Round off your summer the right way with a trip to John Lewis Roof Fest…

It’s a balmy summer evening as we battle the throngs of crowds in Oxford Street. Fighting through arms of shopping bags, slow walkers and commuters rushing to the tube station, it’s a relief when we burst through the cool doors of John Lewis. We head up the escalators, eyeing up the enviable homewares on the way, before making our way to the John Lewis Roof Fest. We emerge into the sunshine and are greeted with a true oasis – a far cry from the mayhem on the streets below. The air is thick with the scent of sizzling Filipino street food from Bong Bongs Manila kitchen and people are chinking ice gold G&T’s as they top up their tans.

Grass covers the floor, bunting sways in the breeze and there are so many beautiful plants around you really feel as though you’ve left the big smoke behind and landed in the middle of the country. A caravan holding a cinema screenplays Top Gun for avid film fans, who recline in deck chairs and listen through headphones while sipping wine and beer in their very own rooftop cinema.

We take our time wandering around, weaving past wooden benches where happy couples are sat basking in the rays. The atmosphere is both electric yet chilled at the same time, with revellers enjoying the respite from the city after a long day in the office. We head to Bong Bongs There are three bookable spaces here, the Boho Den Garden Den and Cherry Blossom Den, which are each made to suit groups and are beautifully decked out and just perfect for your Instagram.

We begin our evening with a “Summer of Love” cocktail courtesy of Roof Fest’s drinks partner Background Bars. It’s a delicious blend of Beefeater Gin, elderflower, lemon, cucumber and Fentinamsn soda, which is an ideal combination for a summer’s eve as is today. It’s delicate and light, with a refreshing kick. The menu in Bong Bong’s Manila Kitchen consists of large plates priced at £11 (or £6 for kids) which are served with steamed jasmine rice or fried vermicelli and side dishes for £6. The menu is relatively simple in the fact it has four large plates to choose from, but each dish has been created to pack a real flavoursome punch. I opt for the Beef Tapa – Garlic cured Bavette steak with tomato coriander salsa and a fried egg. The steak is large and deliciously tender with just the right level of garlic and the steamed jasmine rice makes for a delicious accompaniment. My partner opts for the grilled aubergine satay curry – a peanut and coconut milk curry with garden peas, roasted peanuts, fresh pineapple, spring onion, coriander and lime. Again, the portion size is generous – we decide to switch and share as both looked too delicious to keep to ourselves – and the flavours perfectly marry together. Our side of sweet potato fries are also mouth-wateringly tasty, but prove almost too much for us to manage with the size of the large plates!

As we sit and eat our way through our dishes, sipping our cocktails under the sunshine, music playing and a gentle summers breeze in the air, we feel ourselves truly relax. It’s a real treat to find somewhere in the centre of the city that offers true escapism and somewhere you can sip wine under the sun with friends and just chill out. It’s a space to can head to for a cheeky cocktail after work, or to spend the evening with a delicious dinner, listening to the music and just soaking in the atmosphere. John Lewis Roof Fest is around until the 29th of September, so make sure to head down while you can. Just be sure to leave time in your calendar to return, for when you’ve been there once, you’ll find it hard to stay away…