South Bank London

Hello summer!

From summer festivals and riverside pop-up bars to mouthwatering street food and the most magical sunsets – take a stroll by the river, soak up the atmosphere and make it a summer to remember in South Bank.

Summer terraces & rooftops

The Garden Museum

Garden Café

Enjoy daily changing seasonal menus at the Garden Museum's award-winning restaurant.

OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie

This iconic dining destination serves up sophistication and stunning views.

2 people sit at a table with drinks in the foreground, in the background people wait to buy drinks at the bar

Southbank Centre

Festival Bar & Kitchen

Bright and breezy canteen-style cafe at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall.

12th Knot

Rooftop bar with top-notch cocktails and panoramic views looking out over the river.

Limin' South Bank

Colourful Caribbean beach-bar and restaurant serving spicy Trinidadian flavours.

Jimmy's BBQ Club

This popular riverside barbecue pop-up serves casual street food and fab live-fire tasting menus.

Wahaca

Fresh, vibrant & sustainable street food inspired by the magical markets of Mexico.

Southbank Centre Food Market

This lively street food market is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays behind the Royal Festival Hall.

Ciew of people sitting in a sunny beer garden that is surrounded by trees. There is a large TV wall at the end of the beer garden showing sports

Between the Bridges

Huge courtyard garden with street food, big screen sports, craft beer, DJs and fab live entertainment.

Strada

Riverside restaurant at the Southbank Centre offering a traditional Italian experience with a modern twist.

KERB at The Understudy

Enjoy a taste of London’s diverse street food flavours at the National Theatre.

Giraffe

Popular family-friendly chain serving global cuisine right by the river.

Forza Wine at National Theatre

Enjoy tasty small plates, great wines and fab views at this 'Italian-ish' boutique wine bar.

Las Iguanas

Vibrant Latin American bar and restaurant with a fantastic terrace.

Locale

Brilliantly located classic Italian restaurant opening onto a quiet piazza.

The Green Room

Spacious restaurant with a great garden terrace and a tasty menu of handmade pizzas.

National Theatre

Street Food on the South Bank by KERB

KERB's summer pop-up at National Theatre is back with a brilliant al fresco bar and a delicious choice of street food.

La Gamba

A breezy Spanish tapas and wine restaurant that looks onto the Queen’s Walk at Southbank Centre.

BFI Riverfront Bar & Kitchen

The BFI's bustling bar and kitchen is always a hive of activity and a super place to hangout before or after a film.

Azzuro Italian Kitchen & Bar

All-day Italian restaurant and bar serving pizza and pasta favourites.

Gourmet Pizza Company

Serving award-winning pizzas with amazing views of the river for over 25 years.

Gabriel's Wharf

Paradiso Burger & Cocktail Bar

Riverside burger restaurant at Gabriel’s Wharf set over two floors.

Family days out

Summer holiday fun for families

Jump into summer with a jam-packed line-up of great events and exciting attractions these school holidays!

Discover More about Summer holiday fun for families

What's On

Little Simz' Meltdown

12 Jun 2025 - 22 Jun 2025

Award-winning rapper Little Simz curates the 30th edition of the annual Meltdown festival at Southbank Centre.

Festival

The Garden Museum

British Flowers Week

04 Jun 2025 - 08 Jun 2025

Explore stunning immersive floral installations created by top British floral designers.

Exhibitions

BFI Southbank

BFI Film on Film Festival

12 Jun 2025 - 15 Jun 2025

A unique festival celebrating the art of film on film and the magic of film projection.

Film

National Theatre

Here We Are

23 Apr 2025 - 28 Jun 2025

The final musical by the legendary Stephen Sondheim makes its UK premiere.

Theatre & Shows

Southbank Centre

ESEA Encounters

17 Jul 2025 - 20 Jul 2025

A new summer weekend series showcasing contemporary art and culture from East and Southeast Asia and the diaspora

Festival

Hayward Gallery

Yoshitomo Nara

10 Jun 2025 - 31 Aug 2025

The largest ever European retrospective of one of Japan’s most celebrated artists.

Exhibitions

Nye

03 Jul 2025 - 16 Aug 2025

Michael Sheen plays British welfare state visionary Aneurin "Nye" Bevan in this ‘epic Welsh fantasia’.

Theatre & Shows

Southbank Centre

New Music Biennial

04 Jul 2025 - 06 Jul 2025

Discover some of the best new music being composed in the UK at this free festival.

Festival

The Garden Museum

Cecil Beaton’s Garden Party

14 May 2025 - 21 Sept 2025

Explore the influence of flowers in Cecil Beaton's painting, photography and design practice.

Exhibitions

Witness for the Prosecution

01 Jan 2023 - 26 Apr 2026

Experience Agatha Christie's gripping story of justice, passion and betrayal in a unique courtroom setting

Theatre & Shows

Top of the pops

South Bank top summer pop-ups

South Bank is famous for its summer pop-ups. Here's a look at who's popping up this summer and where.

Discover More about South Bank top summer pop-ups

Parks, gardens & beaches

A view of the London Eye from Jubilee Gardens on a sunny day

Jubilee Gardens

A glorious green haven at the foot of the London Eye.

Ernie's Beach

Get down on the water at this publically accessible tidal beach.

Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden

Southbank Centre's summer roof garden is a hidden oasis in the heart of the city.

Lambeth Palace Garden Open Days

05 Jul - 06 Sept 2024

On the first Friday of every month Lambeth Palace Gardens open their gates to raise money for local charities.

Family

Archbishop's Park

Escape the crowds in this leafy park behind Lambeth Palace.

Bernie Spain Gardens

A riverside oasis of green between Oxo Tower and Gabriel's Wharf.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices.