First service: where to watch the tennis in style

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This article is part of a guide to tennis from FT Globetrotter

Few things say summer in London like the Wimbledon Championships. Even more than the swaths of keen picnickers brandishing plastic prosecco flutes, basking across London’s parks in the first heatwave. More than the ponds on Hampstead Heath filled with gleeful swimmers. More even than the fair-weather tennis players, dressed in white and sunburned, lobbing balls on the many open-air courts scattered around the city. It is the Wimbledon tennis fortnight, a quintessentially English sports event with its genteel dress code (smart for the audience, white for the players) and royalty in attendance, that truly consecrates the height of summer in the capital. 

For most Londoners and visitors, attending the tournament in person will be off the cards. But it doesn’t mean you can’t soak up some of the unique atmosphere of those precious two weeks. FT Globetrotter has compiled a selection of unusual, refined and comfortable places to watch the tennis on screen, with the added urban perks of historical settings, breathtaking scenery — and world-class food and drinks. 

Bluebird Chelsea

350 King’s Road, London SW3 5UU

• Good for: Exquisitely chic and convivial setting

• Not so good for: Focusing on the tennis, as the surroundings can be quite distracting

• FYI: This is a popular spot, so book your table nice and early

• Prices: Mains from £18, bottles of wine from £28, cocktails from £12

• Website; Directions

Guests at Bluebird’s alfresco terrace wine and dine as though sitting in a Parisian greenhouse: the restaurant’s Art Deco glass and iron structure on King’s Road towers over a cobbled patio, encircled by hedges and decorated with navy parasol umbrellas, French bistro chairs in woven green rattan and potted flowers. 

Bluebird has partnered with Wimbledon sponsor Champagne Lanson, so as well as huge yellow tennis balls hanging from the restaurant roof, tennis will be shown on a screen on the terrace. Diners will be able to watch matches (for myself, all those with Matteo Berrettini) while enjoying dishes such as spicy salmon tartare or burrata and truffle ravioli, paired with Lanson fizz; strawberries and cream are on the dessert menu. 

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The Apartment in The Chelsea Pig

35 Old Church Street, London SW3 5BS

• Good for: Lovers of fine British food looking for an intimate environment

• Not so good for: Mingling with other Wimbledon fans

• FYI: The Apartment is only available for exclusive use

• Price: Minimum spend per head of £100 for the whole day

• Website; Directions

Londoners after the ultimate English home-from-home Wimbledon experience should look no further than The Chelsea Pig, the west London public house at the crossroads of Old Church Street and Paultons Street. While the pub itself will not be screening the tennis, I recommend enquiring about its upstairs hideaway, The Apartment. Available for day hire to host private screenings during the Championships, the two-bedroom space with private living and dining room flaunts elegant modern interiors by Timothy Oulton: wrought hardwood floors, a sleek black and white marble-tiled bathroom, a handcrafted bar in the style of the pub’s façade and welcoming leather Chelsea sofas. Groups of six to 20 people can kick back and enjoy the tennis in the quiet of the apartment, with 24-hour access to a resident butler, and modern British food by award-winning head chef Fionnan Flood.

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The Refinery Bankside

110 Southwark Street, London SE1 9AN

• Good for: Vegans, south Londoners, Italian-food lovers 

• Not so good for: Quiet conversations

• FYI: If it’s hot, here it will be very hot as the terrace is surrounded by tall buildings

• Prices: Mains from £14.95, cocktails from £10.95

• Website; Directions

South Londoners looking to watch the Wimbledon games in an unpretentious environment near the river should head to The Refinery Bankside’s alfresco terrace, whose outdoor screen is one of the largest in London. The industrial-chic restaurant offers modern international cuisine served to diners on deck chairs under pastel-coloured canopies that evoke the French Riviera. Lovers of Italian food will especially enjoy the panzanella and stracciatella bruschetta, light and ideal for alfresco summer dining, especially if paired with a Pimm’s or Aperol spritz, which The Refinery serves in a sculptural “Sharing Tree”. It’s an ideal location for large, relaxed parties that mitigates its densely urban surroundings with an abundance of plants and lovely flowers. Reservations are highly encouraged.

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St Katharine Docks

50 St Katharine’s Way, London E1W 1LA

• Good for: Historical nautical atmosphere 

• Not so good for: Sea-sickness

• FYI: Bring your own snacks

• Price: Free

• Website; Directions

The pontoon floating in the west basin at St Katharine Docks, which opened in 1829 to facilitate imperial nautical trade, is surely among the more unusual venues to watch Wimbledon, but also the most scenic. This quiet marina is filled with old wooden galleys, ultra-modern superyachts and cobbled winding alleys. You can just see the shining azure and gold tips of Tower Bridge beyond the sea of masts and the brutalist Tower Hotel, separating the marina from the Thames. The pontoon, adorned with a white tent to protect viewers from direct sunlight, is screening the Championships daily. There are drinks pop-ups; for a bite to eat, get there early and make for the dockside 18th-century Dickens Inn, with its west-facing terraces covered in geraniums. 

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Everyman Screen on the Canal

Granary Square, London N1C 4PW

• Good for: Regent’s Canal vibes

• Not so good for: sun protection on hot days

• FYI: It’s unticketed, so get there early

• Price: Free

• Website; Directions

Londoners know how to make the most of Regent’s Canal, which was built during the Industrial Revolution for the transportation of goods and runs from Little Venice all the way to the Limehouse Basin, skirting Regent’s Park, King’s Cross station and Victoria Park on its route. It is at King’s Cross’s Granary Square that canal life gets most inventive with its Everyman Screen on the Canal summer initiative. Giant steps carpeted in faux grass, equipped with oversized cushions and deck chairs, are set up on the canal, facing a large screen where the Wimbledon Championships are screened daily. For cinephiles, indie films and blockbusters are also shown for free throughout the summer. There is no shortage of food and drink options in and around Granary Square, where my personal favourites are Bao for delicious Taiwanese steamed buns, Barrafina for tapas and refreshing cañas, and Granger & Co for exquisite healthy Australian food. There are also plenty of takeaway food and drink outlets too. 

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Portman Square Garden

Portman Square, London W1H 6LT

• Good for: Central London garden-square vibes, and for families with small children

• Not so good for: Capacity is limited, arrive early

• FYI: Screenings are all day, between Tuesday 11 and Sunday 16 July. No ticket needed

• Price: Free

• Website; Directions

In Marylebone, Portman Square Garden offers a leafy, peaceful and stylish backdrop for an afternoon of tennis. The private gardens surrounded by pristine townhouses were built by 18th-century developer Henry William Portman, and the Wimbledon Championships offer a rare opportunity for non-residents to explore them. Food stalls from local eateries such as T by Tamara, Chiltern Street Deli and The Zetter Townhouse will be on rotation, also selling Pimm’s and strawberries and cream, which can be enjoyed on the deck chairs throughout the garden. Portman Square Garden has a play area, making it ideal for families with young children, but also for diehard tennis fans who might want to use the adjoining court before or after watching a match.

Where are you watching Wimbledon? Tell us in the comments. And follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter