Where to get the best rooftop restaurant shots in London

London delivers exceptional views from every angle – and its thriving food scene means the two are increasingly combined to memorable effect. Whether you’re after a sky-high setting or a tranquil terrace, we’ve rounded up our favourite spots where the scenery is just as impressive as the food and drink. Iberian small plates with a slice of riverside ambience, Mediterranean flavours against a skyline backdrop – read on to discover the best rooftop restaurants.

Forza Wine at the National Theatre, South Bank

Peckham’s favourite small plates restaurant delighted Londoners when it opened a new outpost at the National Theatre in 2023. For good reason: it serves a delicious Italian menu, natural wines and inventive cocktails that pair perfectly with sweeping views across the Thames. Occupying the top floor of the brutalist landmark, the interiors complement the building’s concrete shell with green leather banquettes, rattan chairs, wood accents and soft pendant lighting illuminating the bottle-lined shelves. Tables spill on to an 80-cover riverside terrace, complete with lush plants and parasols overlooking Waterloo Bridge and the bustling South Bank below. Go for the cauliflower fritti with aioli, followed by duck rillettes with apricot, burnt chilli and pane carasau – and be sure to save room for the soft serve topped with raspberry sauce. forzawine.com/pages/national-theatre

Joia, Battersea

London’s swishest rooftop hangout opened in 2023 as part of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment. Joia sprawls across the top two floors of art’otel, with the lower-level space featuring a stylish dining room dressed in pastel pinks and burnt oranges. Its open kitchen offers a front-row seat to Michelin-starred chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s talented team cooking up Portuguese-inspired dishes. We recommend booking a table at the rooftop bar for golden hour, when you can snap the sun dipping behind the glittering skyline, before lingering over a menu of small plates – from chicken skewers and padrón peppers to Ibérico ham croquettes. Make it your choice for date night and dive into its playful cocktail menu, starting with the jasmine spritz. joiabattersea.co.uk

Frank’s Cafe, Peckham

If you’re wondering where Londoners head for a sundowner, it’s Frank’s Cafe in Peckham. Next door to Peckham Levels and Rooftop Cinema Club, this bar sprawls across the top floor of Bold Tendencies – a community hub with an ever-changing roster of art, music and dance. While it’s loved for its signature cocktails – the spicy mango-rita is a summer staple – the panoramic view of the city’s skyscrapers twinkling at dusk is worth the visit alone. It’s not the place to come for a sit-down meal, but the snack menu will keep you satisfied, with everything from chicken schnitzel sandwiches to loaded fries and baba ganoush with flatbread on offer. boldtendencies.com/franks-cafe

Yasmin, Soho

We’re the first to grab our cameras when a towering skyscraper is in frame, but there’s also something remarkably satisfying about a rooftop that whisks you away from the bustle of the streets below. Yasmin Soho crowns private members’ club 1 Warwick, above the crossroads of Warwick Street, Glasshouse Street and Berwick Street. The wraparound terrace looks out across Soho’s rooftops, while the space is characterised by terracotta tiled floors, plush banquettes, planters draped with fairy lights and a cream-striped awning, creating a breezy spot for a long, lazy lunch. The Middle Eastern menu draws inspiration from the flavours of Istanbul, with traditional Turkish dumplings, flavour-packed skewers and charred flatbreads served alongside a tempting selection of dips – the pine nut and bean hummus is a standout. yasminsoho.com

Seabird, Southwark

Towering palm trees wrapped in twinkling lights, wicker chairs, tables topped with pleated table lamps and chequerboard tiled floors set the scene at The Hoxton Southwark’s rooftop. The seafood-focused menu draws upon Southern European influences, with Spanish and Portuguese-inspired dishes such as octopus and chorizo skewers, wood-fired scallops and asparagus paella, served alongside tempting sides including grilled courgette, patatas bravas and salt cod courgette. Plan your visit to catch the oyster happy hour (Tuesday to Saturday, 3pm-6pm), when you can enjoy an oyster for £3 and a paloma to wash it down for £7. The best bit is its convenient location, just moments from South Bank and Borough Market. seabirdlondon.com

Kaso, Shoreditch

One Hundred Shoreditch makes a case for staying in the city, with beautifully decorated rooms, an underground bar helmed by London’s coolest tastemaker Mr Lyan, and a lobby bar that regularly hosts DJ takeovers from established and emerging local talent. The rooftop bar Kaso serves up an Eastern Mediterranean menu courtesy of Turkish chef İlknur Çelik, with hot and cold mezze dishes including lamb fritters and chilli garlic sauce, and walnut chicken koftas with tahini and garlic yoghurt. But it’s the spicy margaritas – playfully prepared by the bartenders – that are our favourites. They’re best enjoyed at the terrazzo marble tables amid overgrown potted plants, overlooking Shoreditch High Street. onehundredshoreditch.com/eat-drink/kaso-rooftop

Sessions Arts Club, Clerkenwell

Sessions Arts Club is celebrated for its beautifully presented dishes, and its debut cookbook offers a close-up of the creations that have made the restaurant a favourite among London diners. In the heart of Clerkenwell, the restored Grade II-listed 18th-century courthouse presents a 60-seater bar and restaurant that evokes the feeling of dining in a gallery, with original wood floors and salvaged furniture. Outside, its sunny terrace has a sleek finish with black rattan chairs, marble tables and custom lime banquettes centred around an infinity pool with views across the city. As for the food, celebrated chef Florence Knight presents a simple, seasonal menu that changes weekly – you might find mackerel with sunsweet melon and balsamella or crab, chilli and parsley. sessionsartsclub.com

The Berkeley, Knightsbridge

This storied London hotel has roots dating back to the 1700s, so it’s little surprise that securing a reservation here is no easy feat. This summer, the rooftop bar and pool have teamed up with Acqua di Parma for Capri in the City. Head up to the eighth floor and you’ll find pin-stripe loungers, lemon vases, vibrant bougainvillea and colourful, handcrafted tableware that distils the essence of la dolce vita. Make it your summer spot for traditional Italian plates, including seafood paccheri and a selection of pizzas with pillowy bases and crispy crusts. It goes without saying that the Amalfi lemon sorbet and tiramisu are both a must-try. As for the view, the treetops of Hyde Park and the red-brick facades of Knightsbridge’s Victorian and Edwardian architecture provide a scenic lunchtime setting.

maybourne.com/en/hotels/the-berkeley/restaurants-bars/the-berkeley-rooftop-bar

The Culpeper, Spitalfields

There are few places in London that offer a better view of the city’s skyscrapers than The Culpeper. Yet its green and glorious rooftop – dotted with silver birch, apple and hazel trees – could easily pass as a buzzy gastropub in the countryside. The pub, restaurant and five-bedroom hotel on Commercial Street takes its name from 17th-century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper, reflecting its connection with nature. Tables are topped with gingham tablecloths and flowers planted in terracotta pots, while the rooftop garden grows fruit, vegetables and herbs used across the menus. The open-fire grill serves herb-fried chicken with lemon, thyme, honey and mustard, while the signature freezer-door martini – a refreshing blend of gin, seaweed, samphire, sea purslane and caper – hits the spot on a balmy afternoon. theculpeper.com