It’s the same every year; all winter is spent planning our summer glow-up only for a vitamin-D madness to take over. But this year is going to be different; sunny days are going to be spent sipping spritzes at sky-high heights, glugging bubbles overlooking the city, and quaffing cocktails against walls of flowers – we’ve rounded up London’s prettiest rooftops, because we deserve a scorching season of drinking.
Bussey Rooftop Bar
Topping pretty much every list of rooftop bars in London, this Peckham haunt is an oldie but a goodie. Alongside 360° views of London, Bussey Rooftop Bar sports wooden tables, flowers dangling from beams, and some very fetching Aladdin-esque carpets. Quench your thirst with tropical cocktails while nabbing a slice or two of pizza.
Aviary
One of the best rooftop restaurants in London, Aviary has some pretty gorgeous dining pods to settle into, complete with green plush sofas and copper tables. Situated atop the Montcalm Royal London House Hotel, the venue fronts a special terrace menu filled with small plates and luxe oysters. To top it off, you can get stuck into signature cocktails served in a pretty aesthetic.
Queen of Hoxton
This Shoreditch hottie has had more makeovers than we’ve had frozen margaritas and each one gets prettier than the last. This summer, Queen of Hoxton is featuring beautiful cherry blossom trees and hot pink lanterns. You can also take endless Instagram photos of the sky-high boozer all while munching on themed eats – the crispy fries with wasabi mayo are finger-licking good.
Skylight
This former car park has swanned into Wapping’s largest – and we dare say, prettiest rooftop. As part of Tobacco Dock, Skylight is huge with several areas to explore, including a croquet pitch that uses views of the City of London as its backdrop. The upper level is the place to be, with grey day beds, strings of lights and plenty of potted plants creating an urban hideaway. Cool off with their selection of refreshing cocktails – our favourite being the spicy margaritas. Want more? Check out its Peckham location.
Alto by San Carlo
You can count on some stellar visuals anywhere near Central London and Alto by San Carlo at the top of Selfridges does not disappoint. Reached by a lemon tree-filled hallway, the space sings of Tuscany, with wisteria hanging from the retractable roof through to jars of citrus fruit on the bar. Save this slick spot for a special occasion, it’s more of a wine and dine kinda joint, with a long list of Italian whites and homely pasta dishes.
