There is no better setting for after-work drinks than a London park in the sun. After a taste of warm weather, now is the perfect time to prepare for early office exits and impromptu gatherings. Picky bits, cold drinks, and a royal park of choice: you know the drill. Gather like-minded friends and ensure someone brings Le Bijou.
With a long summer of al fresco socials ahead, you needn't resort to single-use plastics or navigate the Central line with a wicker basket at 8am. No throwaway plates or cumbersome hampers here. Read on for our pick of chic, clever, and lightweight picnic accessories to pack for a London park after a day in the office.
Wine Cooler
Huski
Set a statement of intent for glam gatherings with a champagne cooler that works straight from your bag. Huski’s vacuum-insulated, copper-lined coolers keep chilled fizz cool and sparkling for up to six hours, with no need to add ice or freeze during the day. Most 750ml champagne, crémant, and sparkling wine bottles fit, and it has a detachable bottle stopper built into the base (£64.99, huskicoolers.co.uk). Get more bang for your buck with the brand’s wine cooler model (£54.99), featuring the same technology and fitting most standard wine and champagne bottles.
Stackable Tumblers
Scott Lapidge
Unbreakable enamel tumblers look as good on a kitchen table as on a picnic rug and are ideal for compact London homes with limited cupboard space. Available in 22 colours, they cost £9.50 each, or £8.50 if you buy six (falconenamelware.com). Alternatively, try Black+Blum’s set of four lightweight stainless steel cups, which stack neatly under a bamboo top with a built-in bottle opener. Use the lid as a makeshift chopping board for prepping limes (£39.95, black-blum.com).
Can Coolers
Yeti
However arduous the day, warm beer or a warm cocktail at the end of it is never the answer. Cult-favourite Yeti has solved the problem with can insulators in sizes to suit your tipple of choice. The 250ml model comes in a range of bright colours, while the 330ml model is currently available in black or white (both £25, uk.yeti.com).
Picnic Bag
Black+Blum’s Casual Tote Bag
Black+Blum’s casual tote bag is insulated and 100% leakproof, taking you from office or gym to picnic without a hitch. Keep your bottle of wine cool in the insulated inner compartment and tuck a laptop in the dry section, well away from picnic gear. Up to 13 plastic bottles are recycled to create the material for each bag (£44.95, black-blum.com). For a more compact option, check out the brand’s insulated bottle bag. It comes in an adjustable design with a reinforced crossbody or shoulder strap, and there is a secure pocket for your phone and keys—or a corkscrew. Available in four colours, it takes up minimal space and promises to come into its own at festivals (£19.95, black-blum.com). Anyone looking to up their bucket bag game on a budget won’t do much better than the Hinza model, a classic in Sweden made from hard-wearing recyclable plastic that won’t fall apart after just one summer (from £25, royaldesign.co.uk).
Reusable Napkins
Meli Melo Cotton Khadi Napkins
Perfect for picnics or home dining, Caravane’s set of four Meli Melo cotton khadi napkins are mismatched in colour but have similar tones and lines running through the patterns. They’re stylish and—importantly—machine washable (£55 for four, caravane.com).
Picnic Plates
Falcon Picnic Plates
More enamel—Falcon Enamelware’s light, stackable plates are hardy enough to throw in a bag or crack out at a BBQ. Plus, they’re ovenproof, dishwasher safe, and freezer friendly (from £8, falconenamelware.com).
Picnic Blanket
Dock and Bay Picnic Blanket
What gathering is complete without a chic blanket? Dock and Bay’s colourful, lightweight designs have soft material on top and a water-resistant backing, plus they fold neatly into a compact carry pouch when you’re done (from £65, uk.dockandbay.com).
Pocket Flask
Stanley
If you are forever on a quest for the perfect pocket flask—and ideally one that doesn’t scream straightforward shooting weekend—this steel Stanley one from Labour and Wait in Covent Garden is just the thing for parkside negronis (£26, labourandwait.co.uk).
Sustainable Cutlery
Allday
Ditch those wooden takeaway knives in favour of a butter knife from Allday Goods. They have handles made out of plastic waste collected from fashion brands, beaches, or, in this collaboration, the Ottolenghi delis and restaurants. They are made by Hugo Worsley, a London chef turned knife maker whose first batch of designs sold out in 76 seconds (£29, alldaygoods.co.uk).
Portable Wine Tumbler
Huski
A wine cup with a detachable twistlock stem, because who wants to balance a glass on a picnic rug? There’s a slider lid if you’re concerned about spills (or insects), and the Huski insulation technology, coupled with stainless steel material, ensures your drink stays cold for longer. Available in six colours (£24.99, huskicoolers.co.uk).
