Ways to stay cool in London this summer

parliament hill london


When London is hot, it’s hot. As the temperature creeps to the thirties, Londoners are forced to do everything possible to stay cool. Those gimmick handheld fans don’t look so silly when I’ve got upper lip sweat on the Central Line, leaving the Tube with symptoms of mild heat exhaustion.


The city isn’t really made for high temps. It’s why people in other European cities flee to beaches and lakes for the whole month of August, swapping towering buildings and humidity for salty water and €5 Aperol Spritzes. Unfortunately, Hamstead Heath ponds don’t have quite the same effect.


Whilst the beer gardens, al fresco dining, and rooftop bars will always be popular choices, here are a few more ways to stay cool in London this summer.


Eating: Ice cream


the dreamery london


The Dreamery


Not only do the scoops at The Dreamery look, well, dreamy, but it’s also a wine bar. A combo you didn’t know you needed, where grape meets gelato, a natural rosé and a bowl of mint choc chip. The kaleidoscopic ceiling creates a playful infinity room, enveloping you as you order one scoop or two.


Ice cream flavours change seasonally, with around six on the menu, and they’re always interesting. Think croissant and custard, lucid coffee, and fig leaf.


Islington, N1 | dreamery.london


marcelos ice cream london


Marcelo’s


Indie producer Marcelo makes small-batch ice creams in South London, with a regular spot on Saturdays at Crystal Palace Food Market – but you can also order pints for your freezer. It's churned in classic gelato-style, making it soft and sumptuous, but it’s also naturally vegan, made with oat milk.


Flavours change every week, but for a taste of what’s been churning recently… roasted pistachio for nut lovers, welcoming summer the right way with the return of strawberry season and Marcelo’s strawberry jam ice cream, and tried and tested goodness in banana caramel crumble.


Marcelo’s also somehow makes an ice cream out of my favourite cake, a chocolate Guinness cake. The only way to eat this flavour is to dive headfirst like Brucey Bogtrotter.


South London | marcelosicecream.com


tano gelato london


Tano Gelato


Handcrafted in East London, Tano Gelato is Italian-inspired with an Argentine touch. Available for delivery and collection, this is another ice cream spot where vanilla is anything but vanilla. It's made with rich, fragrant Madagascan beans and speaks for itself.


As does its other changing flavours of dulce de leche granizado, with 55% single-origin Peruvian dark chocolate mixed into dulce de leche gelato, berry sorbet, the ultimate refresher, and even alfajores, an Argentinian ice cream cookie sandwich. So moreish, you’ll soon forget how hot it is.


Drinking: Frozen cocktails


champagne pina colada coupette london


Champagne Piña Colada at Coupette


I’m a sucker for a frozen drink as soon as it the sun is out. Preferably alcoholic in an adult Slush Puppie kind of way. And the Champagne Piña Colada at Coupette, a French-inspired cocktail bar in East, adds a certain sophistication to my childish wanting.


It's the signature cocktail of this spot and is served in a tall glass with Bacardi rum blend, rhum agricole, pineapple, coconut sorbet, and Moët & Chandon Brut. Decadent and indulgent, a far cry from a Puppie but one that offers the same satisfaction. I’ll have another as soon as the first one arrives.


Bethnal Green, E2 | coupette.co.uk


los mochis london


Tequila cocktails at Los Mochis


Where Tokyo meets Tulum, Los Mochis in Notting Hill offers hybrid dining, bringing together the flavours of Mexico and Japan for interesting combinations to pique your taste buds.


There’s the frozen Paloma, with Patrón Reposado, lime, and Two Keys pink grapefruit juice giving it that specific and delicious Paloma tang. The shining star is the Los Mochis Yuzu Jasmine Margarita, though. Made with Patrón Silver, lime, yuzu, and Muyu Jasmine Verte, it’s so refreshing, it’ll cool you from the inside on a hot day.


Notting Hill, W8 | losmochis.co.uk


Swimming: Outdoors


brockwell lido london


Brockwell Lido


Brockwell Lido dates back to a bathing pond in Brockwell Park in the 1890s, and was transformed in the 1930s into what we know it as today – an Art Deco Grade II listed building, and a lovely spot for open-air swimming.


Dive (metaphorically) in and out of the 50m pool, splash about with friends, practise a couple of lengths in the stroke you won a medal for as a kid. London’s lidos are the perfect place to keep cool during a heatwave, and Brockwell is pretty lovely.


Make a full afternoon of fun in the sun and book in for pizza at Four Hundred Rabbits, which is attached to the lido, with a personal recommendation for the Gorgonzola and Walnut pizza, topped with mozzarella, tenderstem broccoli, sage, and hot honey. It’s magic, and very summery.


Herne Hill, SE24 | fusion-lifestyle.com


parliament hill london


Parliament Hill Lido


Another artsy lido, Parliament Hill Lido first opened in North London in 1938, and is a little shorter in length than Brockwell at 27m, but equally as cold. Ideal for a scorching day.


It sits just through the park from Hamstead Heath’s ponds, meaning you could even bookend your day with outdoor swimming. Start at the lido as the sun rises, picnic in the park to divide the day, ending with a dip in the mixed bathing ponds to cool off in the afternoon.


Hamstead, NW5 | parliamenthilllido.org


canary wharf open water swimming


Canary Wharf Open Water Swimming


Did you know you can swim in the finance bro district of London? Open water swimming at Canary Wharf sees a brightly coloured buoy attached to your waist as you swim among the highrises.


This isn’t quite a relaxing cool off, there’s no standing depths for you to stop and have a natter, with it being between 2.5m-8m all the way round the 200m swimming loop. But you can give your buoy a cling and take a rest whenever you wish. This swim is due to reopen for 2025 soon.


Canary Wharf, E14 | loveopenwater.co.uk


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