A Londoner in summer will always say 'yes' to a park
London It is a city that lives the summer season in a big way. Contrary to other European capitals like Paris, which are empty in the summer and where many restaurants, bakeries and shops close for a month, London in summer is a party.
The parks fill up, the pop-ups multiply, some of the best exhibitions of the year open their doors and the terraces and rooftops are the place to be seen. Point out the keys to living a weekend in London like a true Londoner.
FRIDAY
dalston It is a good place to start the weekend. The bakery ** Dusty Knuckle ,** which, in addition to making delicious bread, has a social project behind which it employs young people at risk of social exclusion, offers pizza nights every Friday and Saturday in the summer.
Don't expect fast service, but expect a jovial and creative atmosphere in which, whether you're alone or accompanied, you're sure to make friends. The pizza options are pretty straightforward - there are only four, including the margarita.
Located in a slightly hidden cul-de-sac, the bakery is open so you can have your pizza inside, but his thing is to be on the terrace, drinking a craft beer from 40FT brewery and enjoying the cool temperature.
Practically five minutes away is the **Dalston Eastern Curve Garden**, a garden café-restaurant that is a rural paradise in the heart of Hackney .
If the weather is nice, it's a lovely place to have a quiet night surrounded by nature, since this garden, which began as a community project to have more green in one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in London, it is a marvel in which vegetables and fruits are grown. The tables and chairs also allow privacy because the space is very large and they are far apart from each other, divided by the vegetation.
A rooftop between Victorian blocks of flats and with a view of the skyscrapers
If pizza isn't your thing and you'd rather have a wine than a beer, hop on a bus and head over to Clapton to try dine at P. Franco, one of East London's most popular independent natural wine bars.
Hence the idea of trying to have dinner, because this bar is no longer a secret and, since it does not accept reservations, it is difficult to get a place at his valued table.
If you have strength check out the music program at nearby Dalston Roof Park, a space located on a roof, between Victorian blocks of flats and with views of the most emblematic skyscrapers of the city.
SATURDAY
start the day exploring some of the exhibits that are giving more to talk about in the British capital.
One of them is Food: Bigger Than The Plate , which is at the Victoria & Albert Museum through September and explores the different phases of the food system, from optimizing compost to the bacteria that make your kimchi taste the way it does.
After the exhibition, nothing like a brunch and a good full English breakfast to gain strength. ** Bistrotheque ,** located in Shoreditch , is one of the best places for a classic brunch.
This industrial-chic restaurant has a sophisticated and unpredictable menu, but at the same time recognizable enough not to bother with dishes that are too avant-garde.
And since you're going all the way to Shoreditch, why not shop around the designer shops on and around Redchurch Street , such as Labor and Wait or Monologue , as well as art galleries such as Studio 1.1 or Kate MacGarry .
Before you leave Shoreditch, buy picnic supplies in one of the many city parks. A good place to do it is Leila's Shop , a tiny store that now also has a cafe and where they have high-quality products. From seasonal fruit to cheeses or preserves, They have everything you need to spend a relaxing afternoon without missing anything.
One of the best parks for that purpose is Hampstead Heath . This is one of the great green lungs of the city, with 320 hectares of apparently wild land, there are centuries-old trees that provide shade, areas with higher grass and also clearings, as well as parts where it is pure forest.
Wearing a swimsuit is always recommended, because a dip in one of the ponds or in the pool of Parliament Hill it is mandatory. On the Heath there various ponds and you can choose if you want to bathe in those that are only for women or men, or in the mixed ones.
A family on Hampstead Heath
Another option, equally refreshing but less rural, is to stop by one of the lidos (swimming pools) in the city, or directly **stay at Soho House** to have access to the rooftop pool -with spectacular views of the city-, one of the obligatory stops on the London summer circuit.
For dinner, one of the restaurants where British chefs are rising the local seasonal product from a modern point of view they are a good option. Restaurants like Primeur, Lyle's, or Brawn in the east; the classic Quo Vadis in Soho; or Levan in Brixton are good options.
It is best to make a reservation to avoid disappointment. Few things are worse than being a visitor and staying without dinner or ending up having dinner in a place without grace, for not being able to find a table.
In ** Brixton ,** in South London, there are plenty of concert halls and one of them is hootananny , where reggae dominates but they have concerts of other musical genres, often Latin American.
Another good option is Jam , a nightclub where you can extend the night and in which they usually DJ DJs and play international bands . Lastly, to hear soul, funk and blues, the best is to go to **The Blues Kitchen.**
SUNDAY
Sunday is a relaxing day you can get lost walking through one of the busiest neighborhoods in the city, in the west, to enjoy all the gardens that are in all their splendor in summer. Or could you go for a run along the Regent's Canal , although more comfortable -there are usually many people along the canal, not only walking but also cycling, which makes the fact of being able to run a mission itself- it is run in a park, where there is usually less noise.
If more than running, on Sunday morning your body asks for some beers, you have to visit one of craft beer factories scattered throughout the city. Often you have to get off the beaten track to find them, but it's always worth it.
** Beavertown Brewery ,** located in North London, is one of the fastest growing and there are plenty of reasons why. If you visit her, try their specials and their collaborations, or their classics, like Lululoid. If you are looking for something more central, Southwark Brewing is also a good option.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Heading back east, a visit to the instagrammable **Columbia Road Flower Market** is always a good idea. If you can understand the cockney accent of the flower vendors it means that your level of English is up to par.
To eat, stop by King's Cross and explore the new Coal Drop's Yard , a space that has given another life to the old Victorian coal warehouses and in which there are dozens of independent shops and delicious restaurants that is worth exploring. One of them is undoubtedly House the Shepherd , a Mexican restaurant -the original is on London Bridge- that serves some of the best tacos in town.
In the afternoon, nothing like ending the day with an outdoor movie session. Take a look at pop-up screens to see if the dates fit, or Rooftop Film Club , which has various locations around the city, from Peckham to Shoreditch.
They are also organized Summer open-air cinema sessions at London landmarks like Somerset House, Hyde Park or Leicester Square.
Lastly, if you don't want to risk possible inclement British weather, say goodbye to London enjoying one of the best classical music festivals on the planet in one of the best auditoriums in the world: the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall .