The good old British summer may be famously inconsistent, but we’ve had enough good warm days of late to warrant a little roundup of all your latest reviews of places offering even the most vaguely summery treat. We’re thinking cocktails, beer gardens and seaside snacks - are you game?

ilovelucy is, with her happy review of Shoreditch restaurant Cantaloupe. Her mojito is “perhaps one of the best [she’s] tasted”, the ambience is lively without being overwhelming - “it was like the atmosphere of the bar was somewhat transferred to the restaurant in a positive way– you could hear the tunes but it wasn’t so loud that you couldn’t hear what each other was saying” and the menu of exotic Brazilian fare includes steaks from cattle “that have roamed on the lush, rich grass of the Uruguayan pampas”. Impressive stuff!

Over in Cambridgeshire, girlswear soaks up the sun at The Orchard Tea Gardens, a favourite haunt over the years of such literary luminaries as Virginia Woolfe and Stephen Fry, due in part to its Rupert Brooke museum and “beautiful” setting. Says our reviewer, “I had the traditional cream tea with scone, jam and clotted cream, sitting in the garden with charming wooden furniture whilst birds are chirping away” - what a great way to spend a summer’s day.

Another has to be a trip to Brighton with its pretty pebbled beach and vibrant independent eateries, and what better than a snack of fresh fish right by the sea? andreams recommends Jack and Linda Mills for the catch of the day and says “the red mullet and mackerel are the freshest I’ve ever tasted. There’s no fuss or frills here, just fresh and traditionally smoked fish sandwiches to takeaway.”

If you’re partial to a drink or two, summer wouldn’t be complete without a decent amount of time spent in a beer garden, and Christianexoo recommends The Folly Bridge Inn for a taste of “the non-university side of Oxford”. The “wonderful” beer garden is underused, except by “after-hours junkies who have been chased from the laundry”!!

Over to you - where do you spend your summer days? Are you making the most of what your town has to offer? We want your recommendations on the best places to while away a sunny weekend - get in touch!

Photo credit: An English summer in London by Sybren Stüvel (CC License)

[tags] TrustedPlaces, summer, reviews, users, cambridge, london, oxford, brighton, beer garden, cocktail, brazilian, fish[/tags]