How To Have A Very British Summer

The great British summertime doesn’t always have the best rep, but when it’s good, it’s really good. The Brits are well-versed in making the most of sunny weather, and the constant threat of rain means we also keep a solid backup list of indoor options. That’s why our guide for a very British summer is less about soggy sandwiches on a probably drizzly beach - although that does feel very nostalgic - and more about the best farm-to-table restaurants to plan your staycation around, the new and classic books for maximising the English summer feeling (especially if the weather isn’t playing ball). And since sport is one of the things that brings us together as a nation like no other, we can’t forget about Wimbledon, from the pubs and places to visit in the area, to what to wear in the stands.

If you want to serve an outfit ace at Wimbledon, there are a few things to consider. First of all, where are you seated? The Royal Box has a strict dress code - men must wear a suit or tailored jacket, shirt and tie, and women get the slightly looser ‘dress smart’ instruction that covers dresses, tailoring or jumpsuits, just no view-obstructing hats. The fit + flare shirt dress is a great call, choose between naturally breathable navy cotton seersucker and floral-print woven fabric. In the stands, it’s a little more relaxed, but people generally like to dress up a bit. The Mixed Media Maxi or a classic shirtdress style is a safe bet, as is a smart jumpsuit like our Crop Wide-Leg option in cotton and linen twill. Mix-and-match doubles? Look to the season’s separates like the Warm Stone City Short or the Cinnamon Summer Short for easy colour-matched styling with tops like the Slim Waistcoat or the Broderie Crop Blouse. And to carry the essentials, choose a bag that’s spacious but not too bulky. The Mini Day Bag or the Structured Saddle Bag is small enough to place on your lap without getting in the way while still providing enough space for everything you need. Speaking of, if we had to narrow it down to three key items, we’d say, a mini handheld fan like Muji’s (bonus points if you match the colour to your outfit), a good over makeup SPF like La Roche Posay’s Invisible Face Mist for easy reapplication, and of course, sunglasses.

We’ve covered what to wear, but Wimbledon is more than just a tennis tournament. This leafy corner of south London has a lot to offer, starting with some great pubs. The Hand in Hand has a large outdoor terrace overlooking Wimbledon Common and features wood-panelled, timber-beamed interiors that give a distinctly quaint country-pub feel. Take a short walk further into the common, and you’ll find the Fox & Grapes, an independent pub known for its hearty menu of classic gastro food and boutique hotel rooms. Cent Anni may not be a pub, but it certainly is a locals’ favourite neighbourhood Italian restaurant that brings traditional rustic charm and food to a modern setting.

Wimbledon Village is the perfect place to wander around if you have time between matches. If you find yourself there on a weekend, then check out the Farmers Market every Sunday from 10am-3pm. Part of the high street is pedestrianised during this time, so you can take your time browsing the fresh produce and sampling the food. On the topic of delicious things, Vallebona is an Italian-Japanese wine bar and deli that offers artisan produce handpicked by husband-and-wife owners Naoko & Stefano Vallebona. After you’re thoroughly fed and watered, take a walk around the grounds of Cannizaro House, which is set in over 35 acres of Grade II listed historic parkland that includes beautiful gardens, and this is the perfect time of year to see it in full bloom.

Some other South London spots to consider, starting with Dulwich Picture Gallery in the heart of Dulwich Village. Opened in 1817, it’s England’s oldest public art gallery, designed and built by Regency-era architect Sir John Soane. Get your art and food fix all in one place at Studio Voltaire in Clapham. The not-for-profit contemporary art gallery champions new and emerging artists through its rotation of dynamic exhibitions, and also houses a branch of Crispin restaurant, known for its refined modern European menu and varied wine pairings. And in Wandsworth, Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt, behind Trinity restaurant in Clapham, is opening a new spot called Rosina, named after his daughter. Rosina will serve Italian food and Mediterranean flavours across the 50-cover indoor space and a 25-seater outdoor terrace.

We may be a small island, but with rain comes fertile soil, and in turn, lots of delicious home-grown produce. We’ve mapped out a few places around the country that are doing farm-to-table dining very well.

Neighbourhood restaurant Wilson’s in Bristol was founded in 2016 by Jan Ostle and Mary Wilson, based on a commitment to food that honours the seasons and utilises regenerative farming. The menu evolves frequently based on seasonal availability from Wilson’s Market Garden, a small farm 7 miles from the restaurant. For their consistently tasty, creative efforts, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2025, as well as a Michelin Green star for their sustainability and self-sufficient growing practices.

Osip in Somerset is where modern design meets traditional farming. The outcome? An incredibly cool restaurant and hotel that’s minimally decorated yet warm and welcoming. The daily-changing menu celebrates the Somerset landscape and all the local produce it offers. Drinks include wine from small-scale growers and a range of ciders, we are in Somerset after all, including Osip’s own, made with local apples.

Heading up North now to The Lake District, specifically the heart of Cartmel village, to Rogan & Co. Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred neighbourhood restaurant is in a stone cottage next to the River Eea, just down the road from its big sister restaurant, L’Enclume. The seasonal menu is sourced from Rogan’s own farm in the Cartmel Valley and includes dishes such as honey-glazed milk rolls, pheasant with roasted parsnip and elderberry, and roasted wild duck with Riesling cabbage and quince.

Crocadon in St.Mellion, southeast Cornwall, is the result of London-born chef-grower Dan Cox’s dreams of turning a farm into a self-sufficient, hyper-seasonal restaurant. And five years after purchasing a farm in 2017, his vision came to life in Crocadon, housed in a barn on the farm and designed to celebrate the connection between food and agriculture. Pared-back dishes focused on fermentation and smoking are made with regenerative, organic ingredients that Cox has cultivated.

It doesn’t get much more British than a staycation, and we’re lucky to have over 11,000 miles of coastline to explore - some of it rugged, and some of it could be mistaken for the Med (on a sunny day, that is). Working from north to south, here are a few lesser-known waterside spots throughout the UK.

1. Sandwood Bay on the far north-west coast of mainland Scotland is one of the country’s most remote beaches, known for its stunning scenery and dusky-pink sand. It’s reachable by a four-mile moorland walk, so pack and plan accordingly.

2. The East Neuk of Fife is a coastal area north of Edinburgh that’s known for its historic fishing villages, traditional cottages, and working harbour. The Fife Coastal Path is a great way to see some of the region’s villages, including Crail for great crab and Anstruther, renowned for its seafood, especially the award-winning fish and chips at Anstruther Fish Bar & Restaurant.

3. The Northumberland Coast is home to long stretches of quiet, sandy beaches. Dramatic fortresses like Dunstanburgh Castle and Alwick Castle stand out along the coastline, and the Farne Islands are worth a visit, a wildlife-filled archipelago that’s home to over 40,000 pairs of puffins and a large grey seal population.

4. Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland is home to rugged clifftop walks, stunning beaches and striking natural geology, the most famous being the Giant’s Causeway - an area of interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption.

5. Llŷn Peninsula, just out from North West Wales, has sheltered coves, over 30 miles of sweeping beaches and an abundance of wildlife. Pack your hiking boots and flip-flops because coastal paths, seal spotting, beach trips, and watersports are on the agenda.

The feeling of a British summer can be hard to describe if you haven’t experienced it, so we’ll leave it up to the experts in our list of Great British books.

Atonement by Ian McEwan has become a contemporary classic which evokes the sultriness of a heatwave about to break and a misunderstanding by a child, Briony, of an adult sexual encounter which changes the course of many lives. It’s also a fantastic film starring Kiera Knightley (and the iconic green gown) and James McAvoy.

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O ‘Farrell is a family drama set against the infamous British heatwave of 1976. Robert Riordan, recently retired, husband to Gretta, gets up from the breakfast table one morning, leaves the house to buy a newspaper and doesn’t return. What unfolds next is an age-old family drama of secrets, half-truths, and misunderstandings that, with the passage of time, generates tangled, torn family dynamics.

The Go-Between by LP Hartley chronicles the fateful summer when Leo is invited to Brandham Hall in Norfolk by his friend Marcus. Upon arrival, he meets Marcus’ older sister, the beautiful Marian, and he is instantly smitten. She uses Leo over the following days to take letters to her secret lover, despite being engaged. Disastrous events unfold throughout a heatwave.

Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder follows the social and love life of Charles Ryder, who, upon being sent to Brideshead as a soldier during WW2, reflects on his relationship with the wealthy Flyte family. It’s set against the backdrop of several pastoral and distinctly British settings, including Oxford University and the palatial mansion Brideshead Castle.

The Accidental by Ali Smith is set during a blisteringly hot summer in a Norfolk holiday home. This novel tracks the hilarious and profound disruptions that an uninvited eccentric guest causes to a middle-class family.

Happy summering

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