Rooftop Bars in London: 12 of the Best for Views and Sunset

The best rooftop bars in London combine a proper view with somewhere comfortable to sit when the wind gets up: Radio Rooftop on the Strand, The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St James, the Sky Garden and Madison in the City, and the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden on the South Bank are all excellent. Here are twelve rooftop bars in London, grouped by area, with the best ones for sunset and a few words on the weather.

All twelve were open in 2026, but rooftops are more changeable than most bars: some are seasonal, many close terraces in bad weather, and some take bookings only for part of the space. Check with the venue before you go.

Before you go: rooftops and London weather

London’s weather is the one thing you can’t book. A few habits make a rooftop evening far more reliable:

• Check the forecast that afternoon, not the day before. Wind matters as much as rain at height.
• Choose a rooftop with cover. Heated terraces, glass orangeries and enclosed sky bars give you the view whatever the sky does.
• Book. Many rooftops keep some space for walk-ins, but on a warm Friday the queues can be long.
• Bring a layer. Even in summer it can be several degrees cooler up top once the sun goes down.
• Know your sunset time. It falls before 4pm in December and after 9pm in late June, so plan to arrive about an hour before.

West End and Trafalgar Square

The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St James

On top of the hotel at 2 Spring Gardens, The Rooftop looks over Trafalgar Square towards Westminster and the river. There’s alfresco and covered seating, an open fireplace, heaters and blankets for cooler evenings, which makes it one of the more weatherproof rooftops in central London.

The Nest at Treehouse London

High above Langham Place, just north of Oxford Circus, The Nest has views reaching to the London Eye, Canary Wharf and the green of Regent’s Park. It has both an indoor lounge and an open-air terrace, with seasonal cocktails and champagne rather than full dining. Convenient for Marylebone and Fitzrovia.

Radio Rooftop at ME London

On the Strand, at the top of the ME London hotel, Radio Rooftop has some of the best views in the West End: the Thames, the South Bank and the dome of St Paul’s. It gets lively later in the evening, with DJs, so go early for conversation. Book at weekends.

South Bank and Southwark

Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden

Named London’s best rooftop bar by Time Out in 2026, the roof garden of the Southbank Centre is a seasonal favourite, open from spring through summer. A lawn and beds of plants, flowers and fruit trees sit above the river, with drinks served from a bar in a converted shipping container. It feels like a secret garden in the middle of the city.

Forza Wine at the National Theatre

On the top floor of the National Theatre, Forza Wine has a balcony looking along the river and is open year-round. Good wine, small plates and a view of Waterloo Bridge make it an easy choice before or after a show.

Seabird at The Hoxton, Southwark

On the fourteenth floor of The Hoxton on Blackfriars Road, Seabird is a seafood restaurant and bar with a long oyster list and a terrace looking north across the river to the City. The terrace comes into its own in summer.

The City

The Sky Garden

At the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, the Sky Garden is an enclosed glass dome with planted gardens, bars and restaurants. Entry is free but must be booked in advance, and a reservation at one of its bars or restaurants also gets you in. The best choice in London for a view on a wet evening.

Madison, St Paul’s

On the roof of One New Change, Madison looks straight across at the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, one of the most striking close-up views in London. There’s a restaurant, a cocktail bar and a large heated roof terrace.

Sushisamba, Bishopsgate

On the 38th and 39th floors of the Heron Tower, Sushisamba is reached by panoramic glass lifts. Its outdoor terraces are among the highest in Europe, with views across the City and beyond. Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian food, and a real sense of occasion.

Aviary, Finsbury Square

On the tenth floor of the Montcalm Royal London House, Aviary has an open-air terrace with views over the City skyline and a menu of seasonal British food. The terrace closes earlier than the bar, so go in good time if you want to sit outside.

East and south London

Boundary Rooftop, Shoreditch

Entered from Redchurch Street, Boundary’s rooftop bar and grill looks across Shoreditch to the City. Its heated glass orangery means you can enjoy the view all year, even when the terrace is too cold.

Frank’s, Peckham

On the tenth floor of a multi-storey car park off Rye Lane, Frank’s is a summer-only rooftop bar, open from mid-May to mid-September, with art installations and views to The Shard and St Paul’s. It’s casual and very popular; go early.

Which rooftop suits which evening?

For a first date, choose somewhere you can sit and talk: The Nest, The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St James or Madison early in the evening. For a celebration, Sushisamba’s height and glamour make an impression. For a relaxed summer afternoon that drifts into evening, the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden or Frank’s. And if you’d like dinner and the view in one booking, Seabird, Madison and the restaurants at the Sky Garden all serve full meals.

Staying in west London? There are few true rooftop bars around Kensington, Bayswater or Paddington, but The Nest and Radio Rooftop are a short taxi ride away, and the river bus from the South Bank makes a lovely way to reach the City rooftops.

The best rooftop bars in London for sunset

For a westward sunset over the river, Radio Rooftop and the Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden are hard to beat. For a sunset over the City’s towers, try Madison or the Sky Garden. For height and drama, Sushisamba. And if the weather turns, the Sky Garden, Boundary’s orangery and The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St James give you the view without the rain.

Rooftops, dinner and the rest of the evening

A rooftop drink is a perfect start to an evening, and our date night ideas in London suggest what to do next. Book a table at one of our romantic restaurants in London nearby, or move on to one of the speakeasy and jazz bars for a late night. For more after-dark ideas, see London at night.

If you’re planning a dinner date with one of our ladies, the restaurant is the centrepiece: choose it first, then tell us where and when you’d like to meet. A dinner date is three hours, usually around £800, and our guide to dinner dates and overnights explains how it works. Many of our ladies are based in central and west London, around Mayfair, Paddington and Bayswater. To see who is free this evening, look at escorts available today, then contact us to book.