London’s best waterside drinking

A sunny afternoon by The Regent’s Canal or on the banks of the Thames makes you feel like you’re on holiday, even if you are only half an hour from home. Here are London’s best waterside spots.

The Towpath Café

This charming low-key café may be tiny but it’s perfect for a tumbler of ice-cold sauvignon blanc, some antipasti and a view of the ducks.

36 De Beauvoir Crescent, N1

The Bell & Crown

Feel like you’ve headed to the country when actually you’re only in Chiswick, and while away a Sunday afternoon at this 18th century pub on the banks of the river.

11-13 Thames Road, W4, bell-and-crown.co.uk

Number 90 Bar & Kitchen

A canalside drink doesn’t have to be sedate. Keep the party going as the sun sets over Hackney Wick at Number 90’s new summer terrace with La Terraza, its Mexican-themed pop-up.

90 Main Yard, Wallis Road, E9, number90bar.co.uk

The Prospect of Whitby

You don’t get much more authentically London than briefly featuring in an episode of Only Fools and Horses. The Prospect is an old-school (1520) pub with an in-demand beer garden with views of the Thames.

57 Wapping Wall, E1, taylor-walker.co.uk

The Ship

All the London pub essentials — craft beers, classic British dishes, crowded benches — but you couldn’t be much closer to the water unless you fell in it.

41 Jews Row, SW18, theship.co.uk

The Dove

This hugely characterful Hammersmith spot is cosy and characterful on the inside with a fantastic drinking terrace overlooking the Thames out the back. It's one of the very best places to enjoy a drink by the river in west London.

19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, W6 9TA, dovehammersmith.co.uk

HotTug

Sure, riverside drinking terraces are great, but if you want to get really close to the water you can't beat HotTug. The company offer the chance to take a hot tub out on a central London canal and enjoy a glass of fizz or two along the way.

16-35 Graham St, N1 8JX, hottuguk.com

The Gun

This stylish Canary Wharf pub boasts some of the best riverside views in East London and has a proud maritime history too. It's said to have been a favourite of Lord Horatio Nelson back in the 1700s.

27 Coldharbour, Poplar, E14 9NS, thegundocklands.com

The Trafalgar Tavern

The Trafalgar Tavern has been a focal point for Greenwich revellers ever since 1821 and the grandeur of the enormous venue is only bettered by the fantastic waterside views.

Park Row, London SE10 9NW, trafalgartavern.co.uk

Crate Brewery

Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick is a buzzing spot tailor-made for long summer evenings. Crate's characterful but refreshing lager and pale ales are perfect for washing down the fantastic pizzas made in-house too.

The white building, Queen's Yard, London E9 5EN, cratebrewery.com