Drink in the great outdoors

Railway arches used to be the preserve of panel beaters and shady lock-ups, but now every London foodie has their favourite under-the-tracks restaurant. Here, in a wedge-shaped space near Borough Market, you can enjoy street food faves such as Savage Salads, dishing out food as local office workers flock here to sip post-work drinks on the grass. (Okay, it’s fake grass, but this is Southwark, not the South Downs.)

You know when you’re on holiday in some chic European town and you see all those cafés with pavement terraces, their tables kept cool by smart umbrellas, and you wonder: why is it not like this in London? Well, at The Sipping Room, right by the water of West India Dock, it is.

Visit the most fun outdoor drinking space in London as the rooftop of a former car park in the deepest East End hosts an adult playground with favourite summer games – such as pétanque and the genteel sport of croquet – as well as several bars, some great street food and a big screen to watch the World Cup.

The King’s Cross area went from ‘steer clear’ to ‘head here’ within a couple of years, and this smart spot is one of its best places to enjoy cocktails. The terrace, with neat planting and plenty of seating, is an inner-city oasis – perfect for London’s more tropical spells.

So much more than just another beer garden, the Underbelly Festival rocks up on the South Bank for summer and runs right the way through to September 30. With another jam-packed programme of comedy, circus, cabaret and other rousing entertainment, there’s plenty of opportunity to kick back
in the sunshine with a cool drink. Even better, we’ve teamed up
with Underbelly and Rekorderlig to give away 18 pairs of tickets to Underbelly Festival shows. Click here to enter the competition.

Think of summer socialising, and what comes to mind? Long, lazy afternoons, sunshine through the trees, more friends turning up than we knew we had? And, naturally, some perfectly cool drinks. Rekorderlig Cider has long been a go-to for that, and now its newly launched Botanicals range has set the standard for summertime refreshment. Made with the purest Swedish spring water and innovatively flavoured, the selection includes Rhubarb-Lemon-Mint (best served over ice with a twist of lime and a mint sprig), subtly tangy Peach-Basil (pour over ice, add a sprig of basil and a wedge of lemon) and citrusy, aromatic Grapefruit-Rosemary (the perfect serve is chilled,
with a sprig of rosemary).