Finding the perfect picnic spot in London is both an art and a science. You need somewhere spacious enough to lay down your blanket; ideally it needs to be close to either shops or transport links (preferably both) so you're not lugging your edible treasure for miles. Toilets nearby are a good idea. If you've got kids, you'll need space for them to run around (and as fully-grown adults, we're partial to a picnic game of rounders or frisbee too). Also, you'll probably want somewhere with a decent view (because let's be honest, you haven't gone to all this trouble to stare at a brick wall).
With all that in mind, here are a few of our favourite picnic spots in London. Of course, the list could never come close to being exhaustive, and you may well have additional suggestions.
Picnic on Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath
For a green space with iconic London views, Parliament Hill is hard to beat. Lay your picnic blanket somewhere on the south-facing grassy slope (nearest station: Gospel Oak) and gobble up views of the London skyline as you scarf down your sausage rolls. Crucially, it's predominantly grass and trees around here, no flowers to attract those pesky wasps.
The higher you ascend the gradual incline, the better the views, and though there are a few benches scattered along the top, they're highly-coveted, particularly on fair-weather days. That said, the bottom of the slope is closest to the Parliament Hill Playground (one of London's more impressive free play areas, with splash zone included) and those all-important public toilets, so might be a better spot if you've got kids.
Also nearby is the Parliament Hill Lido, ideal if you fancy swimming a few laps there, followed up by lunch with a view on the hill.
Picnic on Primrose Hill, Camden
Offering similar views to Parliament Hill, but closer to central London, Primrose Hill centres around the eponymous mound, with ample grassy slope for spreading out and making the most of the views, whether you're planning an intimate picnic for two, or a larger group gathering.
The nearby Regent's Park Road, with its villagey high street vibes, has a few places where you can stock up on supplies — or take a diversion via Gloucester Avenue for sweet treats from the Primrose Hill Bakery.
A playground, cafe and public toilets can be found at the flatter grassy area at the bottom of the slope. Nearest station is Chalk Farm, around a 10-minute walk away, and the 274 bus stops at the bottom of the hill.
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Picnic with Persian ice cream
In need of some frozen treats to complete your al fresco feast? We enjoy a Mr Whippy as much as the next person but in London you can do SO much better. Darlish has artisanal ice cream parlours close to several picnic hotspots, serving up gloriously dense and unapologetically indulgent scoops in a variety of unique, Persian-inspired flavours.
Top of the list to try? Saffron, rosewater and pistachio (a truly sublime combo that’s a classic in Iranian cuisine but has, until now, flown scandalously below the radar here). We’re also big fans of Darlish’s Turkish coffee, sweet cream and sour cherry, and candied orange and pistachio-bejewelled orange blossom flavours. There are some top-tier vegan options too, from coconut and raspberry ice cream to sour cherry sorbet. Oh, and – forgive us for burying the lede here – you’re welcome to forgo the traditional cone or pot in favour of a baklava ice cream sandwich.
You’ll find Darlish in Bloomsbury (close to both Bloomsbury Square and Russell Square), Spitalfields (pick up some other bits in Spitalfields Market while you’re there and then simply stroll down Brick Lane to Allen Gardens), and Notting Hill (a short cycle to Kensington Gardens). There are also parlours further afield, at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire and in St Albans. Darlish is even on Deliveroo so, depending where you’re headed you just might be able to get sharing tubs delivered pretty much to your picnic blanket. Talk about luxury!
Picnic at Victoria Embankment Gardens, Charing Cross
Probably London's most central picnic spot if you class Charing Cross as the centre of London, Victoria Embankment Gardens are a beautiful location to while away an afternoon, the flower beds always offering a riotously colourful background. It's a popular lunch spot for nearby office workers, with a generous number of benches, and plenty of grass available if the benches are taken.
The sliver of park nudges up alongside the Thames around the back of The Savoy, and along the river on the other side of Northumberland Avenue too, handily located for picking up a few nibbles at the cafes and shops of Strand and surrounds (personally, we're fans of Gordon's Deli on Villiers Street which offers the likes of scotch eggs, pork pies, and ready-made picnic boxes). The eastern end of the park has a couple of cafes of its own, too.
A Changing Places toilet is located close to Embankment station, with further toilets inside Charing Cross National Rail station (though note the closure of this station in summer 2026). A small playground featuring swings, a short slide and a wooden ship can be found at the eastern tip of the garden, though if you've got older kids, or you're planning to spend a long time here, it might not be enough to keep them entertained. The diminutive size and slender shape of the park makes other games tricky.
Picnic in Bloomsbury Square
Right along the street from the British Museum, Bloomsbury Square is a small park with a smattering of benches around the edges, and picnic-worthy grass dotted with mature trees in the centre. Popular with local workers on their breaks, but it also has a small playground in one corner, suitable for toddlers and younger children.
A couple of minutes walk away, Russell Square is a larger garden square. No playground here, but there is a popular Italian cafe in the north-east corner.
Note that neither Bloomsbury Square nor Russell Square have public toilets, but there are plenty of nearby pubs and the British Museum, whose loos you might sneakily use.
Picnic in Brent Lodge Park, Hanwell
Around 10 minutes walk from Hanwell station on the Elizabeth line, and part of Section 8 of the Capital Ring Walk, Brent Lodge Park is home to a wealth of riches for a day out: a (FREE!) maze, a cheap zoo, a magnificent viaduct... and plenty of space for picnicking.
Most of the action takes place in the centre of the park: right between the zoo and the maze are a free playground, public toilets and The Burrow cafe, ideal for any picnic bits you might have forgotten. Further out, the park — which in encircled by the River Brent on two sides, if you fancy a riverside picnic — has ample fields and meadows where you can laze around to your heart's content.
A small and busy car park is available within the park, but don't bank on getting a space on a summer day.
Picnic at Thames Barrier Park
So you want a riverside spot, without the hustle and crowds of, say, Victoria Embankment Gardens? Thames Barrier Park is just a couple of minutes away from Pontoon Dock on the DLR, and ticks all the picnic boxes: views of the water (and the Barrier which gives the park its name), plenty of grass among the trees for setting up your feast, a children's playground, and a cafe with public toilets.
Beyond the flat grass, the park is home to some of the most interesting arboreal architecture in London, the 'Green Dock'. The sunken garden runs diagonally across the park, with wave-shaped topiary imitating the water nearby, and two footbridges crossing it to give you a bird's eye view.
Picnic in Battersea Park
For river views from the other side, Battersea Park is your place. It offers several large open fields (though they're often used for sports, so check before setting up your picnic) alongside a selection of themed areas, including a winter garden, a subtropical garden and a herb garden, as well as a boating lake, a bandstand and a peace pagoda. In short: everything any self-respecting park needs. Toilets and the playground are in the south-west corner of the park, with further toilets just outside the children's zoo. Our favourite spot is the Russell Page Garden, a sunken fountain garden surrounded by a veritable army of benches.
Picnic at Allen Gardens, Shoreditch
For a more urban take on picnic surroundings, head around the back of Brick Lane to Allen Gardens (a 10-minute walk from Shoreditch High Street station). The modestly sized park is close to Spitalfields City Farm at one end, with London Overhground trains whizzing past nearby, and the art from nearby "Graffiti Alley" spilling out onto the park's own walls. Meanwhile, Brick Lane is just a hop to the left.
Picnic at St Dunstan in the East
Probably London's least secret so-called "hidden gem", St Dunstan in the East is an atmospheric garden set among the bombed-out ruins of a Wren-designed church. A wealth of benches offer City workers and picnickers somewhere to eat their lunch, though there is a small patch of grass for picnic-blanket purists. The interesting fauna and beautiful setting more than make up for the lack of facilities (no cafe/toilets, though there are plenty of coffee shops and the like nearby in the City). Another 'quirky' spot in the Square Mile is Postman's Park, which has a relatively large green space, and the famous 'wall of heroic sacrifice', with public toilets not too far away in Paternoster Square.
Picnic at Beckenham Place Park
Fancy combining your picnic with a spot of open-water swimming? Beckenham Place Park is home to London's first purpose-built swimming lake, a 285 metre long body of water with bookable swimming and paddleboarding sessions (best done before you tuck into your lunch). Plenty of open grass and woodland areas are available for laying down your picnic rug, including a lawn overlooking the lake.
A cafe, toilets and more formal gardens can be found inside the stableyard of Beckenham Place Mansion (which itself often opens for events including craft markets). The park offers two playgrounds (though one is currently closed — updates here), as well as three different nature walking trails wending through the woodland (they're at their best in bluebell season) ideal for working up an appetite, as well as a bike trail. All this is easily accessible via Beckenham Hill or Ravensbourne National Rail stations.
Picnic at Brockwell Park
South London's greatest park? It has to be a contender, what with the City views, miniature railway, playgrounds, varied landscape and, of course, the famous lido. Herne Hill station (Thameslink) is right alongside, as are numerous bijou cafes and shops.
Picnic at Crystal Palace Park
Another great 'all-rounder' choice, Crystal Palace Park has views, gentle slopes, cafes, toilets, playgrounds... a maze, dinosaurs, and more history than you could shake a stick at (it's got lots of sticks, too). It's easily reached via Windrush line trains. And if you fancy a bit of a kickabout, know that 20 FA Cup finals were staged in the park during the early 20th century.
Picnic at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
From industrial wasteland to cultural hub within a couple of decades, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a huge open space in east London offering ample facilities: playgrounds, cafes and restaurants, rivers and waterways, public toilets... not to mention a couple of massive museums.
For picnicking, you can stick to the lively southern end of the park (nearest stations: Stratford and Hackney Wick) where paths lined with benches criss-cross grassy areas. Picnic with views of landmarks including the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the London Stadium.
Alternatively, walk further north through the park for wetlands, woodlands, open meadows, and up into Hackney Marshes (or even further up into the Lee Valley Regional Park, closest station Lea Bridge). One of the best places to feel like you're in the countryside, without leaving London.
Picnic in Epping Forest
Speaking of countryside in London — and Essex — Epping Forest is basically one large picnic spot, from open glades to shaded woodland clearings, though many are far from public transport so best accessed if you have a car. Particularly popular is the High Beech area surrounding High Beach Visitor Centre and car park, which is largely forest and woodland.
Picnicking in London's Royal Parks
What about the Royal Parks, you ask? With the exception of Primrose Hill, we haven't mentioned them above as they're already well-known and incredibly popular picnic spots in the capital, offering ample space, wildlife, and facilities such as public toilets, playgrounds and cafes/refreshment kiosks. Check out the Royal Parks website for further info on all of them, from the green pockets of central London to the sprawling wilderness of Richmond Park out west, and the gentle slopes of Greenwich Park to the east (head to the One Tree Hill end to avoid the tourist scramble).
Mapped: London's best picnic spots
We've put the above together into this handy map, so you can find your nearest place to plonk downw your picnic rug and make a day of it:
