Seek out September sunshine at London’s stylish rooftop bars

When the sun is shining in London, there is simply no better place to be. Rather than flocking to the city’s many parks or terraces, take things sky-high and enjoy a pour in one of London’s lesser-known rooftop bars. The capital has no shortage of sophisticated options, all boasting delicious views – so soak up the sun with the Wallpaper* guide to immaculate rooftop drinking, all summer long.

The best London rooftop bars

Amano Rooftop Bar

Amano Rooftop Bar – hidden atop the first UK hotel of German group Amano – is something of a show-off, with views of the Thames, the London Eye and even The Shard from its vantage point on the seventh floor. It’s the perfect spot for a pre-or post-theatre drink, with a menu featuring enticing options such as the Attraction, a blend of Ojo de Dios Mezcal, Cointreau, blood orange juice and honey, and the irresistible Addiction, a mix of PiggyBack 6-year aged whiskey.

A tapas menu is also available, comprising Spanish bites like Stuffed Manzanilla Olives, Croquetas de Jamón and Gambas al Ajillo. Global architecture studio Woods Bagot was tasked with the delivery of the hotel’s entire architecture and interiors, including the elegant terrace.

Amano Rooftop Bar is located at Hotel Amano Covent Garden, Drury House, 34-43 Russell St, amanogroup.com

The Berkeley Rooftop Bar

Located between Knightsbridge and Belgravia, The Berkeley hotel’s rooftop bar is a lofty treat, initially reserved for staying guests but currently open for all to enjoy, until the end of the summer season. The space, courtesy of the in-house Maybourne design team, tempts with privileged vistas of Hyde Park’s treetops.

The venue’s current collaboration with premium tequila brand Patrón promises a Mexican-inspired taco menu and refreshing cocktails, with favourites including a trio of tacos or the ‘make your own’ guacamole offering. A post-dinner treat? Turn to the rooftop’s soft serve ice cream machine, or head to the lobby to nab the remaining pastries at Cédric Grolet’s Chef’s Counter. Discover a sun-bathed mural by artist Chiara Perano along the way.

The Berkeley Rooftop Bar is located at The Berkeley, Wilton Pl, London SW1X 7RL, the-berkeley.co.uk

Brooklands Terrace

When it opened in autumn 2023, Brooklands restaurant and bar added yet another layer of sophistication to the glamorous Peninsula London. Since then, its more recently opened terrace has emerged as the cherry on top of the Peter Marino-designed hotel. The Michelin-starred restaurant – named after the Surrey racetrack eponymous with British racing and aviation heritage, and helmed by chef Claude Bosi with Francesco Dibenedetto as chef de cuisine – takes guests on a journey across the British Isles through a three-course menu: one designed to be served within 60 minutes, or ‘Concorde speed’ as the team promises.

This same aviation reference is repeated across Brookland’s elegant interiors, courtesy of London-based Archer Humphryes Architects. Whether visiting the restaurant’s new terrace for the fleeting possibility of catching central London bathed in a technicolour sky, the bar’s expertly crafted seasonal cocktails, or the sleek design touches (among them a mirrored steel sculpture by Richard Hudson), Brooklands promises a soothing setting where luxury is the order of the day, every day.

Brooklands Terrace is located at The Peninsula London, 1 Grosvenor Pl, peninsula.com

Flute

Nestled on the corner of Broadwick Street and Berwick Street, Broadwick Soho, designed by Martin Brudnizki, arrived last year as a sensory feast, combining Jazz Age opulence, Italian inspirations, a touch of English eccentricity, and a hint of disco fabulousness. Its rooftop dining bar and terrace, Flute, is hailed as the hotel’s ‘crown jewel,’ offering stunning views of London’s rooftops.

With its maximalist design – including animal-print upholstery, cork walls, mirrored ceilings and a palm-frond carpet – Flute blends perfectly into central London’s vibrant entertainment scene. The central bar, featuring an onyx top, serves up a dynamic range of cocktails and sharing dishes, accompanied by a ‘sensational’ soundtrack.

Flute is located at Broadwick Soho, 20 Broadwick St, broadwicksoho.com

Kaso

If you seek serenity amid the creative chaos of east London’s Shoreditch, Kaso will likely not be your best fit. Yet if you want to tune into the area’s frantic pulse and finish your day on a beat, book a table at this new Eastern Mediterranean restaurant and bar on top of One Hundred Shoreditch hotel. With a menu created by Turkish chef Ilknur Celik, Kaso brings the flavours of the ‘East Med to the East End’ through hot and cold mezze dishes and traditional small plates that are best shared – pair this experience with fresh botanical-infused cocktails such as the signature ‘Kaso Spritz’.

Like the rest of the hotel, the design of Kaso was led by the Lore Group’s creative director Jacu Strauss, who accented the space with lush foliage, both outdoors and inside, mauve marble touches, and earthy hues. Don’t miss Kaso Sounds, a weekly DJ roster spanning old-school classics to hip-hop.

Kaso is located at One Hundred Shoreditch, 100 Shoreditch High St, onehundredshoreditch.com

Mercer Roof Terrace

The Mercer Roof Terrace, situated in the Vintry & Mercer boutique hotel in London’s City, offers views spanning from the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral to the glass tip of The Shard across the Thames. At both the indoor and outdoor areas, guests can enjoy the best of British cuisine (including seasonal set menus) paired with an impressive selection of wines that include rare English Sparkling varieties from regions like Sussex and Kent.

Alternatively, seasonal favourite cocktails include the Nelson’s Square, made with rosemary-infused Ocho Reposado tequila, St. Germain, grapefruit juice, sugar and lime juice, or the Cucumus Melo, featuring Ramsbury vodka infused with cantaloupe. The venue, designed by hospitality design specialist Studio Moren (previously Dexter Moren Associates), aims to be a ‘bolthole’ within the city, transporting guests to a different time and space.

The Mercer Roof Terrace is located at Vintry & Mercer, 20 Garlick Hill, vintryandmercer.com

Mortimer House

Mortimer House, part of Maslow’s collection of elegantly designed members’ houses, workspaces, restaurants and bars across London, boasts a lesser-known 40-seat rooftop terrace and bar on its sixth floor, offering views of Fitzrovia. The art-deco-inspired event space, designed by New York-based firm AvroKO, will begin to be available for private parties throughout the summer of 2024 – with executive chef Tom Cenci at the helm.

Alongside a selection of favourite sparkling, white, red, rosé and orange wines, the drinks menu also offers a variety of house cocktails, including the popular Negroni made with Bombay Sapphire, Karminia Rosso and Campari, or the Aviazione, which consists of Bombay Sapphire, Luxardo Maraschino, Crème de Violette, Prosecco and lemon.

Mortimer House is located at 37-41 Mortimer St, mortimerhouse.com

Sabine Rooftop Bar

Sabine Rooftop Bar provides a respite from the lively city streets below, offering a privileged, close-up perspective of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Decorated by Irish studio Garuda Design, the bar boasts a glass-domed roof and a vibrant outdoor terrace that fills the space with natural light. The design brief called for a fun, colourful, and youthful ambience, with an abundance of cascading greenery to establish a garden retreat atmosphere.

The bar’s new summer cocktails feature the City Summer, made with Hennessy V.S.O.P, Melonade, homemade honey water, pink grapefruit juice, lemon juice and grapefruit bitters, as well as the Coco Breeze, crafted with Belvedere Vodka, Melonade, Coconut Syrup, Mionetto Prosecco, Fever Tree White Grape and Apricot Soda.

Sabine Rooftop Bar is located at 10 Godliman St, sabinelondon.co.uk

Yasmin Soho

Yasmin Soho, previously only open to 1 Warwick’s members, is now welcoming non-members for the first time. Situated on the sixth floor of 1 Warwick’s member’s house, Yasmin offers an intimate rooftop restaurant, bar and terrace with panoramic sights of Soho’s skyline.

Executive Chef Tom Cenci presents a menu of Middle Eastern-inspired sharing dishes, such as charred flatbread with spiced dips and delicious skewers, alongside cocktails that include options like the Horizon, crafted with Lychee, Luxardo Bianco, Cocchi Americano, plum and prosecco, as well as the Grand Bazaar, which includes Evan Williams, Mancino Rosso, Beesou, Cadello and fig. Described as ‘a secret sun-trap for relaxed lunches, cocktails at sundown, late-night dining, and revelry,’ Yasmin’s decor was courtesy of LA studio Fettle and sees luxurious upholsteries and Mediterranean influences.

Yasmin Soho is located at 1 Warwick St, yasminsoho.com