London’s Best Outdoor Winter Terraces For 2025
By
3 weeks ago
Al fresco socialising isn't just for summer
It might be getting chillier outside, but that won’t stop Londoners enjoying the great outdoors this winter – and by the great outdoors, we mean pub gardens. The capital’s bar and restaurant scene gets a seasonal makeover around this time of year, which sees its gardens, terrace and rooftops transformed into cosy retreats, complete with twinkling lights, warming tipples and festive cheer aplenty. Don your warmest winter coat, find a friend or two and settle down for a cup of steaming mulled wine at one of London’s best winter terraces.
Al Fresco Bars For Winter In London 2025
Dovetale, Mayfair
Dovetale, Tom Sellers’ restaurant at 1 Hotel Mayfair, has transformed into a winter wonderland for the festive season, with pinecones lining the walls, blankets and wreaths. The famed knickerbocker glory trolley is turning into a hot cocoa cart, where diners can build their own hot chocolate with their choice of toppings, spiked with either sloe gin or whisky. Meanwhile, four woodland huts are popping up in the restaurant’s courtyard, serving spiced cider, mulled wine and Guinness, alongside cookies from Parisian brand the Puffy Hut, plus bratwurst and pretzels.
When? From 18 November 2025
Where? 1 Dover Yard at 1 Hotel Mayfair, London, W1J 8DJ
BOOK: dovetalelondon.com
Ham Yard Hotel, Soho
For most of the year, Ham Yard Hotel’s rooftop is reserved for guests only. But come Christmastime, it opens up to the public for its annual festive pop up – this year called The Fire Garden, and running in collaboration with Sapling Spirits. Sit up camp beside open fire and enjoy festive cocktails like the Spirited Mocha: Irish coffee blended with brownie-infused Sapling vodka and honey cream. The food menu, meanwhile, includes seasonal dishes like WildFarmed flatbread with Woodland mushroom, ricotta and black truffle, and wood-fired skillets such as pigs in blankets, and roast scallops with chicken butter. Blankets and hot water bottles ensure you’ll stay toasty whatever the weather.
When? From 29 November 2025
Where? 1 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT
BOOK: firmdalehotels.com
Kitchen at Holmes, Marylebone
After a day of Christmas shopping on Marylebone High Street, head to Kitchen at Holmes for a suitably festive meal on its terrace. The heated space is channelling après-ski spirit with seasonal foliage, wooden decor and fairy lights, with a menu of alpine-inspired dishes such as porcini mushroom vol-au-vents and smoked salmon blinis, alongside whisky cocktails. Keen to make a night of it? After dinner, head upstairs to the newly renovated rooftop cinema, which will host screenings of movies from Love Actually to Elf and The Holiday.
When? From 21 November 2025
Where? 108 Baker Street, London W1U 6LJ
BOOK: kitchenatholmes.co.uk
Panzer’s, St John’s Wood
After stocking up on Christmas gifts for the foodies in your life at North London institution Panzer’s, treat yourself to a pizza on the recently expanded terrace. Try viral favourites from the store’s on-site pizzeria Circus, like the Fungi-er Than Thou, topped with mushroom ragu and truffle pangrattato, and be sure to finish with the Portuguese Custard pizza, described as ‘the love child of a Portuguese custard tart and our pillowy dough’. Festive events will run throughout the season too, from a black truffle tasting to live Christmas carols.
When? Open year round
Where? 13-19 Circus Rd, London NW8 6PB
BOOK: panzers.co.uk
Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, Mayfair
Have a glass (or three) of champagne at Bentley’s, Richard Corrigan’s long-standing seafood hotspot. The 60-seat terrace has been decked out with heaters and blankets – plus it’s covered, meaning you’re sheltered from bad weather. Get shucking with a platter of oysters from the specialist menu, which showcases the finest rocks and natives from UK shores, followed by hearty signature dishes like fish pie and lobster thermidor.
When? Open year round
Where? 11-15 Swallow St, Piccadilly, London W1B 4DG
BOOK: bentleys.org
Sabine, St Paul’s
For rooftop drinks in the city this winter, head upwards to Sabine, which is perched atop the Leonardo Royal London St Paul’s and boasts impressive views of the city skyline. The new autumn/winter menu includes sharing plates like calamari, mac ‘n’ cheese croquettes, and pumpkin and sage ravioli, plus desserts like sticky date pudding and matcha tea crème brûlée. Pair with seasonal cocktails: the Zephyr blends cinnamon-infused rum with grape cordial and citrus, while the Lyra is a sweet drink made with chocolate liqueur, chocolate bitters, pisco and condensed milk.
When? Open year round
Where? 10 Godliman St, London EC4V 5AJ
BOOK: sabinelondon.co.uk
Kapara, Soho
Eran Tibi’s Mediterranean-inspired Soho restaurant Kapara is launching its first-ever winter terrace this year. Candles, fairy lights and frosted branches will set the scene, with cocktails from local bar Milk & Honey alongside spiced mulled wine. Amid this space, enjoy dishes from the festive menu, which includes the likes of dates in blankets with goat’s cheese, clementine cured salmon, and cauliflower crumble with grape molasses.
When? Opening November 2025, date TBC
Where? James Court, 14 Greek St, London W1D 4DP
BOOK: kaparasoho.co.uk
Dalloway Terrace, Bloomsbury
Named after the eponymous character created by Virginia Woolf, forever a Bloomsbury association, Dalloway Terrace is similarly elegant, poetic and quintessentially English. Its flower-covered outdoor space makes it one of the city’s most sought-after al fresco drinking spots across all seasons. Every winter, it’s transformed into a cosy retreat – last year that involved snow-capped fir trees and frosted pine cones, alongside seasonal cocktails and warming dishes. We haven’t yet got the details of this year’s edition, but Dalloway Terrace always delivers on the festive feels.
When? Open year-round
Where? 16-22 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3NN
BOOK: dallowayterrace.com
The Hawk’s Nest, Shepherd’s Bush
Shepherd’s Bush hotspot The Hawk’s Nest is one of London’s most popular spots for al fresco drinks. Covered and heated, and offering plenty of space, it’s perfect for winter get-togethers with big groups, fuelled by wood-fired pizzas. Get there early to make the most of the margarita deal, where you can enjoy a margherita pizza and a margarita cocktail for just £14.50. Not a tequila fan? Fear not: there are an abundance of cocktails to choose from, including a Salted Caramel Old Fashioned, alongside steaming cups of mulled wine. Look out, too, for weekly quiz nights, wreath making workshops and more.
When? Open year round
Where? Goldhawk Rd, Shepherd’s Bush Market, London W12 8DF
BOOK: the-hawks-nest.co.uk
Acme Fire Cult, Dalston
Vegetables take centre stage at Dalston restaurant Acme Fire Cult, which is all about live fire cooking. A partnership with 40FT Brewery, it’s home to a heated, sheltered terrace which is perfect for al fresco feasting, offering an array of seasonal dishes such as coal roast celeriac and Delica pumpkin with figs. There are also 10 taps serving up beers produced on-site, alongside a selection of winter cocktails.
When? Open year-round
Where? Abbot St, London E8 3DP
BOOK: acmefirecult.com
