I’ve heard appetite drops when the temperature rises, but not for me! I just switch to sunny food, bold flavours, and chilled rosé on a terrace. Luckily, Jewish, Jew-ish and Israeli chefs have it covered – including ice cream
Anita Gelato
Born in a Tel Aviv kitchen in the ’90s, it all started when Mama Anita whipped up homemade jams and her son Nir created a gelato base. From selling scoops from a cart in 1998, they opened their first store in 2002, went global from 2014, and landed in London’s West End in 2023. Churning out over 150 flavours on-site, pick from the creamy gelato, zingy sorbets, vegan options and sugar-free delights topped with unlimited extras. and the only place to get your ice‑cream fix in town this summer.
Chicken sausages at Bacana
Bacana
A Brazilian all-you-can-eat meat-and-salad fest has opened at Finchley Lido, taking over the bright, spacious former ASK site. The fresh salad bar nods to owner Tomer’s Middle Eastern roots with cauliflower tahini, mango broccoli, Israeli salad and aubergine—plus Caesar, coleslaw and beetroot with feta. A hot buffet caters to fussier eaters with beef stew, rice and pasta in tomato sauce. You plate up, sit down, and then the real fun starts: endless skewers of grilled chicken, lamb and beef are carved at your table—think teriyaki thighs, paprika chicken, jumbo wings, sausages, salt-crusted brisket, tender beef and juicy lamb, with perfect fries on the side. It ends with grilled pineapple and soft-serve ice cream.
The Brasserie at Sopwell House
The Brasserie at Sopwell House
After a huge refurb every inch of the place is now looking fabulous. The Brasserie is a top pick year-round, with huge picture windows keeping it bright all day. Expect classics like chicken liver parfait, cod with crushed peas and dill, and standout slow-cooked beef cheeks in red wine. Don’t skip the Bakewell tart—or the stunning new bar, where I found a passion fruit and white chocolate martini like no other.
Salads at Cacao Bean Cafe
Cacao Bean Café
Kushan Marthelis knows what women want for lunch—salad. The new salad bar at his revamped cafe on Leeming Road, Borehamwood, is packed daily because the salads are more interesting, fresher and served with teriyaki chicken, grilled salmon and schnitzel by friendly staff.
Smoke Ratte Potatoes at Kapara
Kapara
Lunch on a secret sunny terrace in Soho sounds like a great idea, especially as Kapara has launched a brand new daily changing lunch menu. Eran Tibi’s fusion menu blends Tunisian, Syrian and Greek influences with bold Eastern Mediterranean flavours. Highlights include lamb-topped hummus with house-made pita, beetroot-cured salmon, spatchcock poussin and smoked ratte potatoes.
Berber & Q
Berber & Q turns 10 this summer, marking a decade of North African and Eastern Med live-fire cooking under Haggerston’s railway arches. Founder Josh Katz (also behind Shawarma Bar and Carmel) teams up with Bubala’s Mark Summers—who credits Berber & Q for inspiring his veggie vision—for a one-off Sunday feast on 31 August. Part of a guest chef series reimagining Sunday lunch, the event promises smoky flavours, creative twists and relaxed communal dining. “I’m buzzing to collaborate with friends, past colleagues, and fellow fire enthusiasts,” says Josh.
Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese at Jeru
Jeru
Looking for bold, smoky summer flavours? Jeru in Mayfair has you covered. Their Mediterranean-inspired menu is all about charcoal-fired flair, and if you haven’t tried the wood-fired potato bread with truffle honey and chickpea miso butter, you’re missing Mayfair’s best carb fix. For something lighter, go for the sea bass ceviche with white strawberries and dill, served with a teapot dressing, or the dry-aged beetroot salad with blow-torched goat’s cheese and toasted hazelnuts.
Picnics from Honey & Co
Honey & Co
“What can we do between the meals—how can we bring the joy?” ask Honey & Co founders Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer. Their answer: The Joy Season, a new programme at Honey & Co Studio in Bloomsbury (just across from the restaurant), offering food, craft and conversation. Up front, there’s a charming deli; behind it, a light-filled space for workshops and talks—think life drawing, kimchi-making, gin tasting, meditation and more. Meanwhile, Honey & Co are also behind the al fresco menu at Opera Holland Park this summer: mezze-style plates like sabich with roasted aubergine, creamy hummus, labneh, tomato tabbouleh and crisp pitta, plus picnic hampers and cookie bags for interval snacking or summer outings.
The Black Cow at The Stage
Next month, The Black Cow at The Stage opens in Shoreditch, serving dry-aged steaks and American-style dishes with a Middle Eastern twist. From Israeli duo Shiri Kraus and Amir Batito (of Camden’s Epicurus and the original Black Cow), this new spot promises serious flavour. Expect sharing plates like cornbread with lamb butter and lamb merguez corn dogs, followed by fire-cooked picanha, T-bone or onglet with flaming herbs. Finish with spiced quince and orange blossom ice cream or a knockout Gorgonzola cheesecake. Drinks? Think Ottoman Martinis with Turkish coffee and standout Old World wines.
Elsewhere, Tel Aviv favourite Claro has its St James’ terrace open for summer, while The Palomar in in Soho is serving a £28 sunny set lunch (weekdays) with dishes like grilled hake in zhug velouté and a pistachio baklava ice cream sandwich worth skipping dessert elsewhere for.
Wishing you a summer filled with bold bites, sunny sips, and serious flavour.
