Here are 11 new London rooftop bar concepts to raise a glass this spring
Take a deep breath in, you can feel it: spring is in the air. There’s nothing quite so enlivening as a cocktail on a rooftop bar, but if you’ve exhausted London’s sky-high options in previous years we’ve rounded up some of the best new London rooftop bars to go for a drink this spring. Bottoms up – and pray for the sun.
TT It’s been a joy watching this Shoreditch bar flourish in its short life, morphing from the sort of spot you’d expect to survive for a year then quietly shut down into a stalwart of the area; it’s now a more grown-up spot with very serious food. TT Liquor, be gone: new for 2024, ‘TT’ includes a rooftop restaurant with sprightly, unusual dishes, with a focus on smoking and pickling. Try the dry-aged ribeye with chimichurri for a proper mouth party. 17B Kingsland Rd, London E2 8AA
RUCOLA Covent Garden members club The Conduit is launching a new rooftop bar for spring. It’ll be open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and chef’s plating Northern Italian dishes like Barolo braised Iberico pork cheeks, globe artichoke pansotti and vanilla and black peppercorn ice cream. Enjoy the decent views from this central enclave without the hordes shoving past. 6 Langley St London WC2H 9JA
JIN BO LAW SKYBAR This city bar and hotel was Formerly the Dorsett City Hotel, but has been reimagined as the Hotel Saint. There’s a renovated feel throughout, and at the Jin Bo Law Skybar there are views over London Bridge, the Walkie Talkie and the Shard. Get your smackers around a ‘City Jingle,’ a sour with pomegranate liquor, egg whites and lemon. Hotel Saint, 14th floor, 9 Aldgate High St, London EC3N 1AH
THE OLD WAR OFFICE Is the most significant London hotel opening in years. The first Raffles in the capital, it occupies the former administrative buildings used by Churchill in the Second World War. The hotel is open, but the final phase, the rooftop bar and sushi restaurant, is due to launch this spring. There will surely be brilliant views over St James’ Park.Whitehall, London SW1A 2EU
WAGTAIL Okay, so not brand new, but Wagtail opened in the Square Mile just over a year ago and is one of our favourite places to go for a tipple. It’s a sophisticated spot for drinks that doesn’t draw in the loud, drunken crowds that often go to these places – and there’s decent food too. Book dinner in the inside restaurant then venture outdoors onto the terrace for post-dinner drinks. 68 King William St, London EC4N 7HR
THE EMORY: New from the Maybourne Group, behind some of London’s best hotels including Claridge’s and The Connaught, The Emory will open this April as one of the capital’s swankiest new places to stay. Any new rooftop space is particularly exciting, but The Emory’s Bar 33 – which will be invite only and open exclusively for hotel guests – is sure to be talk of the town. Old Barrack Yard, London SW1X 7NP
LLAMA INN This new London rooftop bar and restaurant in the heart of Shoreditch is particularly lovely when the sun comes out. Above the Hoxton Hotel, there’s a small swimming pool and a suntrap terrace. When you’ve finished gawping at the view, the Peruvian food on the menu and killer mezcal cocktails are another welcome distraction from ordinary life going on all those floors below. 45 Curtain Road, Shoreditch London EC2A3PT
FORZA WINE The National Theatre on the South Bank has some fantastic balconies overlooking the Thames, but none – until now – have had a bar on them. Welcome Forza Wine, a fancy pants wine bar with some excellent food, too. There’s indoor and outdoor balcony seating, and we’d recommend the mussels with white beans and wild garlic, and the purple sprouting broccoli with anchovy, capers, bread crumbs and duck fat potatoes to kick things off. National Theatre, London SE1 9PX
POCKET SQUARE No one seems to know this rooftop bar exists, other than lucky guests who check into this new London hotel that opened just after the pandemic. The Hyatt Place London City East has artist’s residencies so there are some amazing art pieces scattered throughout this rooftop bar, which serves particularly creative cocktails. Staff get to suggest new drinks for the menu and proudly show off about their creations, which is pretty cute. Black Lion House, 45 Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1DU
QUEEN OF HOXTON This stalwart of the Shoreditch bar scene changes its rooftop decor every season so there’s always a fresh vibe. For winter they’ve decorated the area in homage to ‘Gothic Venice’ and while the summer theme hasn’t yet been announced, if previous iterations are anything to go by it’ll be pretty impressive. The streets of Cuba and ‘Lost Vegas’ have both been themes before. 1 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3JX
HORIZON 22 The newest London rooftop is Horizon 22, which is free to enter. Offering the capital’s highest no-fees viewing platform, there’s also a basic but functional food offering, with a cafe offering snacks, and hot and cold drinks to enjoy while you look out over the city. There’s more food options on the ground floor, but if you’re after a proper meal you might want to just pop up here for a look and then head on elsewhere. 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AJ
For more food and drink go to cityam.com
Check here for more information on new London rooftop bars