in London

The Heath is the first port of call for many Londoners when the weather starts heating up and, luckily, there’s room enough for everyone. The wild green space is the apple of north London’s eye, with spectacular city views, rolling meadows, ancient woodland and lush plant life. Need to work up your appetite before you get down to picnic business? Set up camp near the public swimming ponds and make sure you’ve brought your cozzie.

Best spot: The Heath is huge and has plenty of stellar spots for picnics. But for the best views head to the summit of Parliament Hill, where you can munch sandwiches with a backdrop of the London skyline. The hill can get busy, especially on sunny days, so for a quieter spot, try the surrounding Parliament Hill Fields.

Need food? Head to one of the Heath’s many cafes, such as the Golders Hill Park Refreshment House or Kenwood Brew House Cafe restaurant.

Anything else I should know? The park is free and always open. Barbecues and campfires aren’t allowed, so leave your baps and frozen bangers at home.

Good things come in small packages, or so this pocket-sized patch of grass in central would have you believe. You might not expect Soho, with its sometimes rowdy reputation, to be the perfect place for a relaxing picnic, but chowing down in the square is more peaceful than you might imagine. It’s got flora packed into its perimeters and a quaint Tudor-style hut in the middle that all work together to bring a little decorum to the area.

Best spot: When the temperatures rise it’s not always easy to find somewhere to sit, but if you can bag a spot in the shade it’s blissful.

Need food? You’re in Soho, so you won’t have to wander far before you hit food. Swing by It’s Bagels or Bar Italia for a superior picnic.

Anything else I should know? The hut in the middle of the park is the fanciest garden shed you’ve ever seen (no really, it’s full of the groundskeeper’s kit).

Some of the coolest picnic pitches in the city are within the floral borders of the famous Kew Gardens. This spot might not be free entry, but it’s definitely worth it – especially to have a nosy inside the Temperate House, which is stuffed full of impressive rare plants. Once you’ve splurged on entry (between £25-28), bringing a picnic will definitely save you some pennies. Also check out the new Henry Moore: Monumental Nature outdoor exhibit, which runs until January 2027.

Best spot: If you want to nibble au naturel, hunt down the picnic benches in Kew’s woodland areas – they’re lovely.

Need food? Kew Gardens has a few great cafes and restaurants that’ll offer takeaway.

Anything else I should know? Kew has gone super green and banned single-use plastic from its cafés and restaurants, and offer discounts if you bring a reusable coffee cup.

Looking for a picnic with a view? Head to Primrose Hill, where you can spend long and sleepy summer afternoons gazing over the city. But it’s not just the skyline that makes this a popular dining destination.

The peak of Primrose Hill is also a short walk from Camden, Regent’s Canal, Abbey Road (hello Beatles fans) and all the adorable animal antics at London Zoo. Plus, when you’ve had your fill of picnic fodder, it’s a pretty great place to fly a kite.

Best spot: Go as high as you dare. The most breathtaking views are undoubtedly from the top of the hill.

Need food? There are plenty of delicious delis and cafés lining the streets of Primrose Hill, including the Greenberry Café. Grab what you need for your picnic basket and get munching.

Anything else I should know? The beloved ‘Paddington’ movie was filmed in Primrose Hill, so if you’re up to a post-picnic stroll do check out the beautiful colours of Chalcot Square and Chalcot Crescent nearby. 

Add a hint of fairytale romance to your picnic at this storybook-pretty spot. A medieval church, damaged in WWII air raids, has been left to picturesquely moulder, vines creeping up its intricate stone walls, while ferns spring from shady corners. 

Best spot: Go on a weekday to maximise your chances of scoring a picnic bench under the church’s stunning mullioned window, its stained glass long gone.

Need food? Head to Lower Thames Street to fill a paper box from Good Eating Cafe’s everchanging buffet.

Much more than just a hall on a hill, the People’s Palace is an instantly recognisable London landmark. Though the palace itself is often a larger-than-life music venue, you can find much more serenity in the seven acres of parkland that surround it, thanks to lush fields, a boating lake and oodles of plants. Get your skyline-gazing fix by climbing up the hill for panoramic views of the capital – it’s a little workout, but you won’t regret it.

Best spot: Lay out your blanket on the grass at the top of the hill with your back to Ally Pally. 

Need food? Shop for tasty delights in nearby Crouch End before walking up or, if you’re visiting on a Sunday, peruse the treats on offer at the Ally Pally Farmers Market.  

Anything else I should know? Once you've had your fill of the lush London views, you can scale heights with Go Ape, try your hand at the Pitch & Putt, or shop for plants at the garden centre. 

You’ll hardly feel like you’re in London at Richmond Park, which is populated by hundreds of red and fallow deer that roam across its grassy meadows (don’t worry, they're too shy to nick your teacakes).

Best spot: In springtime, make for Isabella Plantation, an ornamental woodland garden that's decked with glorious blooms.

Need food? Pembroke Lodge cafe will do you a delectable cream tea.

When you fancy a field day, this Hackney oasis is a sweet spot to embrace the great outdoors. Come warm weather it’s inundated with grazing east-enders hoping to kick back and taste the ketchup. London Fields Lido is just a splash away from where you’ll be picnicking if you need a dip to counteract the rays. Just let your food go down first, okay?

Best spot? Set up in the north of the park and you can picnic while watching a game of cricket at London Fields Cricket Club.

Need food? Left your hamper at home? Lucky for you, Broadway Market is just south of the park, so you’ll be so spoiled for choice with street food stalls and more. We recommend a kofte sandwich from Logma.

Anything else I should know? BBQs used to be popular here, although they’re now suspended as a result of damage to the park. It’s a good thing it’s perfect for picnics (and they are much lower maintenance, right?)

If your picnic includes junior diners, you can’t go wrong by heading for the Horniman’s free-to-enter gardens. There's an abundance of pretty gardens, available benches, and fun outdoor things to do, including goats to peek at and giant musical instruments to hammer.

Best spot: The pavilion at the terrace’s edge isn't always open, but when it is, it's an unrivalled rainy-day picnic spot with views right over south London.

Need food? Go on a Sunday to take advantage of the Horniman’s delectable food market.

Holland Park is often overshadowed by its regal neighbour Kensington Palace Gardens, but it’s an undeniably picturesque picnic spot. There’s a lot to see, from woodland and wildlife to sculpture and the Japanese-style Kyoto Gardens, or you can up your activity levels with a few rounds of tennis, football, golf, cricket and netball. It’s a serene spot that really comes to life in the summer. Get hamper happy at Holland Park and you’ll soon forget about the sweaty bus ride that got you there.

Best spot? If you have kids, set up near the Holland Park Adventure Playground complete with zip wire and a ten-person seesaw. In the summer months, Opera Holland Park pops up underneath a temporary white canopy. If you’re there to see a show, you can reserve a table near the venue and bring your own picnic beforehand.

Need food? If you didn’t BYOP (that’s 'bring your own picnic', FYI), there’s the Daisy Green-run Holland Park Café with Gelpuo ice cream in the summer.

Anything else I should know? The park is open daily from 7.30am until 30 minutes before dusk. Cycling isn’t allowed in the park, and neither are BBQs.

If you feel like sharing your sandwiches with some of London's fanciest waterfowl, Hyde Park is the place to picnic. Mandarin ducks, black swans, and great crested grebes have all been known to glide across the Serpentine’s silvery waters.

Best spot: Head for Long Water, which is designated as a bird sanctuary, and try to find the statue of a playful Peter Pan hiding amongst the leaves.

Need food? Look no further than the Serpentine Coffee House, a glass pavilion that seems to float on the lake.

Brockwell Park is most definitely a looker, and it’s perfect for keeping your mates who can’t sit still entertained. It’s home to grade II listed Brockwell Hall, a kids’ playground and the beaut that is Brockwell Lido. If you fancy dusting off your picnic basket and heading here, expect to veg out alongside sun-worshipping locals and loads of ducks (the latter of whom would be more than interested in your leftover sandwich crusts).

Best spot? The whole place is lovely, so park your blanket wherever take your fancy.

Need food? Brockwell Park Café or 400 Rabbits at The Lido Café will sort you right out.

Anything else I should know? Brockwell park has a Green Flag Award as well as being a Green Heritage Site. It’s open from 7.30am until 15 minutes before sunset.

When the sun peeps out in Stoke Newington, you won’t catch locals diving into their hatchbacks and racing to the coast. Stroll down Church Street towards Green Lanes and you’ll see them sprawled in the 54-acre Clissold Park, Stokey’s largest green space. 

Best spot: Grab a grassy patch by the park’s animal enclosure, which houses adorable deer and goats, alongside a butterfly dome and an aviary. 

Need food? For light refreshments, head to Clissold House’s café, which serves fairly priced nibbles, or grab a coffee to go from Fink’s Pump House. 

Anything else I should know? Sporty locals can make use of tennis courts, table tennis tables, a skate part and a multi-use cage with basketball hoops and goals. The kids playground features a zip wire, sand pit, metal slide and wooden shipwreck climbing frame, while a splash pad offers a variety of water play features ideal for hot summer days.

Cosied up next to the Thames, Furnivall Gardens is a little slice of grassy heaven in Hammersmith. It’s the perfect spot for wriggling your shoes off, basking in the sunshine and watching boats bob along the water. Idyllic.

Best spot? Grab one of the benches along the Lower Mall for the best views over the Thames.

Need food? The park is only a short stroll from Hammersmith’s bustling Kings Street. 

Anything else I should know? The petite green stretch is home to the Furnivall Sculling Club – this is the midway point of the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race – but for less athletic pursuits, pimp up your picnic with a plastic pint from one of the many pubs along the riverfront and lounge in the grass.

When overloaded Londoners need some time out, a long and lazy post-work picnic at Lincoln’s Inn Fields is an ace antidote. As the city’s largest public square, no buns are too big, and you’ll find grassy spots as well as lounge-worthy benches to feast on.

Best spot? When the grass is too damp, perch around the edges of the bandstand-like structure in the centre of the square instead.

Need food? The park has its own little Pear Tree Cafe, but you’re a minute’s walk from buzzing Holborn where you’ll find plenty of choices.

Anything else I should know? This sun-dappled stretch is only a short stomp away from other points of interest too, like the eclectic aesthetic extravaganza of Sir John Soane’s Museum and some imposing Victorian architecture at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Visit this vast open space known as the ‘people’s park’ and you’ll encounter crowds of stylish Londoners. It’s one of east London’s most spacious alfresco-eating spots, with two lakes, a Chinese pagoda, a boating pond, a playground, and a scattering of other Instagram-worthy delights. Pop down on the right weekend and you might be able to hear the sounds of summer festivals floating on the wind – Vicky Park is home to a variety of music bashes, including All Points East.

Best spot? The Old English Garden is a pretty spot for a bench-bound picnic, or for waterside views, set up next to one of the park’s three lakes.

Need food? Supplement your picnic with a stop-off at the scenic Pavilion Cafe or The Hub. Both cafes are wheelchair accessible.

Anything else I should know? The park opens at 7am and closes at dusk. Victoria Park has been awarded the Green Flag and Green Heritage Awards multiple times. Blue badge holders are allowed vehicle access.

Greenwich Park is roomier than most of the parks on this list, so you can usually enjoy your sarnies in peace without being squeezed up too close to other lunching Londoners. Once you’ve had your fill, head to The Royal Observatory, the Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum or the Deer Park, to get up close and personal with mother nature.

Best spot? Brace your calves and head to the top of the hill. The iconic views of London from just outside the observatory are pretty spectacular.

Need food? No food? No problem. Source your snacks from Greenwich Market beforehand.

Anything else I should know? The park is open from 6am every day, but closing times vary depending on the time of year, so check ahead.

With pedalos, a landscaped boating lake and walled gardens, this South London haunt is the perfect patch for stuffing yourself silly. Once you’re done with mini pork pies, there are plenty of things to do too. The word ‘Battersea’ conjures up images of the famous dogs and cats home, but you’ll find plenty of other animals over at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo. Pet away the stresses of adult life and coo over all things small and fluffy.

Best spot? Set up at the north of the park near the London peace pagoda for uninterrupted views of the Thames. The lush patches of grass just west of the boating lake are a popular spot for picnics.

Need food? The park itself has three cafés, or, if you want to bring your own, head to nearby Battersea Park Road at the south of the park.

Anything else I should know? Open from 8am until dusk.

Enjoying a picnic in Green Park is guaranteed to be a lively affair. Visitors and Londoners alike flock here thanks to the park’s rather famous neighbour. The King’s gaff aside, Green Park has its own rather spectacular vista, with statues, water fountains and, in spring, daffodils as far as the eye can see. Yes, the Royal Park may be popular, but if you’re looking for a suntrap with a little atmosphere, this is the place.

Best spot? The path between Green Park station and Buckingham Palace is a highway for tourists, so head off the beaten track for a slightly quieter spot.

Need food? M&S Simply Food is right opposite Green Park station – it’s a great place to pick up affordable picnic snacks. Want to splash a little more cash? Then Fortnum & Masons basement foodhall does a great salad box.

Anything else I should know? The park is open all day every day. If you want to upgrade from a blanket or your jacket tossed on the ground, from April to October, you can hire a striped deckchair from £4.50 an hour. For the committed deckchair enthusiast, season tickets are available too.

Chilling in Clapham is a piece of cake. This triangle of tranquility doesn’t have much decoration, but that doesn’t make it dull. The Common gets a lotta love from dog (and child) walking locals, and it’s used for events throughout the year, like live concerts from the bandstand.

Best spot? Set yourself up with a view of the bandstand.

Need food? There’s a Waitrose, and big Sainsbury’s near Clapham Common tube station.

Anything else I should know? The park is always open. If you’re feeling active, there’s free access to a basketball court, athletic sprints track, cricket nets and skateboard park. Other sports facilities are available at a charge.