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Slideshow
Top 10 London rooftop bars
London’s many rooftop bars offer not only an opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of the streets, but incredible views of the city.
Bank’s Coq d’Argent
With drinks lists as long as your arm, it might be worth bringing a big wad of cash with you, as you search for the perfect summer setting for that well-deserved drink.
Scroll through to see some of the best…
Roofnic
New for 2015 Roofnic is situated at the end of Oxford Street, near Marble Arch, and offers a peaceful retreat away from the crowds on the streets below. With fake grass and a swish white canopy it’s the perfect location for post-work drinks and lunch in the sun. Plus the cocktails are just £7. Open from 10am to 10pm every day until September it is sure to be popular.
535 Oxford Street, London, W1C 2QW
Aqua Spirit
Just a stone’s throw away from Roofnic, Aqua Spirit is home to two year-round terraces that are open for lunch from 12pm until 3pm, and drinks from then onwards – weather permitting of course.
Sitting on the fifth floor, just off Regent Street with an entrance on Argyll Street, Aqua is more about the drink than the views, understandable given its location.
240 Regent Street, London W1B 3BR
Radio Rooftop Bar
Sitting pretty on the 10th floor of ME London, Radio is the only rooftop bar in the Strand and Aldwych area to be open throughout the day until 2am from Thursday to Saturday.
Spanish inspired tapas dishes with a contemporary twist sit alongside an extensive drinks menu are only half of what’s on offer at Radio with great views of the City, the Shard, London Eye and the Houses of Parliament also on the cards.
336-337 Strand, London, WC2R 1HA
Mondrian
Before this rooftop bar at the Mondrain Hotel in opened up last year the only on the South Bank was between Queen Elizabeth Hall’s roof garden and the Tate Modern (though you have to be, or know, a member).
The glass box, looking like the bridge of a ship, gives impressive views of St Paul’s and the Thames. The drinks don’t disappoint either with champagne by the glass and cocktails from resident mixologist Mr Lyan, priced from £12.
Inspired by the Bright Young Things, the Rumpus Room takes things back to the roaring 20s where a party was more than a party.
Surely the perfect place for a summer celebration.
20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PD
Vista at the Trafalgar Hotel
Vista, situated just off Trafalgar Square, gives fantastic views of the iconic space in the heart of the capital. The sophisticated rooftop space is the perfect place to spend a summer afternoon sipping champagne or cocktails and watch the world go by.
New for 2015 is a partnership with the BLOOM gin company, which will see a pop up bar at Vista inspired by the natural flora of an English garden. They are also launching a new twist on afternoon tea.
The Trafalgar, 2 Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2TS
Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street
Sitting atop 20 Fenchurch Street, affectionately known as ‘the walkie talkie’, is the Sky Garden. Spanning three floors on the iconic London landmark as accessible through two express lifts the Sky Garden offers unparalleled 360-degree views of London.
Surrounded by London’s highest public gardens, the bar offers beer from £4.75 and cocktails from £11.50.
Access is limited and tickets have to be booked at least three days in advance through the website but access is free.
20 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 3BY
The Roof Gardens
The Roof Gardens in Kensington is a little slice of paradise tucked away in the capital. Owned by Virgin chief Richard Branson, it is surrounded by 1.5 acres of woodland, as well as Spanish and Tudor-style gardens.
It’s a hotspot for the rich and famous and visitors are advised to call ahead incase the venue has been privately hired.
Not to mention the flamingos that can be found in the grounds.
99 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA
Coq d’Argent
In the heart of the City, in a garden designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd the winner of numerous medals and awards at the Chelsea Flower Show, Coq d’Argent is another location offering spectacular views of St Paul’s and the Bank of England.
With covered and heated terraces it’s possible to enjoy the selection of spirits and food whatever the weather.
No. 1 Poultry, London EC2R 8EJ
Soho Sky Terrace
Billed as the funkiest open-sky roof terrace and bar in Soho, the Soho Sky Terrace offers refreshing cocktails and light bites, with space for 80 people standing and 60 seated.
Again, an all-weather cover is at hand should the sun disappear and the venue can be privately hired for parties and corporate events with almost any theme suitable.
19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL
Sushisamba
Up on the 38th and 39th floors at 110 Bishopsgate, SUSHISAMBA is a unique blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine and culture. Floor-to-ceiling windows show off London’s landscape with the iconic orange tree in the centre of the west terrace.
A mix of cocktails with earthy and citrus flavours cost £14 with the signature menu from £13. It’s also one of the few restaurants in the world to serve authentic Kobe beef, officially certified by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
110 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AY