Sunny Terraces in London: Making the Most of Every Ray in the British Capital

London and the art of chasing the sun

London has a complicated relationship with the sun. At 51.5 degrees north latitude, the city receives a modest 1,500 hours of sunshine per year — roughly half of what Lisbon or Barcelona enjoys. The sun never climbs higher than about 62 degrees above the horizon even at midsummer, and in midwinter it barely reaches 15 degrees. Cloud cover is frequent, and the sun can appear and disappear multiple times in a single afternoon.

But this scarcity is precisely what makes sunny terraces so precious in London. When the sun comes out, Londoners respond with an enthusiasm that would seem excessive in warmer climates but is entirely justified here. Parks fill instantly, pub gardens overflow, and every south-facing bench is claimed within minutes. The British expression "make hay while the sun shines" could be the motto of London terrace culture.

The good news is that London has an extraordinary variety of outdoor seating options, from historic pub gardens to sleek rooftop bars, from canal-side cafes to grand public squares. And because the city is relatively low-rise compared to, say, Manhattan or Hong Kong, with most buildings in the center standing at six stories or fewer, sunlight does reach street level more readily than you might expect. The key is knowing where to look.

South Bank and the Thames

The South Bank of the Thames, stretching from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge, is one of London's premier sunny terrace zones. The wide riverside promenade faces north across the river, but because the Thames is so wide at this point (roughly 250 meters), there are no buildings to the north that cast shadows on the south bank. You get full sun from the south without obstruction, plus reflected light from the water.

The stretch between the National Theatre and the Tate Modern is particularly good. The cafes and restaurants along this promenade — including the terraces at the National Theatre, the Oxo Tower, and Gabriel's Wharf — have south-facing terraces that catch sun from mid-morning through the afternoon. The Tate Modern's south-facing terrace on the upper levels is one of the city's great sunny spots, with panoramic views and no shadow-casting buildings nearby.

Borough Market, just south of London Bridge, has a more sheltered terrace environment. The market's covered sections provide shade, but the cafes along Park Street and in the Jubilee Market area have outdoor seating that catches midday sun. Nearby, Flat Iron Square and Vinegar Yard are newer outdoor eating spaces designed with sun-catching in mind — open to the sky with seating arranged to maximize southern exposure.

On the north bank, the Embankment Gardens between Charing Cross and Temple stations offer a sheltered, south-facing public garden with benches and a bandstand. The gardens are slightly elevated from the road and backed by the buildings of the Strand, creating a warm, protected microclimate on sunny days. While there are no cafe terraces here, you can bring a takeaway coffee and enjoy one of central London's most reliably sunny spots.

Soho, Covent Garden, and the West End

Soho's grid of narrow streets can be quite shaded, but the district has a few secret weapons. Soho Square, the neighborhood's green heart, is a small park surrounded by buildings on all sides but with enough open sky above to catch midday sun. The benches and grass fill up instantly on sunny days — getting a spot is a competitive sport in this part of London. The cafes facing the square on the south and west sides have some outdoor seating that benefits from the square's openness.

Old Compton Street, Soho's famous cafe strip, runs roughly east-west. The terraces on the north side face south and get the best sun, particularly the stretch between Frith Street and Greek Street. Dean Street and Frith Street, running north-south, have pockets of sun where they widen or where buildings are lower. The newer developments around Berwick Street Market have created small open areas with cafe seating that catches afternoon sun.

Covent Garden's Piazza is one of central London's best sun traps. The large, open square, with the market building in the center and low surrounding structures, receives generous sun from late morning. The terraces on the north side of the Piazza, facing south across the open square, are the sunniest. The area around Neal's Yard — a tiny, colorful courtyard — gets a surprising amount of midday sun due to its open-top design, though it is small enough to be in shadow by mid-afternoon.

Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square both work well for sun, though they are more tourist-heavy. Trafalgar Square, wide open and oriented to catch light from the south, has the steps of the National Gallery as an improvised sunny seating area, and the cafes in the nearby St Martin's Courtyard offer sheltered terraces with decent sun exposure.

Shoreditch, Hackney, and east London

East London's terrace culture is centered on a mix of converted warehouses, canal-side bars, and public spaces. The Regent's Canal, running through Hackney, Haggerston, and on to Camden in the west, has become one of London's favorite outdoor drinking and dining corridors. The towpath is lined with cafes and bars, and the south-facing bank (the north bank of the east-west stretches) gets the best sun. Towpath Cafe in Haggerston is a legendary spot — a narrow strip of tables along the canal that fills up the moment sun appears.

Broadway Market in Hackney, particularly on Saturdays when the street market is in full swing, has several cafes with sunny terraces. London Fields, the park at the southern end of the market, is famous for its summertime sunbathing scene — the south-facing grassy slopes become London's unofficial beach on hot days. The pub gardens along the western edge of the park catch afternoon and evening sun.

In Shoreditch, the rooftop bars and terraces take advantage of the area's relatively low-rise buildings. Queen of Hoxton's rooftop on Curtain Road is one of the most popular, with 360-degree sky exposure. At street level, the area around Redchurch Street and the Boxpark container mall on Shoreditch High Street have outdoor seating areas that benefit from the wide streets and modern, set-back architecture.

Pub gardens, parks, and seasonal wisdom

London's pub gardens are the beating heart of British outdoor drinking culture, and many are specifically designed or positioned for maximum sun. The best pub gardens face south with minimal overhead obstruction. Notable examples include The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead (a leafy, sun-dappled beer garden on the edge of Hampstead Heath), The Albion in Islington (a walled garden that traps afternoon sun), and The Dove in Hammersmith (a tiny riverside terrace that catches evening sun reflecting off the Thames).

London's Royal Parks are, of course, the ultimate sunny terraces — they just happen to be grass rather than paving. The cafes in Hyde Park (particularly the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen, with its south-facing lakeside terrace), Regent's Park (the Garden Cafe has a sheltered, sunny courtyard), and Greenwich Park (the panoramic hilltop is one of London's finest south-facing viewpoints) all offer reliable sunny outdoor seating.

Seasonal timing in London is critical. The genuine terrace season runs from late April through September, though global warming has been extending it at both ends. May through July is the sweet spot — long days (up to 16.5 hours of daylight in June), relatively reliable sunshine, and comfortable temperatures. The sun sets as late as 21:15 in midsummer, giving you long evening terrace sessions in golden light.

But London being London, you need to seize the sun when it appears. A sunny Tuesday in March can be better for terraces than a cloudy Saturday in July. This is where Coffee in the Sun becomes invaluable for Londoners — the real-time shadow map shows you not just where the sun is hitting right now, but combined with a weather forecast, it helps you plan exactly when and where to grab that sunny terrace. In a city where sunshine is a gift that can be taken away at any moment, having this information at your fingertips changes the game entirely.