Seasonal Guide
Best Pubs in London for Summer
Summer is the peak season for outdoor drinking in London. The sun rises above the rooftops by mid-morning and stays high enough to illuminate even deep courtyards well into the evening. Our 3D sun tracking data covers every beer garden, rooftop, terrace, and pavement seat in the city — so you always know exactly where the sun will be.
South and southwest-facing outdoor spaces get the most consistent sun through summer, peaking between 1pm and 5pm. East-facing gardens catch excellent morning sun through June and July. Rooftop bars — with no surrounding buildings to cast shadows — tend to score highest of all.
Browse by summer month
June
Long evenings and the highest sun of the year. London beer gardens at their peak.
See the 50 best pubs for June →
July
The sunniest month on average. Prime time for rooftops and south-facing gardens.
See the 50 best pubs for July →
August
Still warm but sun angles begin to shift. West-facing terraces start to shine in the afternoons.
See the 50 best pubs for August →
What makes a great summer pub?
Our summer rankings weight south and southwest-facing outdoor spaces more heavily, since these capture the peak afternoon sun that defines a great summer session. We also factor in outdoor area size — a large south-facing garden beats a tiny south-facing terrace for summer use.
Rooftop bars consistently rank highly in summer because the elevated position eliminates low-level building shadows. Look for rooftops in our sunniest rooftop bars guide.