When this country is hit by a heatwave, the last thing you want to do is eat inside a stuffy restaurant.

Luckily, I didn’t have to endure that when I went to The Botanist’s “Summer on the Square” event on Sloane Square.

I went there with my aunt on June 26, I felt like I was enjoying a summer evening in a setting of casual elegance.

Just reminiscing about it has me missing the day.

Only two words are really needed to sum up my evening there: loved it.

We initially showed up at The Botanist restaurant just opposite the Square where we told we were in the wrong place.

Staff were quick to point us to the Square, where the organisers gave us a warm and efficient welcome.

We managed to bag a table underneath a sun umbrella, so the hot sun wasn’t beating down on us.

The Botanist introduced me to their gin infuser.

This device is designed to enhance the gin experience by allowing users to infuse their gin with a variety of botanicals and other ingredients.

I enjoyed the Picanto mocktail with feragaia free spirit, pineapple juice, agave, fresh chilli and lime, while my aunt had the Islay Spring Punch with the Botanist’s signature gin, pear liqeur, lemon, honey, strawberry, mint and prosecco.

The drinks were perfect – absolutely refreshing and necessary for a heatwave.

We were told that we’d be eating pizzas that night but until those arrived, the staff gave us olives – which I don’t particularly like, but my aunt loved them.

There was a real sense of community at The Botanist, something many people believe is often missing in London.

It was busy but the organisers conducted the evening with professionalism.

The way we lost ourselves in conversation within the cool atmosphere, both with each other and the organisers, meant we weren’t just waiting for our food to arrive.

But when the pizzas finally arrived, they did not disappoint.

(Image: Ezekiel Bertrand)

The pizzas were perfectly crisp and I’m salivating just thinking about them.

While the Margherita pizza would not be my first choice, this particular one literally had me ordering seconds – yes, that’s how good it was.

The fresh basil and tangy tomato sauce was amazing – it was simple yet bursting with flavour.

On to our endless supply of mocktails and cocktails, we sampled several throughout our meal, each one more delightful than the last.

The Botanist’s mixologists really know how to craft the perfect summer drink.

Overall, I can’t express how much I’m longing to repeat that evening and I highly recommend The Botanist’s Summer on the Square to anyone looking for a perfect summer night out.