Things to do in London for the May bank holiday weekends

It is an indisputable fact the early May bank holiday is the unofficial start of summer in London. Everything is in bloom, the trees are decked out in green, the days stretch long into the nights, and as we gulp down pints there's a refreshing 'ahhh' that follows, replacing winter's dejected sigh. And it all starts with the early bank holiday weekend in May – which is fast approaching, so let's take a look at what you should be doing to kick off the start of summer.

Events

If you like the feeling of exclusivity by flashing a ticket to gain entry somewhere, you're in luck, there are a couple of ticketed events happening over both bank holiday weekends, indoor and outdoor, just in case there's a little bit of you-know-what in the weather (we're not saying anything so as not to jinx it).

Urban Food Fest

The Urban Food Fest has once again taken up residence in Shoreditch, if you miss it the first bank holiday weekend, no worries, cos it's on all month. Head over, stuff your face with macaroni toasties, gochujang fried chicken burgers, poutine and every other street food that conspicuously makes you thirsty for beer.

Spring Celebration Beer Festival at Gipsy Hill Brewery

That is a mouthful to say – and to write – so we are henceforth referring to this event as the Gipsy Hill Brewery beer fest. It's taking place on Saturday 4 May and we assume only South Londoners and absolute beer aficionados are attending because it's in Gipsy Hill – we're kidding, of course. It takes an hour to get anywhere in London, quit complaining. It's ticketed so you should hope there are still tickets left.

Queen’s Yard Summer Party

Head over to Hackney Wick for the Queen's Yard Summer Party on Saturday 4 May. This is the place for people who like getting pickled during the daylight hours and having a boogie to electronic, house, disco, and a bit of techno, cos why not? It's essentially one massive, sanctioned pub crawl of Hackney Wick's bars.

Rooftop Film Club

Thanks to the weather turning it's finally time to enjoy rooftop films again. Head over to the Rooftop Film Club at the bank holiday weekends to catch a roster of cinema classics like noughties indie fave (500) Days of Summer, '90s cult classic True Romance, the original Jurassic Park, and a whole host of other films.

Also on

• Sicily Fest – early bank holiday weekend, Angel
• Peckham Fringe – both bank holiday weekends, Peckham
• Belgravia in Bloom – 20 May – 27 May and Chelsea in Bloom from the 21 – 25 May

Rooftop bars

People think rooftop bars in cities are popular because of the panoramic views of the city skyline. Wrong. The skyscrapers just get in the way of city-dwellers trying to soak up the sunshine, avoiding their overpriced damp flats that are overshadowed by these modern Goliaths. As the world gets warmer, London's flats get damper and more expensive, but the plus side is rooftop bars are only becoming more popular. Here's a look at some top rooftop bars to soak up much-needed Vitamin D during the bank holiday weekends.

Kraft Dalston

Kraft's rooftop offers a stunning view looking out over the Victorian buildings of Dalston and further afield to the City. Palm fronds, relaxed furniture, craft beer, and cocktails. We've seen everything from a group of friends catching up to a lone wolf reading a book whilst having a pint and taking in the view. Possibly one of the chillest rooftop bars in East London.

Frank’s Cafe

The much-loved Frank's Cafe will open from the 17 May, just in time for the second bank holiday weekend. It's one of Peckham's favourite bars and the reason Londoners from the North, East, and West head to Peckham in the summer. We need not say more. If you haven't been, just go.

Netil360

The ever-popular Netil360 looks out over the rooftops of London Fields and Hackney. The panoramic views, DJ sets, and saunas make the climb up nine flights of stairs just about worth it.

The Nest

The Nest atop the Treehouse Hotel in Fitzrovia is decked out in more plants than most Londoner's flats – come on, let's not pretend that people in the '90s had as many Monsteras and Swiss cheese plants as they do now. We love the stunning views looking out over Fitzrovia and central London, and yeah, we like the botanical ambience, we expect nothing less from the Treehouse Hotel.

Flute at the Soho Broadwick Hotel

Flute at the Soho Broadwick Hotel will probably give other central London rooftop bars a run for their money. Increasingly popular, utterly camp and over the top, and eclectically stylish, the Soho Broadwick Hotel and Flute has – excuse us for using such an archaic term here – a 'vibe'. The tunes are great, the drinks equally great, and the entire place is just a love letter to Soho.

Madison Terrace & Rooftop Lounge

The rooftop terrace at Madison with its views of St Paul's is an ever-popular choice of rooftop bar in the City. It naturally attracts a lot of City-types and people who really want to feel like they're in London (read: tourists), but it should be experienced at least once for the epic views of the cathedral.

The Standard

Enjoy a day at The Standard's rooftop in Kings Cross for DJ sets, pizza slices, and a great view of St Pancras station. It's got that swish yet edgy international hotel aesthetic, that kind of London Fashion Week atmosphere popular with influencers who will definitely be drawn to the Instagrammable rooftop bar like moths to a flame.

The Broadcaster

The rooftop at The Broadcaster in White City really stands out, we can't think of another rooftop bar in the area. It's open, spacious, relaxed, and most importantly, away from the busyness of central London.

Other rooftop bars

• Joia, Battersea
• Forza Wine, Peckham
• Queen of Hoxton, Shoreditch
• Boundary, Shoreditch
• NT’s Loft, Hackney
• Lucky Club, Camden
• The Scottish Stores, Kings Cross

For more sun traps check out our rooftop bars list, and top 7 East London rooftop bars and City of London rooftop bars.

Beer gardens

If rooftop bars aren't your thing; if a £16 Rosemary & Thyme Negroni makes your eyes roll so hard you can see out the back of your head; if you just want a good old-fashioned boozer where you can get a pint, don't worry, the May bank holiday weekends are for you too, cos at the end of the day, nobody's going to object to a session in a beer garden.

The Southampton Arms

One of the cosiest beer gardens is at The Southampton Arms in Kentish Town, the unadorned old-school alehouse keeps a minimal bar with a dedication to ales and ciders from independent breweries. They typically have live music in the form of an old timer playing the sax or someone tinkering away on an old piano – sounds you can hear from the beer garden in the back. It's naturally adorned in greenery, small enough to swing a cat in, and if you're lucky enough to grab a seat on a sunny day, you won't let go of it for hours. Parts of it do have an overhang so even if the weather is rainy, it's still a great beer garden for a drink and a game of cards.

The Crooked Billet

By far the best beer garden in E5, Crooked Billet's festooned backyard has rightly become a place of pilgrimage for the salmon-wearing, wild wave-drinking sun-seekers of East London. The 30-or-so tables out the back of this Clapton pub are ripe for sport watching, pizza eating, and just generally drinking in the heat until you can't distinguish between sunstroke and your 8th pale ale. We've also spotted Daisy Edgar Jones here, and if it's good enough for her it's almost certainly good enough for you.

The Faltering Fullback

The Faltering Fullback or just The Fullback in Finsbury Park is an Irish bar with a sun-trap of a beer garden that manages to feel as quirky as the inside of the pub. If you're North London based then you should already know it, and if not, it's worth a trip at the weekend.

The Crabtree

The Crabtree is a Hammersmith river bar with leafy green terraces that offer a great views of the Thames, Hammersmith Bridge and Putney Bridge. A relaxing West London beer garden if there ever was one, it's for drinking ciders on ice, Aperol Spritz, and botanical gins.

The Angel Oak

The Angel Oak in Peckham has a massive beer garden that's been done up in recent years and is probably one of our favourite beer gardens in South East London. Sunshine, pints, Aperol – the lot. If you live in the area, you know it, and if you don't and feel like venturing elsewhere in London for the bank holidays, you can't go wrong with The Angel Oak.

Other London beer gardens

• The People’s Park Tavern, Victoria Park
• The Victoria, Mile End
• The Garden Gate, Hampstead
• The Duke of Edinburgh, Brixton
• The Crown and Greyhound, Dulwich
• The Dove, Hammersmith

Want more? Check out some of London's amazing beer gardens and our selection of the best Hammersmith river bars.

Brunch

The idea of brunch could be a blessing or a curse depending on whether you have a hangover and its level of severity, but in the end, it always hits the spot when done right. Either way, here are some top brunch spots for the bank holiday weekends.

Rapsa @100 Hoxton

Filipino fusion brunch at Rapsa @100 Hoxton offers the grand slam of brunches with its Lechon Kawali – slow roasted pork belly, chilli vinegar, served with garlic fried rice, fried eggs and atchara pickle, pair that with the famous spring onion hash brown and you've got a bona fide brunch. We also rate the fried chicken and waffles and always order extra portions of the atchara pickle and spring onion hash.

Mae + Harvey Cafe

Neighbourhood spot on Roman Road, Mae + Harvey Cafe is one of the brunch spots you want to write off when you see the queue, muttering to yourself that it's just brunch and you're not waiting that long for eggs. But. But. The queue doesn't take that long and, honestly, it's one of our top brunch spots in London. No fuss, no frills, Mae + Harvey is solid, never disappoints and is always done perfectly.

Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings

When the hangover is strong and you feel like a shell of yourself, when you need coffee, water, sustenance and hair of the dog, there's something about Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings' botanical setting that's grounding and relaxing and makes you feel just that little bit more human. So if you're anywhere near Clerkenwell when the hangover strikes, head on over.

BIBO at Mondrian Shoreditch

Andalusian flavours at BIBO in Shoreditch is a pretty decadent brunch, a recommended-in-the-Michelin-guide kind of brunch. Why have bacon, eggs, and toast when you can have a skillet of paella with eggs and fine slices of jamón? It's decadent but it's delicious and it's a May bank holiday weekend, go big or go home.

The Farmer’s Mistress

Farm-to-table brunch was never done so well as it's done at The Farmer's Mistress in Battersea. We like the playfully risqué name, the absolute love affair with top-quality ingredients and the prettiest plates of food that taste just as good as you want them to. It's cosy, it has a great ambience, and if the plates of food weren't good enough they also do a mean cocktail.

Akub

Brunch at Palestinian restaurant Akub in Notting Hill is a real brunch contender in the neighbourhood and that's saying a lot. We rate the restaurant's understated decor and ambience which adds to an overall relaxed brunch experience which is just what you need sometimes. The sandweeshat akub – labaneh, boiled egg, pomegranate, and zaatar bread with Arabic coffee is an absolute winner.

Other great brunch spots in London

• Where the Pancakes Are, Southwark
• Bergamot Cafe, Shepherd's Bush
• Milk, Balham
• Mr Bao, Peckham
• WAVE, Hackney
• The Laundry, Brixton
• Caravan Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell
• Ozone, Hackney and Shoreditch
• Milk Beach, Queen’s Road and Soho

Outdoor dining

During a 3-day weekend sometimes you just want to sleep in, brunch be damned. But the days are long, the weather is fine, and there are plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating for you to soak in the sun's rays, feel the breeze, and dine al fresco.

The Culpeper

The Culpeper in Spitalfields offers one of the finest garden rooftops with stunning City views that we can't rate enough. It's the kind of rooftop you wish was your own personal garden, and knowing that may of what's grown on the rooftop ends up in your dish and in your cocktails is even better.

Rochelle Canteen

Rochelle Canteen on Redchurch Street in Shoreditch is the exception to the rule when it comes to the neighbourhood and its typically busy streets. No photo will ever do the Rochelle garden justice, gently overflowing with flowers and herbs, a little rustic, and completely relaxed. Some of you may be looking for something a little more rowdy at the bank holiday weekend, and there's nothing wrong with that, but some of you are just looking to relax in the fine weather and enjoy some good food and Rochelle Canteen – a long time favourite – is for you.

Towpath Cafe

The Towpath Cafe canalside in Haggerston is ever-popular, always busy, but always great when you get a seat. There's something about sitting alongside Regent's Canal on a sunny day that competes with rooftop views, perhaps it's just the allure of sitting near a body of water, but it has the same allure of being sky-high. Either way, you can't go wrong with the Towpath.

The Garden Café

If you unwittingly find yourself in central London during one of the bank holiday weekends, stay calm, don't fear, and take refuge at the Garden Café in the South Bank Centre, trust us. There's something to be said for dining surrounded by lush greenery and sunshine, a welcome respite, away from the busy crowds of South Bank.

Other outdoor restaurants in London

• The Drapers Arms, Islington
• The River Cafe, Hammersmith
• Toklas, Temple
• The Thomas Cubitt, Belgravia
• Scott’s Richmond, Richmond
• Brunswick House, Vauxhall

Want more outdoor dining or dining with a view? Check out London private dining with a view and City of London private dining with a view.

Music

The dawn festival season approaches and there's more than enough music to go around during both bank holiday weekends. Get your sunnies, sunblock and shorts on, we've got everything from disco to indie for you.

Brixton Disco Festival

Taking place during the early May bank holiday, the Brixton Disco Festival is for all you lovers of house, funk, and groove. Platforms and bellbottoms optional, absolutely gettin' down required.

Wide Awake Festival

Check out Dry Cleaning, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Ben UFO and Slowdive and many other acts at Wide Awake independent music festival, returning to Brockwell Park on 25 May.

Cross The Tracks

You should really already have your tickets for London's jazz, funk and soul festival, Cross the Tracks. It's taking plate during the second bank holiday weekend and the headliners this year are Erykah Badu and BadBadNotGood. If you're just finding out about this we're terribly sorry. Don't worry, there will still be tickets. Probably. Maybe.

Dalston Superstore 15th birthday bash

If you feel old knowing that Dalston Superstore is turning 15 this year, don't worry, you're not alone. Honestly? We don't know why ageing gets such a bad rap, all the good things in life get better with age – wine, whisky, Dalston Superstore. Head over on Saturday 5 May for a night of drag, decadence, DJs, and all the good things in life.

Parks

Living in a city with nearly nine million other people, we're immensely luck to have the green spaces that London has. This is never more true than on a bank holiday weekend during the warmer part of the year. Whether it's a long walk that ends in a pub, or sunbathing on blanket with a couple of cans and a couple of friends, or falling asleep with your book on your face in the sunshine, let's remind all of you that without London's parks we'd go absolutely crazy.

Richmond

Unless you're lucky enough to live West, a trip to Richmond Park is a daylong outing. We love it for the big walks, and the winding route along the Thames. We like punctuating the day with stops at the pub and ending the day in the pub. And yeah, we're city dwellers, so no matter how many times we see it we never get over seeing deer within the bounds of London.

Wimbledon Common

If you're looking for a day out in the great outdoors, we recommend doing part of the Capital Ring Walk that starts in Wimbledon Common and takes you on a stunning route through West London and Richmond Park. It's a whole day out and a good one to do with the gang.

Hampstead Heath

If heading out to Richmond is too much of a trek for you then it's Hampstead Heath all the way, and we don't want to hear any complaints – it's Zone 2 with an Underground stop, two Overground stops, and umpteen million bus stops. Sit in the park with friends, a couple of drinks and snacks or head out towards the Hampstead Heath Overground exit and pay a visit to the beer garden at the Garden Gate in Hampstead. If you're on the other side of the heath, down by the Parliament Hill Lido, take the exit onto Highgate Road and head to the beer garden at the Southampton Arms in Kentish Town.

Victoria Park

Indisputably the London park for you, your mates, a couple of cans, and a BlueTooth speaker. When the sun starts to go down shuffle over to Bethnal Green, Hackney, or down along the canal to Hackney Wick. We don't need to sell this to you, it's Vicky Park, guys, and we all love it.

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