The best outdoor cinema in London

New name, same high concept. The two-venue outdoor cinema experience is a well-grooved and classy enterprise these days, with deck-chaired splendour awaiting anyone on the hunt for classic flicks with killer views and all the trimmings. Rooftop Cinema Club like to start the summer early and its new season is off and running on April 30 at its Peckham Bussey Building venue, and May 7 at Roof East in Stratford. To all the usual cult classics and fan favourites, Rooftop Cinema Club is adding one-off events including a Gossip Girl TV watch party (May 19) and an Interstellar screening to coincide with a rare blue moon (May 31). Tickets start at £14 for adults and £8 for kids. Book before May 3 for a 20 percent discount.

Stepping into the gap left by the mysterious disappearance of Luna Cinema is Adventure Cinema who bring a similar USP: outdoor screens backdropped by more than 50 spectacular country house locations and castles across the UK. Pack a picnic – or head to the street food stalls – and a blanket and foldable chair and settle in for some cinematic splendour. In London, Kew Gardens is the spot to head: from June 18-21, you can catch Wicked: For Good, Dirty Dancing, Jurassic Park, Pride & Prejudice (2005) and an Encanto sing-a-long at the botanical gardens. Tickets are on sale now, starting at £9.80.

Short of watching them on an aircraft carrier, there’s surely no more fitting spot to catch Top Gun (August 22) and Top Gun: Maverick (August 23) than at Hendon’s RAF Museum. Even Mav himself would appreciate the jets and historic military hardware that’ll backdrop a weekend of mach 2 dogfights and Righteous Brothers singalongs. All tickets come with popcorn and a soft drink, and early birds tickets start at only a tenner. Proper plane-spotters and wannabe Icemen can splash out on a VIP ticket that comes with an in-depth museum tour and a look around one of the museum’s own fighter jets. 

Waterloo’s Lower Marsh buzzes with fun-loving energy on a rainy winter’s night, so it doesn’t need​ an excuse to put on a street party on a sunny summer evening. Still, Lower Marsh Lates is providing one with a run of outdoor screenings right in the thick of it all – and perfectly positioned for some of the best street food and beverage options in town. On the slate so far is that most summery of winter movies, Cool Runnings, on June 25. There are prizes for the coolest costumes, so find three friends (and a coach) and head down when it kicks off at 6pm.

Street food, Thames views and five family-friendly movies… what could be better than July’s outdoor screenings in Vauxhall’s Pleasure Gardens? Just the fact that they’re all completely free. Running every Tuesday evening from July 7 at 7pm, this leafy Thames-side spot will be welcoming all-comers for screenings of Zootropolis (July 7), Cool Runnings (July 14), Clueless (July 21) and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (July 28). There are food options to tuck into and bars on site, or bring a picnic and a blanket. Book ahead because spots are limited.