Find the hottest grills in London

The good weather has arrived, so make the most of it after work by enjoying that quintessential summer treat, a barbecue. But with forecasters suggesting the fine spell is not going to last, there seems little point in dusting down your old barbie. Fear not, the capital's pubs and restaurants are at the ready with their own piping hot grills and expert chefs. Here's our pick of the places to get your chops around something chargrilled this summer.

A Grelha at The Gun
27 Coldharbour (020 7515 5222, thegundocklands.com)

On the southernmost tip of the Isle of Dogs, this waterside boozer offers something special to make the trek worthwhile. Its alfresco Portuguese restaurant, A Grelha, looks out over the Thames , offering up to 80 diners a backdrop of the Dome. The focal point is a traditional charcoal grill, on which chefs barbecue Algarve treats. Fish plays a big part. Try baby squid in garlic and coriander(£6), salt cod croquettes (£6), clams in white wine (£7.50), or choose a fish from the counter and have it cooked while you watch. The drinks menu offers Mediterranean wine as well as Super Bock by the bottle (£3.20), and sangria in three-pint jugs (£15).

Inn The Park
St James's Park, SW1 (020 7451 9999, innthepark.com)

Hidden by a hillock in St James's Park, Oliver Peyton's waterside café serves classic British food fit for a queen. And now he's offering a great British barbecue, too. Weather permitting, the chefs move out onto the terrace to serve up a buffet from an outdoor grill. There are three price banded menus, reaching up to £40 per head, with an entry-level £20 buffet. You get a choice of saddleback sausages, Aberdeen Angus burgers in ciabatta rolls, and Shetland salmon skewers with lemon yoghurt and herb dressing.

Edinboro Castle
57 Mornington Terrace, NW1 (020 7255 9651)

This former old man's pub used to be too close to Regent's Park to make it onto the average NW1 pub-crawler's radar. But since it shipped out the pool table and ushered in a gastro-style makeover, the shabby chic has been considerably smartened up. Barbecues in the large beer garden remain a bastion of blokeishness, though. If the weather's good, the coals go on. Choose between beef, chicken and lamb burgers for £6, or try a sausage sandwich for £5.50. Wash it down with Fruili fruit beer or a German wheat ale like Franziskaner (£3.80). Go on, you're in "new Camden".

Bluebird Café
350 King's Road, SW3 (020 7559 1000, danddlondon.com)

There are few places in London more relaxed and elegant than this King's Road landmark. Head out to the front terrace, where throughout the summer a rotisserie barbecue will offer a short-but-sweet selection of Mediterranean dishes. The charcoalsmoked scallops (£16.50) are lemon-drizzled, wrapped in pancetta, and go nicely with the by-the-glass Chateau Lacroix rosé (£4.95). Grilled tiger prawns (£18.50) come with a herb and tomato sauce, while the spring lamb is served with a Tuscan bread salad (£14.50). Barbecued rump steak with horseradish and potato salad costs £13.50.

The Albion
10 Thornhill Road, Barnsbury, N1 (020 7607 7450, the-albion.co.uk)

Proof that you don't have to venture outside London to find a country pub offering perfect chargrilled specials. Ten minutes' walk from Angel Tube, there's nowhere nicer to lose an evening than in the idyllic garden that seats up to 120. In addition to a regular menu of pub grub, there's a barbecue and spit-roast every Saturday and Sunday, and, if there's demand, on Thursdays and Fridays, too. Expect to pay about £8 for a burger, between £14 and £16 for a rib-eye, and £18 for a T-bone steak.

Babylon at Roof Gardens
99 Kensington High Street (entrance Derry Street), W8 (020 7368 3993, roofgardens.com)

If it's going to take more than just white-hot coals to get you eating alfresco this summer, try this exotic garden restaurant seven storeys above Kensington High Street. With palm trees, streams and even a pair of flamingos for decoration, it's a unique urban oasis. Until September, there's a barbecue menu on the terrace, which includes Ballindalloch rib of beef served with chips, mushrooms, artichoke and red onion salad (£24), and a fillet of sea trout with Hollandaise sauce, asparagus, spinach, new potatoes and cherry tomatoes (£18). Places at the barbecue, which opens for lunch Monday to Friday, and for dinner Monday to Thursday, are available on a first-come first-served basis.

The Water Poet
9-11 Folgate Street, E1 (020 7426 0495, waterpoet.co.uk)

It's hard to pinpoint what makes this elegantly scruffy boozer such a popular East End hangout. It's just scuzzy enough for Shoreditch types and just done-up enough for City drinkers. As well as live music, there's a sun-trap beer garden and a barbecue with a grill menu. Most popular are the burgers, which come with side orders of chips, corn-on-the-cob or coleslaw, (£8.50). Otherwise, they'll grill you up a platter with chicken (£7.95), lamb (£8.95), prawns (£11.95) and, for the vegetarians, halloumi skewers (£6.95). As well as Becks and Stella, there are summery white beers like Hoegaarden on tap at £4.15 a pint.

Masala Zone
80 Upper Street, N1 (020 7359 3399, masalazone.com)

As if to prove that barbecues aren't just about burgers, Indian food chain Masala Zone has headed outdoors. The Upper Street outpost has set up a grill next to its terrace, cooking up the best of its indoor menu on the street. Choose from a range of tikkas, kebabs and thalis - an airline-style plate loaded with selections including curries, vegetables, dhal, rice and poppadums. You can't beat the price or presentation - you'll get a chicken tikka cooked in front of you for £6.95.