You can take your kite up to Parliament Hill and catch the view over the city, you can ramble in the landscaped grounds of Kenwood House, or you can discover the renovated pergola walk of The Hill garden across the road from the Old Bull and Bush pub Open-air concerts are held at Kenwood in the summer. Two other historic pubs, Jack Straw’s Castle and The Spaniards offer local refreshment.Where: Parliament Hill, NW5, Kentish Town tube then C11 bus or Gospel Oak/Hampstead rail; Kenwood House, off Hampstead Lane, Archway/Golders Green tube, then 210 bus from either; The Hill, Imberforth Close, North End Way, NW3 (020 8455 5183), Hampstead/Golders Green tube.When: Parliament Hill, open 24 hours daily; Kenwood, 10am-6pm daily, but earlier closing in winter; The Hill, 8.30am-1hr before dusk daily.How much: Parliament Hill, The Hill garden, free of charge. For information about open-air concert tickets, go to .. Restaurants/bars | Pubs/restaurants | Museums/galleries/tours | Speciality shops | Markets | Parks/Walks/farmsRestaurants/barsBaltic Two and a half years in the making, Baltic looks more like an art gallery than a restaurant.

The dishes are Polish-based, with occasional forays into other Baltic states such as Estonia. Of course, the blinis and pierogis are excellent, but so is everything else: alchemy is performed on simple ingredients such as roasted buckwheat or pickled cabbage to turn them into moreish components of fish and game dishes. Where: 74 Blackfriars Road, SE1 (020 7928 1111), Southwark tube.When: Mon-Fri, 12noon-11pm; Sat, 6pm-11pm; Sun, 12noon-11pm.How much: Set meals (12noon-3pm, 6-7pm), £11.50 for two courses, £13.50 for three courses; main courses from £11.
Blue Print Caf?ne of several Conran restaurants on the South Bank, Blue Print Caf?s arguably the best because of the combination of fair pricing and consistently high quality. It’s also a striking location, sitting atop the Design Museum offering views across the Thames. Dishes reflect seasonal availability, but might include grilled mackerel with tabouleh; rabbit with barley and peas; or poached ox tongue with baby turnips and mint. Where: Design Museum, 28 Shad Thames, SE1(020 7378 7031), Tower Hill or London Bridge tube.When: Mon-Sat, 12noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm; Sun, 12noon-3pm.

How much: Main courses from £11.50; set lunch, £19.50 for two courses, £22.50 for three courses.Delfina This dining room is housed inside an art gallery behind London Bridge, and it’s only open for lunch, and on weekdays. But it’s worth the journey to sample Maria Elia’s cooking, which has been influenced by stints in Sydney’s top restaurants. That’s why you’ll find unlikely-sounding fish on the menu, and even char-grilled kangaroo. Where: 50 Bermondsey Street, SE1 (020 7357 0244), London Bridge tube or rail.When: Mon-Fri, 12noon-3pm.How much: Main courses from £9.95.Oxo Tower Brasserie Owned by Harvey Nichols, this three-part venue may not offer the optimum in finesse with its broad-ranging menu, but the view and ambience forgive a lot. Take out-of-towners, who will crowd the window or beg to sit on the terrace (even if it’s raining). Where: Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, SE1 (020 7803 3888), Blackfriars or Southwark tube.When: Mon-Sat, 12noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-11pm; Sun, 12noon-3.45pm, 6pm-10.15pm.How much: Weekday lunch menu, £19.50 for two courses, £23.50 for three courses; main courses, £10-£15.Babur TakeawayThis is the take-out operation of the nearby f¿ted Babur Brasserie (119 Brockley Rise, 020 8291 2400).

Brothers Emdad and Enam Rahman cook only with fresh herbs and spices and it shows. Lots of interesting dishes for vegetarians including Dum Tori (courgettes cooked with turmeric and ground mango) and Baingan Bhartha (roasted aubergines and baby corn).Where: Babur Takeaway, 443 Brockley Rd, Crofton Park, SE5 (020 8291 4314/4266), Crofton Park rail.When: Daily except Tues, 6pm-12midnight. The Lobster Pot It’s kitsch, it’s in a somewhat grim location, but The Lobster Pot has fish and seafood far above novelty value, served by friendly,knowledgeable staff. Classic French preparations are good, such as bouillibaisse, or a langoustine cassoulet. A fun party venue: watch out for the Inter-Celtic Festival from July 11-13, a party and musical cabaret which includes a gourmet eight-course meal for £65 per head. Where: 3 Kennington Lane, SE11 (020 7582 5556) Elephant and Castle orKennington tube.When: Tues-Sat, 12noon-2.30pm, 7pm-10.30pm.How much: Main courses, £14.50-£20; set lunch, £10 for two courses, £13.50 for three courses; set dinner, £19.50 for three courses, £39.50 for eight courses.Kennington Lane It may not look like much – from the outside, you could mistake this for a pasta or pizza chain – but this is still the best restaurant in Kennington.