22 Of The Best Rooftop Bars In London For Cocktails With A View
It’s hard to beat whiling away a night at one of the best rooftop bars in London, especially in the summer. In the east, enjoy the ramshackle charm of The Culpeper, where you can take in views of the Gherkin while surrounded by beds of actual cucumbers, or admire the majesty of St Paul’s from Sabine’s on the seventh floor of the Leonardo Royal Hotel. (The cathedral’s 111-metre-high dome feels so close you could touch it in between sips of Campari.) South of the Thames, meanwhile, Frank’s Cafe offers one of the best views of London’s ever-evolving skyline from a revamped multi-storey car park, while nearby Forza Wine has equally stunning panoramas along with blended frozen negronis. Prefer your G&T with a side of celebrity sightings? Try Gold’s garden-oasis terrace in Notting Hill or the astroturf-covered Standard rooftop in King’s Cross, or the Boundary in Shoreditch, complete with heated glass orangery and fire pits in winter. Below, Vogue’s edit of the best rooftop bars in London.
Courtesy of Pantechnicon1/22Eldr Roof Garden & Bar
At the top of the Pantechnicon – a five-storey temple of Japanese and Nordic design – the Eldr Roof Garden & Bar serves inventive Nordic cocktails in lush green surrounds designed by Finnish horticulturist Taina Suonio. The menu changes seasonally, with flavours and herbs carefully selected by a team of mixologists from across Scandinavia. It’s worth a trip for the spectacular views of Belgravia alone.
SW1X
Milo Brown2/22The Nest in Treehouse
For a bird’s eye view of the capital – from the BT Tower to the Shard and London Eye – grab a seat at this sleek bar on the roof of the Treehouse Hotel. The menu is a love letter to seasonal British produce, meaning you can pair your lemongrass bellinis and rhubarb margaritas with a chargrilled coronation chicken burger or scrumptious pork and truffle sausage roll. If the weather takes a turn, there’s also a cosy indoor space, dotted with tea lights and dripping with foliage, to retreat to.
W1B
Courtesy of Jurema3/22Jurema
A visit to Jurema at The Mandrake feels like a holiday. The award-winning cabana is designed by renowned landscape architects Bureau Bas Smets, and serves inventive cocktails paired with Amazon-inspired dishes from restaurant Yopo. Dinner at the greenhouse hideaway on the second floor is also highly recommended.
W1T
Daniel Morgan4/22The Culpeper
Named after 17th-century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper, this Spitalfields pub and restaurant is a favourite east London hangout, popular for its Sunday roasts and rustic charm. The seasonal food menu is inspired by the ingredients grown on the rooftop, from pea shoots to micro herbs.
E1
Ingrid Rasmussen5/22Gold
With its chic interiors, prime location in the heart of Notting Hill and plant-filled roof terrace overlooking St Peter’s Church on Kensington Park Road, Gold has been a favourite hangout for everyone from Dua Lipa to Riccardo Tisci since it opened in 2019.
W11
Nicola Ferrari RF/Alamy6/22Frank’s Cafe
Martinis on top of a car park? It’s a strange yet winning formula that has served Frank’s Cafe well since launching in 2009. Just a stone’s throw away from the equally trendy Bussey Building, it serves a range of cocktails, flatbreads and nibbles by the team behind the Camberwell Arms.
SE15
Imageplotter/Alamy7/22Skylight
Above yet another car park you’ll find Skylight – a three-level rooftop bar that’s home to ping-pong tables, croquet lawns, pètanque courts and 360-degree views of London. Happily, there’s lots of covered “pergola” seating if the weather rains off your game of boules. This is London, after all…
E1W
Sam Harris / Courtesy of Forza Wine8/22Forza Wine
Just across from Frank’s Cafe is Forza Wine (a spin off of Forza Win). The restaurant and bar’s USP: blended frozen negronis. Dig into sharing plates built around classic Italian ingredients within its sleek minimalist confines while the hustle and bustle of Rye Lane carries on below, before ending the night with a hazelnut-topped soft serve.
SE15
