Dine Al Fresco
Forget slaving over the barbeque, dining out al fresco is at the top of every Londoner’s list this summer. For a different way to enjoy the sunshine take a look at our choice of the best places to eat out – literally.
From 2–20 Aug The Deck at The National Theatre is being transformed into a whimsical rooftop garden of blossom trees and grass to transport fanciful picnickers into A Midsummer Night’s Dream fairytale. ‘Picnics and Plays’ is the National Theatre’s new summer concept: visitors can lounge on deckchairs and feast before watching one the theatre’s accredited plays. Potted ham and piccalilli, smoked salmon and fennel salad, and a summer berry trifle accompanied by Pimms or homemade lemonade are just some of the delicious surprises you will find inside the gourmet picnic boxes. Performances include a new play by Alan Bennett, The Habit of Art.
£55, picnics 6.30pm, performances 7.30pm. For more information on plays visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/thedeck
Even though you’ve decided to ditch the barbeque there’s no harm in watching someone else have a go, especially if that person comes in the form of celebrity chef Jun Tanaka. On 8 Aug the historic courtyard of the five-star Renaissance London Chancery Court Hotel – home to Jun’s restaurant Pearl – will turn into a barbeque demonstration area, with Jun cooking eleven recipes to be recreated at home at a time when you’re feeling more charitable. In the meantime enjoy the wine, sample the cooking and watch Jun do all the hard work.
£30, 12.30am, 252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN
020 7829 7000, tube: Holborn
For traditionalists, Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens opened Tom’s Terrace at Somerset House earlier this year. With riverside views and a dramatic canopy overhead, this is a top spot to enjoy the summer evenings with faultless seasonal food.
Somerset House, WC2R 1LA
020 7845 4646, tube: Temple
By Gabriella Patterson
