Top picnic and barbecue spots in London

Springtime is here and that can only mean one thing: it’s finally time to start taking the fun outdoors!

So pack up the cooler, round up your mates, get the most reliable of the bunch on food duty, and head to one of these parks for a well-deserved afternoon in the sun.

Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn

Lincoln’s Inn Fields form a public park of about 5 hectares, and include lawns, trees, public tennis courts and a bandstand. The present layout dates from the early-19th century, and has not changed significantly since. This is London’s largest square and it’s very central, making it the perfect after-work meeting spot — and it’s barbecue-friendly too! You’ll have plenty of space to lounge around and catch some rays before working off your picnic with a tennis match.

Waterlow Park, Highgate

‘A garden for gardenless Londoners’ tucked between the two sides of Highgate Cemetery, Waterlow Park is a lovely hidden gem amongst the hills of Highgate, complete with picturesque ponds and beautiful terraced gardens as well as a few tennis courts. This one is definitely one of London’s most ornate barbecue-friendly parks, and you’ll be able to feast your eyes as well as your bellies with gorgeous views of the city skyline.

Burgess Park, Southwark

Its massive 56 acres of greenness stretching from Camberwell and Walworth to Peckham and the Old Kent Road, Burgess Park offers not one but two scenic barbecue areas around an idyllic lake complete with a view of The Shard. It’s open until 9PM every day, and you can either bring your own gear or use one of the built in stands on site (just remember to bring charcoal!).

Highbury Fields, Islington

Also open until 9PM, this park is one of the Islington area’s bigger green spaces, so you can take your time to stroll, explore and find your perfect picnic spot before firing up the coals. Lined with tall trees, it is also home to an orchard, an adventure play area, and tennis courts that you can book beforehand.

Clapham Common, Lambeth

At 210 acres in size, Clapham Common is one of London‘s largest, and oldest, public open spaces, an expansive urban park with ponds, grassy areas, festivals, a Victorian bandstand, and historic mansions overlooking it. This is definitely one of the most popular picnic and BBQ parks in town, and on Saturdays, the nearby Venn St. Market makes it all the more easier to put together a delicious spread.