HERE IT IS, I have gathered all my years of experience and compiled this AWESOME list for you of the absolute BEST rooftop bars in London that you absolutely need to know about. You will find some famous names, some classic venues, some hidden gems and some newbies on the scene. Basically, you will find exactly what you are looking for… who doesnt want good vibes, good drinks, good food and great views!
Rooftop at Trafalgar St James
7th Floor, 2 Spring Gardens, St. James’s, London SW1A 2TS
trafalgarstjames.com
020 7870 2900
Rooftop St James has absolutely unbeatable views of Trafalgar square and the iconic London skyline. This incredible rooftop bar just takes your breath away. Head here for alfresco dining, sky high cocktails and even brunch. With a menu inspired by Japan, Korea and More, you are truly in for a real treat. and again … THE VIEW!
Coqbull
17-19 Denman St, Soho, London W1D 7HW
Coqbullsoho.com
02078461189
Now… Coqbull is a unique one on this list because I havent actually been here before! BUT I have heard the food is AMAZING and on their Instagram they have been sharing videos and pictures of the roof terrace opening in April and it is a DREAM! Looks like it will be the newest hidden gem in the London rooftop scene and OF COURSE I am already booked in for a table in April. Fingers crossed for great weather! Cant wait to try.
Aqua Spirit
5th Floor, 30 Argyll St, Soho, London W1F 7EB
aquaspirit.co.uk
020 7478 0540
Aqua Spirit is THE rooftop to find yourself on this spring. A glitzy, sophisticated champagne and cocktail bar with spectacular, open-air rooftop space, Aqua Spirit is a destination cocktail bar in the heat of the west end, with DJ’s every weekend and stunning outdoor terraces to relax and refresh while taking in the views. Cosy seating, booths and a really warm feeling to the space, this is exactly how I picture my ideal roof terrace!
Skylight at Tobacco Dock
Tobacco Dock, Pennington St entrance, St Katharine’s & Wapping, London E1W 2SF
Tobaccodock.com/skylight
Skylight sits atop the famous Tobacco Dock (my favourite venue for a good time in all of London) boasting amazing views of the London city skyline Now.. we all know how much I LOVE an activity! Well Skylight has a bunch of activities you can play with friends, a few different street food vendors and a whole variety of drinks. Honestly just a really fun, lively place with something for everyone! And a HELL of a view…
Allegra
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 20 International Way, London E20 1FD
allegra-restaurant.com
020 3973 0545
Allegra’s terrace is a atmospheric, intimate, outdoor space set amongst an elevated meadow of wildflowers, water features and cedar pathways and sheltered under a spectacular, cedar-cantilevered roof. Basically a heavenly garden in the sky with views to die for. The terrace also offers sharing dishes and small plates from a more casual menu exploring the Sky Terrace overlooking the London skyline. It just feels like such a special place that truly has to be visited to fully experience.
12th Knot
20 Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PD
seacontainerslondon.comt
020 3747 1063
12th Knot is a lively rooftop bar and lounge overlooking the river thames with unrivalled views of London. Stylish seating, cocktails celebrating seasonal ingredients, DJs and live music โ the perfect for a late night with killer views and your favourite people. A true reflection of South Bankโs awesome energy, expect bright, striking dรฉcor with an open-plan layout which puts the panoramic views centre stage. So whether youโre curled up on a window seat, relaxing on the balcony, mingling at the bar or on the dance floor, Londonโs breath-taking skyline is the main attraction!
Savage Garden
Floor 12, 7 Pepys St, Tower, London EC3N 4AF
savagegarden.co.uk
020 7709 1044
Savage Garden rooftop terrace sits on top of a Doubletree Hilton with views of London Bridge and Tower of London. With a wild selection of cocktails, delicious food and even a bi-monthly dog brunch with the option to upgrade to bottomless prosecco for humans and pawsecco for furry friends for ยฃ20 per person extra. Head to Savage Garden and take a walk on the wild side.
Vinegar Yard
72-82 St Thomas St, Bermondsey, London SE1 3QX
vinegaryard.london
07535 102068
Located right next to London Bridge Station, Vinegar Yard is an eclectic mix of drinks, food, flea market and art. In summer, socialise in the sun in the huge outside venue; in winter, go under cover with huge tents and outdoor heating, or book a table in one of the two indoor bars. Surrounded by big buildings and with the Shard towering above you, its quite the place to enjoy a drink! Sit, enjoy, and really take it all in.
Bar Elba
Rooftop Mercury House, 109-117 Waterloo Rd, South Bank, London SE1 8UL
bar-elba.co.uk
020 3892 8166
You could go to Bar Elba every night of the week, and never get bored!! Rooftop cinema screenings, bottomless brunches, supper sessions and a social club which involves bottomless cocktails and more… YOU CANNOT GO WRONG with Bar Elba. PLUS the gorgeous views, pastel colours and even igloos… who doesn’t want to sit with friends, in a cute af igloo with tower bridge views while enjoying bottomless porn star martinis.
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Bussey
Roof B Bussey Building, 133 Rye Ln, London SE15 4ST
Busseyrooftopbar.com
07761 134946
The Bussey Rooftop Bar is a tropical PARADISE in lively Peckham. Perched atop the iconic Bussey Building, Bussey Rooftop Bar literally stands above the rest as the highest drinking hot spot in Peckham, offering delicious cocktails, tasty pizza and unrivalled 360-degree views of Londonโs dazzling skyline. Transforming into a colourful oasis, Bussey Rooftop Bar offers a unique drinking and dining experience in the heart of South London.
SHOREDITCH
Upper 5th
Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch, 335-337 Old St, London EC1V 9LL
Upper 5th Website
020 3310 5536
Come here for… Drinks, Roof Terrace, Views, BBQ Kitchen, Cocktails, Comfortable Seating…
Upper 5th is found on the rooftop of the Courthouse Hotel in Shoreditch, with absolutely stunning panoramic views of the London skyline. Extremely instagram worthy and just unmissable. A great spot for sunset drinks.
The Aviary
Royal London House, 10th Floor Montcalm, 22-25 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1DX
aviarylondon.com
020 3873 4060
ROOFTOP IGLOOS! The Aviary is a gorgeous rooftop restaurant & terrace bar with igloos you can book. You can enjoy day or night here.. with bottomless brunch, dinner with a view or just drinks. again… ROOFTOP IGLOOS. I don’t think the novelty of a igloo will ever wear off.
Jin Bo Law
14th floor, 9 Aldgate High Street Dorsett City, London EC3N 1AH
jinbolaw.co.uk
020 3947 2582
On the 14th floor of the Dorsett City Hotel you will find Jin Bo Law. With stunning views of the London skyline, and a laidback vibe, this really is a very special place to unwind. They also host club nights and many a celebrity has been spotted partying the night away at Jin Bo Law.
Netil 360
1 Westgate St, Hackney, London E8 3RL
netil360.com
Netil 360 is a bar, garden, cafe and workspace rooftop venue. There is a real laidback vibe from the wooden benches and picnic style seating, grab a spot on the grass, get yourself some cocktails or beers and try some of the tasty street food options on offer!
Red Lion
41 Hoxton St, Hoxton, London N1 6NH
redlionhoxton.co.uk
020 7729 7920
The Red Lion is a absolute hidden gem in Shoreditch, with a really laid back vibe, lively once the sun goes down on the weekend. Plus they serve food, really great burgers and pizzas to enjoy with the wide range of drinks available. Perfect little suntrap!
Queen Of Hoxton
1 Curtain Rd, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3JX
queenofhoxton.com
020 7422 0958
The Queen Of Hoxton rooftop is one of the best known in London, and for very good reason. The bar, club and rooftop in the heart of Shoreditch is host to live music, DJs and installations with a roof garden barbecue! There is a fun, laidback vibe on summer days and a real lively, party vibe come the evenings!
Golden Bee
Singer St, Old Street, London EC1V 9DD
goldenbee.co.uk
020 7253 1110
Golden Bee is a Shoreditch hotspot known for its amazing vibe and lengthy cocktail menu. The large roof terrace at Golden Bee has a large bar, fantastic views of Shoreditch and a lively atmosphere, any time you visit. The cocktails are damn well fantastic too. PLUS No matter what the weather, they’ll make sure you can still enjoy the view from the rooftop thanks to a retractable canopy. Never fret about getting rained out again.
Boundary Rooftop
9 Redchurch St, Shoreditch, London E2 7DD
boundary.london
020 7729 1051
Enjoy the absolutely spectacular view of the City and East London from the stylish surroundings of Boundary’s heated Rooftop & outdoor terrace. Open come rain or shine, the Rooftop is the perfect destination for lazy lunches, afternoon cocktails, balmy evenings and cosy nights alike. Open all year round, this is the perfect spot to enjoy the fantastic views whatever the weather and on fine days and throughout the spring and summer you can sit out in the Rooftop garden with a glass of something nice and something tasty off the grill.
BRIXTON
Prince Of Wales
467- 469 Brixton Rd, Brixton, London SW9 8HH
pow-london.com
020 7095 1978
WHAT A PLACE Prince of Wales is! With a epic two tier rooftop beer garden, its not hard to see why this pub is a Brixton institution. Here you can come to enjoy a after work beer, musical bingo, bottomless brunch, themed nights, DJs… and so much more! Theres always something going on at the Prince of Wales, with a killer sunset view like theirs… you absolutely cannot go wrong.
Lost In Brixton
Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, Brixton, London SW9 8PS
lostinbrixton.com
020 8187 1038
A rooftop paradise, hidden in Brixton Market, this rooftop jungle bar is such a fantastic hidden gem. With a little imagination and a lot of love, they have managed to turn a hidden corner of Brixton into a secret rooftop terrace, big enough to get lost in. Take a wrong turn, to the right place is what Lost in Brixton say and its not hard to see why. Its just SUCH a cool vibe, great drinks, great food, great vibe… worth venturing out to Brixton for this place alone.
I AM SURE I will find / remember way more beautiful rooftop venues in and around London to recommend but this extensive list should keep you busy for now.
Be sure to leave a comment with YOUR favourite rooftop venues! And if there are any rooftop bars in London or anywhere really that YOU love and think I should try!
Stay safe, stay awesome
This list is great Rachel! I haven’t been to a rooftop bar before, but some of these look like a must-go for sure when it’s safe! Love The Aviary and Allegra, such great views and spaces! Thank you for sharing x
Thank you so much! Itโs been hard work trying all these but someoneโs gotta do it ๐ all in the name of research hahah.
These are all opening on the 12th of April so defo try them when you can ๐โฅ๏ธ
Every single one is amazing!! Love the sea and city view. Can’t seem to choose a favorite but I think 12th knot stood out for me. I also like the bar one and Allegra. Such an outstanding view to dine with your partner and family. Thank you so much for sharing!
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This is so amazing, all these beautiful places & great views. Skylight at Tobacco Dock & 12th knot are places I definitely need to visit. Those views are just so beautiful! Although Red Lion seems kind of weird to me x) It is a hidden gem but seems a bit condensed and awkward (for me).
I really want to go to a roof-top bar, they look so cool! Thank you for sharing these suggestions, I’ll have to check them out if I visit London x
London is my favourite city ever but I’ve never been to any of these bars. Hopeful I’ll get to visit at the end of July so I’m going to bookmark this post, some of them look incredible!
An apt list to keep handy with spring and summer approaching and restaurant and bars set on the mark, getting set and just awaiting the ‘go’ to reopen.
I have to save this post for when I’m able finally to visit London! It’s been in my plans for the past 15 years, and something always happens, like a pandemic, and up my plans aside again. Hopefully next year I will be able to!
Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love rooftop bars in London so I love that you’ve put a list together. Incredible stuff. The vinegar yard is one of my favourite it has an incredible view x
This was a great read while I look out on the beautiful sunshine this morning. Today is due to be lovely and what I wouldnโt give to be on one of these rooftops today.
We are going to see Hamilton in July for my birthday so I think I might have to try one or two of these out x
I can’t wait until rooftop bars are open again and we get a sense of normality! These all look amazing, I want to visit them all haha x
Rooftop dining is always awesome. I would check out these places if I travel to London again. Thank you for sharing.
This post makes me miss London so much! I can’t wait to visit some of these next time I’m there. If only that was soon!
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Oh I would LOVE to be visiting a rooftop bar! And if it were in London even better! ๐ How fun are those little pods that the rooftops have. I’ve never been in anything like that before.
Thanks for sharing, these all look great places to visit, hopefully which we should be able to do soon ๐
What a great selection! I definitely want to try some of these bars.
This is an excellent list! So diverse. Now you’ve got me wanting to have dinner in a rooftop igloo. Lol! I also really like Netil 360–that’s the type of workplace that I would like to have access to.
Hi Rachael,
What a great list – people living in, or visiting, London really are spoilt for choice when it comes to rooftop bars. I have to say I’m always a little torn with these establishments – will my desire for food, drink, and a good view outweigh my fear of heights?! Usually, it does! ๐
These all look like such fun places to visit and enjoy. My partner lives in London so this post was really helpful. Thank you for sharing your suggestions.
Lauren
What an amazing list.
I’m really loving the igloos and I want to go to any of these bars right now.
I love information like this on bars, prior to visiting. Then I know what it’s going to be like.
Oh wow, this is an extensive list Rachael! I haven’t been to London in ages and would love to try these all. Especially the igloos look fab xx