London's best garden cafés, restaurants and bars
You might live in a city, but you can still stop and smell the blooms at these flower-filled London joints
by Lydia Winter
Among Petersham Nurseries’ highly successful alumni is Skye Gyngell, chef-patron at Spring, the suitably sophisticated restaurant in Somerset House's New Wing. Everything from the name to the pale-pink interiors and the cooking itself feels light and fresh – head here when London’s grey, grey and more grey colour scheme starts to get a bit too meh. We particularly like the dainty courtyard, where elegant trees and delicate fairy lights set the scene for the utterly delicious food, much of which is sourced through Gyngell’s relationship with the Fern Verrow farm in Herefordshire.
This community centre is cleverly making the most of Clerkenwell’s avocado-on-toast-loving tech and design boffins to subsidise high-quality meals for elderly locals. Exposed brick walls, antique light bulbs and rose-filled rooftop garden provide prime Instagram fodder, and all profits are fed back into local projects that work to support support older local residents and those out of work.
The food at Petersham Nurseries has been coming up roses thanks to head chef Damian Clisby, formerly of Hix Soho. He uses the produce growing in Petersham’s greenhouses to create an inventive menus of fresh, light dishes that range from anything from bruschetta with new-season broad beans to risotto with romana courgettes, made all the more delicious because you eat it inside the plant-filled glasshouses. While you’re there, book yourself in for a gardening workshop, and you’ll be be growing your own tomatoes in no time.
You'd think a florist selling food would be all about edible blossoms, but this quintessential Stokey destination does much, much more, including a damn good shakshuka with chorizo. Walk through the bountiful flowershop and you'll find a café that stretches out to a sun-dappled terrace out the back. It's family-friendly but still cool, and does a great line in brunch and lunch.
Hiding deep within the modern, concrete-riddled landscape of the Square Mile is an oasis filled with lush blooms… and tasty food, thanks to the team at The Ivy City Garden. Head here for British classics – hello shepherd’s pie – and cocktails that use herbs from the garden. Rain? No problem – there’s a retractable roof that’ll let you enjoy the verdant surrounds even when it’s pouring down.
