How To Make the Most of Summer in the Square Mile

Al fresco dining, food and drink specials, an ancient Roman temple – you don’t have to catch a flight to southern Europe to experience a summer escape. Bloomberg Arcade in the Square Mile is a culinary and cultural epicentre, with nine of London’s top independent restaurants – offering cuisines from around the world, all in one place – running the length of an awe-inspiring arcade (which offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor dining). There’s a calendar of events and even an extraordinary archaeological artefact: an ancient Roman temple, the Mithras, which can be experienced in the London Mithraeum Bloomberg Space exhibition. Below, in partnership with Bloomberg Arcade, we dig into the hub’s nine restaurants and why they’re perfect to visit this summer.

A staple on London’s Italian dining scene since 1944, Lina Stores is all about Italian classics made with the best produce and ingredients – an ethos it’s carried on to its Bloomberg Arcade restaurant. Take a seat on its terrace with an Aperol Spritz and bowl of cacio e pepe for the ultimate summer vibes.

Good times are always on the cards at Brigadiers, which combines top-tier Indian barbecue (think chicken tikka skewers and racks of tandoori lamb chops) with all the big games on its screens and a pool table. It also has a sprawling al fresco dining area, perfect for sipping one of its new summer cocktail specials, which includes the Nanda Devi (an off-dry gin Martini with Nepalese peppercorns) and the Pista Sour (pistachio and Indian agave spirit).

Wine fans are well served this summer at Vinoteca – beyond its 200-strong wine list it has a slate of offers. It’s doing 175-millilitre glasses of the iconic New Zealand sauvignon blanc Cloudy Bay plus a Jersey Rock No.4 oyster for £19, or a bottle of Cloudy Bay and six oysters for £80 – the perfect accompaniments to the DJs that take over its outdoor dining area every Thursday night.

Beloved Japanese noodle bar Koya has an inviting timber-clad space – and a spacious terrace – in Bloomberg Arcade. Head in for its signature udon noodles in dashi broth, as well as a sharp menu of small plates, made for eating alongside its selection of sake and draught beer.

From its original street-food truck in 2012 to its first bricks-and-mortar spot in 2015 and, since 2017, its Bloomberg Arcade diner, Bleecker Burger has won over Londoners with its American-style burgers by former New Yorker Zan Kaufman. Order one of its famous cheeseburgers, some handcut fries and an unctuous milkshake, then perch on one of its counters outside.

Pizza more your fast-food speed? Dig into Homeslice’s woodfired pizzas with creative toppings like curried minced lamb with burrata, or four cheeses with jalapeno and rye crumb, alongside a stellar selection of cocktails – think Negronis and Palomas. Nab a seat outside, or watch the pizzaiolo at work in the restaurant’s sunken open kitchen.

Bao has built a cult following for its pillowy buns stuffed with fried chicken, braised pork and beef short rib. And while you can find Bao in several spots around town, its City location is our pick: unlike the Soho original, you can book a table – plus, it has karaoke rooms, making it the ideal spot for post-work fun.

Caravan has all-day dining on lock – its day-to-night menu means it works for a pre-work breakfast, work lunches or dinners with mates. At breakfast you’ll find perfectly made coffee alongside dishes like smashed avocado on toast and vanilla pancakes. Later in the day, dishes blend flavours from the Middle East, Asia and Europe, including charred hispi cabbage with miso, salt and pepper squid with sriracha and an entire section of the menu dedicated to pizza. It has a great cocktail selection, too (hello Breakfast Martini).

For a light and breezy lunch, there’s Poke House. It’s all about bowls of fresh ingredients – halloumi, salmon, spicy tuna and more – combined into exciting combos. Grab a bowl on your lunch break, then take a seat outside to soak up the warm weather.

Created in partnership with Bloomberg Arcade.