London restaurants with air conditioning: 18 places to beat the heat

London can be, quite frankly, unbearable during a heatwave. All that concrete sponges up the rays a little too well for our liking. Peak summer temperatures are hotter than ever, and while this city is a hot spot for up-and-coming restaurants and remarkable concepts (just check out our Top 100 London Restaurants Awards to see for yourself), it also boasts some amazing restaurants with air conditioning on full blast to help you beat the heat while you eat.

Ironic isn’t it? Us Londoners cry out all year for a mere glimpse of the sun, only to turn round and say, ‘Well, that’s too hot’ the moment the city heats up. But while most home kitchens transform into fiery furnaces, some businesses remain cool as a cucumber - we’re talking about the best air-conditioned restaurants in London to visit when you need some sweet AC relief. As they say: if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Right? Let’s follow that advice and head on down for some seriously good food, including a host of lovely French restaurants, summery gastropub cooking, and some of the capital’s best restaurants for a steak dinner.

Whether you’re hunting for one of London's best lunch restaurants to take a client, catching up with friends after work, or celebrating a milestone birthday and anniversary that simply can’t wait, we’ve got London’s best restaurants with AC waiting on ice. Of course, great air conditioning is only part of the appeal. Our selection includes some of London’s best restaurants full stop, serving everything from exceptional quality steak and beautiful Italian seafood to Michelin-starred dining rooms and age-old Soho institutions.

If the idea of sitting beside a sun-soaked window or up on a rooftop gets you hot under the collar, don’t sweat it - the best air-conditioned restaurants in London offer some welcome respite.

The Prince Arthur, Belgravia

What: Where would you rather be? On the northern Spanish coast, perhaps? Well, if your answer to that question is yes - we've got just the ticket: a Basque pub with gorgeous interiors just yards from Victoria. Coastal cooking takes centre stage, from whole Cornish turbot to carabinero prawns (available grilled or raw), The Prince Arthur is bound to fit the bill. Just don't forget to get an order of the lobster rice to share. The wine list follows suit, offering a range of Basque and Iberian labels, alongside more familiar classics. 
Where: 11 Pimlico Road, Belgravia, London, SW1W 8NA
Book now: The Prince Arthur

Baccala Seafood & Wine, London Bridge

What: What do you want most when it’s hot and humid outside (apart from AC, that is)? Wonderful, fresh seafood and some stellar wine served perfectly chilled - that’s what’s on our minds at least. Fortunately, we’ve got just the spot for you. Baccala Seafood & Wine comes with a fantastic wine list, brimming with small independent producers from all of Italy’s 20 regions. The menu changes regularly, keeping up with the best catch. Dishes have previously included black baby squid with homemade saffron mayo, homemade chitarrine pasta with shellfish and molluscs, and baccala fritto with green beans, tomato and a fresh basil pesto.
Where: 194-204 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ
Book now: Baccala Seafood & Wine

Hawksmoor, Various Locations

What: You might think steak isn’t really summer food, particularly if you’re browsing this list during a heatwave. But, in signature Hawksmoor style, all London restaurants in the group are pros at keeping things cool. Hawksmoor St Pancras, with all its grandeur and soaring ceilings, has to be our favourite, though Hawksmoor Wood Wharf, complete with riverside views, comes in at a very close second. Grab drinks at the bar, load up on steaks, and share as much as you can.
Where: Various locations
Book now: Hawksmoor Air Street; Hawksmoor Guildhall; Hawksmoor Spitalfields; Hawksmoor Seven Dials; Hawksmoor Knightsbridge; Hawksmoor Borough

Sketch: The Gallery, Mayfair

What: Celebrating during high temperatures doesn’t mean you need to stay at home. Sketch: The Gallery offers a bright and luminous spot for marking milestone moments. Best described as a gastro-brasserie, The Gallery serves up one of London’s best afternoon teas, alongside dinner with some seriously generous portions. Here, as the name suggests, you’ll find a rotation of guest artwork. At the time of writing, it’s the curious, captivating sculptures of Jonathan Baldock, though that honour has previously belonged to Yinka Shonibare among many other acclaimed artists. Whoever’s on display when you go, the allure of India Mahdavi’s yellow and copper gold interiors is hard to resist.
Where: 9 Conduit Street, W1S 2XG
Book now: Sketch: The Gallery

Quo Vadis, Soho

What: Under the stewardship of the ever quotable Jeremy Lee, Quo Vadis celebrates seasonal British cooking in a setting that’s as cool as the man himself. Stained glass, crisp white tablecloths, and colourful artwork offer up the ideal setting to take a rest from the hot streets of Soho, and settle in to enjoy some of summer’s best produce. Alongside the iconic smoked eel sandwich, order up on Apricot Bellinis, slurp up some oysters, and choose from the likes of summer vegetable rotolo with burrata and ricotta, hake with crab broth, and smoked mackerel with spiced gooseberries and samphire. Delicious.
Where: 26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL
Book now: Quo Vadis

The George, Fitzrovia

What: Gastropubs don't come much smarter than this Fitzrovia favourite. The menu sticks to polished British pub cooking, while Georgian chairs and a restored fireplace make for a space that feels more elegant townhouse than local boozer. The food here offers a mix of hearty pub classics, including Scotch eggs and fish and chips, alongside lighter, more elevated options for those hotter days. We’re talking seabass ceviche with tomato granita, parmesan ravioli, and chicken and bacon Caesar salad. The best part? The team here serves up a frozen Irish coffee. Yes, really - and it’s delicious.
Where: 55 Great Portland Street, W1W 7LQ
Book now: The George

2 Veneti, Maylebone

What: Taking cues from Venetian cooking, 2 Veneti has been serving the people of Marylebone for more than 20 years now. Regional specialities, a compact dining room, personalised service, and understated elegance are the name of the game. As you enjoy the cooling breeze of 2 Veneti’s AC, dive into the likes of whipped salt cod with fried capers and grilled polenta, quintessentially Venetian sweet and sour floured fried sardines, or bigolipasta with salted anchovies.
Where: 10 Wigmore Street, W1U 2RD
Book now: 2 Veneti

Le Garrick, Covent Garden

What: A Covent Garden staple for more than 40 years now, Le Garrick will always be a classic. As our reviewer said: ‘Le Garrick succeeds because it understands what its audience actually wants: warmth, efficiency, generous portions and a sensibly priced wine list.’ Turns out, the people also want air conditioning, so downstairs you’ll find that too. Settle into cosy candlelit corners, and dine on classic French fare, from addictive butter-soaked snails a la Bourgogne to a mountainous portion of moules frites. There’s a secret too: say the words ‘fais péter la poire’, and your server will sneak you a round of pear eu de vie.
Where: 10-12 Garrick Street, WC2E 9BH
Book now: Le Garrick

Mildreds, Camden and Victoria

What: If the heat has you swaying away from heavier, rich foods, we’ve got the perfect solution: an entirely plant-based restaurant with gorgeous, colourful interiors, and a menu packed with full-throttle global flavours. We’re talking mushroom shawarma kebabs, padron peppers showered in smoked sea salt, kimchi gyoza dumplings and warm cookie dough blondies to finish it all off. Both the Camden and Victoria sites serve up a stellar weekend brunch, along with uber affordable ‘Taste of Mildreds’ lunch and dinner menus packed with best-selling dishes - perfect if you’re too hot to even think about making a decision (we’ve been there).
Where: 9 Jamestown Road, NW1 7BW; 128 Wilton Road, SW1V 1JZ
Book now: Mildreds Camden; Mildreds Victoria

The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea

What: Probably one of the most beautiful boozers in town, for all its age-old heritage, stained glass, and period features, The Cadogan Arms will always move with the times. Aside from breezy AC, you’ll find interesting updates to gastropub classics too, including ham, egg and chips with spiced pineapple ketchup, spring vegetable risotto with asparagus, and beer-battered fish and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce. To match, you’ll find Sticky Toffee Old Fashioned cocktails, Froze with tequila and Cocchi Rosa, and a Dirty Tommy’s Margarita to cool you off.
Where: 298 King’s Road, SW3 5UG
Book now: The Cadogan Arms

The Italian Greyhound, Marylebone

What: One of Marylebone’s most effortlessly gorgeous dining rooms is quite literally also one of its coolest. Inside, behind the green striped awning, is a dining room that glows with life. Peachy terracotta tones and lovely ash-sage detailing emphasise the Mediterranean inspiration, while a menu packed with creative spins on Italian classics. Reeling off the likes of pea, spinach, and fontina arancini; tuna crudo with Sicilian orange and ponzu; and sea bass with watermelon, Meyer lemon and capers, it’s perfect for sharing - ice-cold Martini in hand. Just make sure you save space, there’s an amaretto and pistachio tiramisu with your name on it.
Where: 62 Seymour Street, W1H 5BN
Book now: The Italian Greyhound

Little Baobab at The Africa Centre, Southwark

What: Little Baobab is, quite simply, a lovely place to while away a few hours. More than that, the traditional, tasty Senegalese cooking on offer here comes in at a very pleasing price tag - particularly at dinner when the team runs a very helpful set menu. Here, looking towards the open kitchen, you’ll find a menu stretching from snacks like crab cakes with scotch bonnet mayonnaise, and thiere mboum (steamed millet with moringa sauce) to signature chicken yassa with onions and lime.
Where: 66-68 Great Suffolk Street, SE1 0BL
Book now: Little Baobab at The Africa Centre

The Hound, Chiswick

What: Looking out to the pretty courtyard, the dining room at the Hound comes with all the features you’d expect from a gastropub. We’re talking bentwood chairs, leather banquettes, rich wood hues and a menu of proper British pub cooking. Order big on oysters and soda bread, the latter of which is a great companion to a very good pint of Guinness, get in some ham hock croquettes, and peruse a range of grill dishes, steaks, and pub classics, ranging from the signature Hound chilli cheese god to lighter Caesar salad and proper beer-battered fish and chunky chips.
Where: 210 Chiswick High Road, W4 1PD
Book now: The Hound

Tendril, Mayfair

What: (Mostly) vegan is the tagline at Tendril, Rishim Sachdeva’s ever-popular plant-first Mayfair restaurant. It’s since spawned a pretty pink sibling, Cafe Petiole, within Somerset House, but the original remains a go-to. Whether you’re vegan, prefer to follow a plant-first process, or simply fancy some good food, cooked well, Tendril is well up for the job, and most of the time, you’d hardly notice the no-meat policy. Dip into chilled pea soup with preserved wild garlic, sample leek fennel fritters with curry leaf aioli, and charred aubergine with ezme and tahini.
Where: 5 Princes Street, W1B 2LQ
Book now: Tendril

Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay, Knightsbridge

What: Named for one of the world’s finest wines, Château Petrus, Petrus by Gordon Ramsay puts the focus on modern French cuisine paired (of course) with exceptional Château Petrus vintages among others. Inside, it’s as classic as it gets: floor-length tablecloths, flowers at each table, gentle lighting, and a professional service team to match. Food meanwhile, uses premium British produce (think Wye Valley asparagus, Isle of Skye scallops) treated with classic French technique.
Where: 1 Kinnerton Street, SW1X 8EA
Book now: Pétrus by Gordon Ramsay

The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell

What: While it’s famed for its great hulking Sunday roasts, thanks to the sunny influence of Mike Davies and team, The Camberwell Arms doubles up as a go-to for summer dining. It’s one of few restaurants in Camberwell cool enough (in both senses of the word) to justify eating indoors when the sun is beating down. Sure, there are a few spots to perch streetside, but for a full dinner, the on-trend gastropub dining room is the place to be - particularly if you want to get your hands on carosello cucumbers in tahini, half spit roast chicken with Calabrian chillies, or chalk stream trout tartare with creme fraiche and crisps for scooping.
Where: 65 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8TR
Book now: The Camberwell Arms

Manzi’s, Soho

What: Glam, kitsch, and always charming, Manzi’s is all about coastal charm - perfect for a sweltering summer's day in London. Air conditioning isn’t quite the same as a genuine ocean breeze, but dining on the likes of prawn cocktail, charred Iberian octopus, and while butterfly mackerel with fennel and orange coleslaw is sure to transport you there in moments. Throw in some lovely (and well-priced) white wines by the glass, Champagne, and a host of coastal-inspired cocktails, and you’ve got a coastal oasis right in the heart of Soho.
Where: 1-8 Bateman's Buildings, W1D 3EN
Book now: Manzi’s

Brasserie Zedel, Piccadilly Circus

What: Searching for somewhere timeless, somewhere elegant? Let us introduce you to Brasserie Zedel. Stepping through the doors at this Piccadilly icon feels as though you’ve fallen through a trap door and landed bang in the middle of a bustling Parisian brasserie. A relaxed atmosphere, traditional French cooking (at great value), and some stunning Art Deco decor complete the mirage. But don’t be fooled; while the air in here is quite a few degrees lower than the outside, it’s one of the hottest reservations in the capital.
Where: 20 Sherwood Street, W1F 7ED
Book now: Brasserie Zédel

If you're still keen to make the most of the sunny weather while we've got it? But don't want to be stuck on a windless terrace? We've done the work, scouring the banks of the Thames for the capital's very best riverside restaurants. Check them out, and, if you love seasonal content like this, simply sign up for the SquareMeal restaurants newsletter for a regular delivery of all things food, drinks, and restaurant tips.