The Best Rooftop Bars in London for Views, Brunch and More

A rooftop bar in London is only worth it if the view, the drinks, and the ambiance all line up, and plenty get one of the three wrong. This guide covers the best rooftop bars in London by what you want from the visit, from Shard views near London Bridge to brunch and dinner above the city. Each section names where to go and what to order. My absolute favorite is listed last. Book ahead, as the best sell out before summer weekends.

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Best Rooftop Bar in London for Skyline Views: Savage Garden

Savage Garden is twelve floors up in the Hilton near Tower Hill, with two outdoor terraces giving 360-degree views of the Shard, the Gherkin, and the Tower of London. It’s a well-known skyline bar, with a resident DJ, a menu of sharing plates and burgers, and a terrace styled with a beachy feel. It works for after-work drinks, brunch, or a date.

• What to Order: The signature cocktails are the draw, with the tequila-based Devil’s Advocate as a high recommendation, plus the buttermilk chicken sliders to share. Aim for a terrace table at sunset.
• Best If: You want big city skyline views with The Shard and Gherkin in frame, plus cocktails and a party atmosphere.
• Skip If: You want a quiet drink. Savage Garden is usually loud with the DJ, so it is built for a night out rather than a calm one.

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Best Rooftop Bars Near London Bridge: Seabird and Shard Views

The London Bridge and Southwark side has the best concentration of rooftops looking back at the city skyline. Seabird, on the 14th floor of The Hoxton in Southwark, is the best one to book. It’s an Iberian seafood restaurant and bar with views taking in the Thames, St Paul’s, and the Shard. It has one of the longest oyster lists in London and a big marble raw bar, and the terrace is open all year. You can eat and drink well here for around £60 to £80 (about $75 to $100) per person, which is fair for a hotel rooftop with these views.

• What to Order: Oysters from the raw bar, starting around £3.50 each, and the seafood platters, paired with one of the southern-European cocktails. The hot honey margarita gets frequent praise.
• Best If: You want a proper seafood dinner with Shard and St Paul’s views, near London Bridge, that stays open through winter.
• Skip If: You do not eat seafood. Seabird is built around oysters and fish, so the menu narrows fast for anyone who skips it.

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Best Rooftop Restaurant in London for a Big Night: SushiSamba

SushiSamba sits on the 38th and 39th floors of the Heron Tower at 110 Bishopsgate, with what it bills as the highest outdoor dining terraces in Europe. The food blends Japanese, Peruvian, and Brazilian cooking, and you reach it by a glass lift that is part of the experience. The views over the City are huge, the room is loud and dressy, and it draws a mix of City professionals and weekend diners. This is the spot for a big celebration where the setting is important.

• What to Order: The sushi and the Peruvian-Japanese tiraditos are the menu’s core, along with the robata grill plates. Drink options include pisco and Japanese whisky.
• Best If: You want a high-energy, high-floor dinner with terrace views and a fusion menu, for a celebration or a group.
• Skip If: You are watching the bill. SushiSamba is expensive, and the prices are for the view rather than the food alone.

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Best Rooftop Restaurant in London for Dinner With a View: Darwin at Sky Garden

Darwin Brasserie is London’s highest rooftop brasserie, on Level 36 of the Sky Garden in the Walkie Talkie building. The food is British brasserie cooking, and the views over the Thames are fantastic. The key practical point: booking a table at Darwin is the easiest way into the Sky Garden, since the free public tickets disappear fast, and a reservation lets you skip past the queue. There is airport-style security on the way in, so arrive a little ahead of your booking.

• What to Order: The seasonal British mains with the steak and the Cornish fish dishes being reliable good. Ask for a table with a view, and leave time to walk the gardens before or after.
• Best If: You want a dinner with one of London’s highest views and a guaranteed way into the Sky Garden without dealing with free tickets and long lines.
• Skip If: You want a quiet or cheap meal. Darwin gets crowded and the prices reflect the location, so it is a special-occasion booking rather than a casual one. There’s an even higher-end restaurant on the next level above it.

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Best Summer Rooftop Bar in London: Frank’s Cafe

Frank’s Cafe is a seasonal Peckham rooftop on top of a multi-storey car park, open only from late spring through summer, with a famous pink staircase and 360-degree views across South London. It is casual, with botany-inspired cocktails, beer, and food cooked to order on the grill. It is dog-friendly and family-friendly during the day, too, which most rooftop bars are not.

• What to Order: Frank’s margarita or the frozen watermelon cooler, plus whatever is coming off the grill, like the miso-glazed aubergine or slow-roast pork neck.
• Best If: You want a relaxed, affordable summer rooftop with a local crowd, and you can go when the sun is out.
• Skip If: You are visiting outside summer, or you want a polished bar with table service. Frank’s is seasonal and refreshingly rough around the edges.

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Best Rooftop Brunch in London: Radio Rooftop

Radio Rooftop is located on the 10th floor of the ME London hotel with a wraparound terrace giving 360-degree views across the Thames, taking in the Shard, St Paul’s, the London Eye, and the Houses of Parliament. The room is glossy and the crowd dresses up, with international DJs playing through the evening. The food is Asian-influenced sharing plates, and the weekend brunch is the way I love to do it.

🏆 My Personal Pick

Radio Rooftop is my pick for the whole list, and it is where I send anyone wanting a rooftop brunch in London. The vibe is swanky in the best way, dressed-up but fun, with great music and one of the best terrace views in the city. The brunch food is elevated, with egg dishes that are a step above the usual rooftop fare, and the espresso martinis are my favorite drink to order. It’s the best rooftop bar in London, hands down. Go for the views and the atmosphere as much as the food, and find a terrace spot if you can, because the inside tables miss the best views.

• What to Order: The bottomless brunch with the egg dishes, and the espresso martinis from the cocktail list. The Asian sharing plates are great if you stay into the afternoon.
• Best If: You want a glamorous, lively rooftop brunch with skyline views, music, and good cocktails in central London.
• Skip If: You want a low-key, budget brunch. Radio is dressy and priced for the setting, with a smart dress code on DJ nights. But it’s more casual during the day.

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Best Rooftop Bars in London: What to Know Before You Go

A few practical points apply across all of these:

• Book ahead, since the best rooftops fill weeks out in summer and on weekends, and a reservation at Sky Garden or a hotel rooftop is the only way to guarantee the view.
• Check the dress code, since the dressier spots like Radio and SushiSamba enforce smart-chic, while Seabird and Frank’s are relaxed.
• The year-round rooftops, Seabird, Savage Garden, SushiSamba, Darwin, and Radio, all have indoor space, while Frank’s is summer-only and open-air.
• Prices are high at hotel rooftops, so the view comes at a premium.

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Where to Stay in London: My Top Picks

• Generator London is my go-to budget spot in the city. It’s comfortable and stylish in a way most hostels aren’t, and it’s an easy base near King’s Cross.
• Mimi’s Hotel Soho is one of my favorite hotels in London for the vibe, the price, and the location, right next door to the Dog and Duck and a short walk from the rest of my Soho picks. Be aware that some rooms don’t have windows, which the website states clearly, so check before you book if that matters to you.
• Canopy by Hilton London City is another favorite, close to the Tower of London and an easy walk to both Borough Market and Sky Garden, which are in my top recommendations. The hotel also has a great rooftop bar and first floor restaurant.
• The Ned London occupies the old Midland Bank building in the City, and is about ten minutes from Sky Garden. The ground floor holds a whole collection of restaurants under the original banking hall columns and the brunch is outstanding.
• The Savoy London is the classic London splurge on the Strand, with Kaspar’s for seafood and the American Bar for a proper cocktail.

Got a London rooftop with a view worth the trip? Tell me your favorite in the comments.

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