Roll on April 12th! If you have been busy scouring through restaurant websites to find places to book that have outside spaces, here are some personal recommendations of places that should be on your radar!

Smokestak

Smokestak is the mecca for meat lovers, especially smoked meats. They also do some killer cocktails and curated list of lagers and pale ales. Bookings available for 4-6 people and spaces are reserved for walk-ins and smaller groups. Personal recommendations (beyond the obvious meats) are the smoked cod’s roe, crispy pigtails and their Negroni.

Nearest station: Shoreditch

Pique-Nique

This restaurant is the sister of our favourite French restaurant in London, Casse Croûte. Hidden inside a park, the interiors are bright, light and full of rustic charm. The menus are written on blackboards and food is upscale French country comfort. All their mains are to be shared but they also have some amazing starters so if you are a solo diner or want to try a spectrum of dishes, you can get the whole spread. Don’t forget to check out their enticing wine list!

Nearest station: London Bridge

Oystermen

Oystermen are a seafood bar and kitchen located on the famous Henrietta Street in Covent Garden. We have dined at the restaurant in their early days of opening and have also sampled their incredible Sake and Seafood at Home kit. When it comes to seafood, these guys know their stuff.

Nearest station: Covent Garden

Sea Containers

I went to the riverside restaurant Sea Containers for a Bottomless Brunch. I must be honest; I was skeptical at first. Normally, I would think that a restaurant in such a prominent and touristy location and attached to a hotel would be more style than substance. But I was actually pretty impressed with the selection and quality of brunch dishes on offer. This is definitely one place to add to your list if you are heading down with your squad for bottomless brunches with riverside views. Their outdoor terrace will re-open on Friday 16 April.

Nearest station: Blackfriars

Daisy Green Collection

When it comes to brunches, no-one does it better than the Aussie cafes in the Daisy Green Collection. So if you are tired of whipping up your own eggs every weekend, head to one of their eight locations for all your egg pop action.

Nearest station: Various

HICCE

Hicce is the brainchild of ex-graphic designer and former head chef of Murano Pip Lacey and her business partner. Pronounced ee-chay which is Latin for  “current, of the moment” and based inside Coal Drops Yard, Hicce definitely has some gorgeous interiors and outstanding dishes on offer. Nearly every dish amazed, delighted and exceeded our expectations when we dined here last year. If you see the Miso Butter Potatoes on the menu, order it and thank me later!

Nearest station: Kings Cross/London St. Pancras

El Pirata of Mayfair

When you can’t travel to Spain, let Spain come to you via El Pirata. Their tapas game is really strong and I am a big fan of their fish, seafood and vegetarian selection in particular. To top it all, Jose and his wonderful team will look after you well.

Nearest station : Hyde Park Corner/Green Park

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta

Say “arrivederci” to Summer 2021 with the splendid Italian spread at Emilia’s. We are big fans of their food and have visited several times before. Both their starters (THAT BURRATA!) and the cured beef are stellar. Their pastas, made fresh daily, are on point too; those sauce slathered ribbons revelling in their al-dente glory, hidden under a snow of cheese. All the dishes and drinks are reasonably priced too. My favourite location is the one at St. Katharine’s Dock; its shimmering marina and the glorious sunshine provides the perfect backdrop to enjoy their delicious pasta and you can be forgiven for thinking you are on holiday somewhere in Italy!

Nearest station: Tower Bridge

Volta do Mar

This lovely restaurant situated near Covent Garden, set in a Georgian Townhouse, boasts of some amazing Portuguese-centred meat, fish and seafood dishes and as well as drinks with influences from Angola, Goa, Mozambique and beyond. They work closely with local producers so you can get the freshest of quality ingredients in Central London. We have dined here twice and were super impressed both times. Volta do Mar roughly translates to ‘return from the sea’, although the menu has a healthy representation of both meat and seafood dishes. 

Nearest station: Covent Garden/Charing Cross

Mama Shelter

This neighbourhood restaurant attached to a hotel has some seriously cool interiors and playful styling. The place seriously impressed us with the vibes! They have spent quite some time and attention to the space; there is a real personality and character to it. It is as cool for a date place as well as family feels! Food was generally good with few areas for improvement. If you spot it on the menu, do go for their Bottomless Sunday Roast, which is stupendous value.

Nearest station : Bethnal Green/Shoreditch

Watch this space for part 2 of this blog series…