London's Best Beer Gardens

Right next door to the famous Cutty Sark in Greenwich, The Gipsy Moth is a popular hangout for locals, tourists and students alike. Friendly, comfortable and reasonably priced, the large beer garden is always packed out in summer. This is a great place to chill out with Sunday lunch or enjoy one of the regular barbecues.

Housed in a 200-year-old building in Maritime Greenwich, The Pilot Inn has tables and chairs at the front overlooking a park, and a pretty walled garden at the back which is perfect for lazy summer evenings. If you want to make a night of it, book into one of the inn's five stylish bedrooms.

Head to sunny Clapham South where you'll find The Avalon's huge beer garden at the rear of the pub. Open during the summer months, this green oasis has a beautiful terrace and plenty of seating. There's also a fantastic Mediterranean grill on Thursday and Friday evenings and all day at the weekend.

The garden at The Eagle in Shepherd's Bush is a real find. It features magnificent cast iron railings, Victorian lanterns and large grassy spaces scattered with picnic benches. During the summer, there's an outdoor bar and regular barbeques. After dark the garden is illuminated with strings of fairy lights and candles.

Grand Union Brixton is probably the only London pub with its own "tree houses" – Thai-style wooden huts that look out over one of the capital's largest beer gardens. Here, you can sip a cocktail among the palm trees and, if you get peckish, order from a menu of gourmet burgers, pizza, breadless stacks and light bites.

After an invigorating walk on Hampstead Heath, relax with a drink at the nearby Freemason's Arms. There's a terrace at the front where you can watch the comings and goings of Hampstead's wealthy residents, and a gorgeous conservatory at the back, which opens onto a large, lively garden.

Another Hampstead favourite is The Garden Gate. Many customers bring their dogs to the pub after a brisk walk on Hampstead Heath and the beer garden always has a good atmosphere. Pop along one weekend for a tasty barbecue or slap-up Sunday lunch, washed down with a pint of speciality beer.

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Camden High Street, not far from Regent's Park, the Edinboro Castle comes into its own in the summer. The large tree-lined garden has an outdoor bar and barbecue, making it the ideal spot for a relaxed drink in the sunshine, or after dark when the fairy lights come on.

With its wisteria covered walls and log fires, The Albion resembles a country pub. In fact the Islington local is a Georgian gem left over from the time when the area was fields and farmland. There's a pretty courtyard with trees and trailing wisteria, and a barbeque in the summer months.

With large terraces overlooking the river Thames, The Ship in Wandsworth is one of London's most picturesque outdoor drinking spots. The pub originally opened in 1786 as the Waterman's Inn. Today you can enjoy real ales, freshly prepared food and summer barbeques.

The Marlborough in leafy Richmond is famous for its huge garden – the largest in the area. There's a conservatory, cute rabbits and guinea pigs, and barbeques at the weekend. A perfect family-friendly establishment with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the place welcomes kids, dogs, cyclists and walkers.