Five Not so basic London Rooftop Terraces to try This Summer
Thursday, 15 May 2025
After a week of long, sunny evenings, spritz weather is officially upon us - and with it, the usual start of summer panic. Every year, it sneaks up on me. The sun comes out, and I realise I've forgotten how to do summer.
I had no clue what to wear, what to eat, or where I wanted to go. I just knew I wanted to be outside.
I quickly rectified my wardrobe issues by ordering an ungodly amount of new clothes and turning the house into a catwalk for a couple of weeks. So, I thought I'd get to work on solving my second problem by doing some research and putting together a list: Five Luxe London Rooftop Terraces to Book This Summer.
I have a whole heap of pubs, bars, and cheaper places in mind as well, but I'm going to start with a list of not-so-basic, fancy rooftop restaurants. I've been rooftop crazed for a few years now, and whilst the old classics are always a safe bet, I'm a little bored. So here are some that I'm actually excited about this year.
I quickly rectified my wardrobe issues by ordering an ungodly amount of new clothes and turning the house into a catwalk for a couple of weeks. So, I thought I'd get to work on solving my second problem by doing some research and putting together a list: Five Luxe London Rooftop Terraces to Book This Summer.
I have a whole heap of pubs, bars, and cheaper places in mind as well, but I'm going to start with a list of not-so-basic, fancy rooftop restaurants. I've been rooftop crazed for a few years now, and whilst the old classics are always a safe bet, I'm a little bored. So here are some that I'm actually excited about this year.
Seabird at The Hoxton - Southwark
Okay, you got me - this one isn't new, but it's a long standing favourite. Perched on the 14th floor of The Hoxton in Southwark, I was still going to Seabird through the winter. I think that's what makes it even more exciting, the possibility of seeing my favourite place, with its scalloped tables and palm trees, thriving again in the sunshine.
Oysters and champagne on the terrace, fruity cocktails in the sun, flavourful rice dishes, whole wood-fired sea bass and of course Torrija - a strange Spanish dessert I came across the first time I was here here and now look out for every time I visit.
SACHI at Pantechnicon - Belgravia
We booked dinner at Dear Jackie, (which is underneath the new Broadwick Hotel) a few weeks ago whilst we were on the barge, and as the day rolled around, it happened to be a lovely sunny evening. We decided to take full advantage by showing up an hour early and trying for a pre-dinner drink on the rooftop bar.
Scotts - Richmond
I've done Scott's a few times, but only recently did I learn that their Richmond branch has an upstairs outdoor terrace, right on the river! We went on Sunday when it was 26 degrees, and you'd never know you were in bustling Richmond because, whilst the whole riverbank was packed with what seemed like most of West London, up on the second floor, it was serene and peaceful, with views of the river
Yasmin at 1 Warwick - Soho
Okay, you got me - this one isn't new, but it's a long standing favourite. Perched on the 14th floor of The Hoxton in Southwark, I was still going to Seabird through the winter. I think that's what makes it even more exciting, the possibility of seeing my favourite place, with its scalloped tables and palm trees, thriving again in the sunshine.
Oysters and champagne on the terrace, fruity cocktails in the sun, flavourful rice dishes, whole wood-fired sea bass and of course Torrija - a strange Spanish dessert I came across the first time I was here here and now look out for every time I visit.
SACHI at Pantechnicon - Belgravia
Since we're based in West London, Pantechnicon is our closest central London rooftop. Housed in a very impressive looking building on Motcomb Street, Pantechnicon consists of multiple spaces. SACHI has recently moved from the lower floor to take over their roof terrace space.
The space is beautiful, but I never really liked the menu when it was Eldr, so with the menu now in the hands of Head Chef Collin Hudston, (aka Zuma and Roka) I am extremely excited to go back now try all of the raw fish, tempura, and robata-grilled dishes.
We booked dinner at Dear Jackie, (which is underneath the new Broadwick Hotel) a few weeks ago whilst we were on the barge, and as the day rolled around, it happened to be a lovely sunny evening. We decided to take full advantage by showing up an hour early and trying for a pre-dinner drink on the rooftop bar.
I'm often wary about turning up to somewhere with no online availability, particularly anywhere a little bit nicer, but Dan rightly reminded me: we have a dinner booking with them, of course they'll accommodate us - and sure enough, they did.
The service was very slow (turns out they forgot our order), but we were kept happy with complimentary snacks and a particularly large glass of champagne once they'd sorted everything out.
Scotts - Richmond
I've done Scott's a few times, but only recently did I learn that their Richmond branch has an upstairs outdoor terrace, right on the river! We went on Sunday when it was 26 degrees, and you'd never know you were in bustling Richmond because, whilst the whole riverbank was packed with what seemed like most of West London, up on the second floor, it was serene and peaceful, with views of the river
We both ordered the cod - white fish is just my favourite thing to eat on a hot day - with a glass of champagne (definitely back in my champagne era), some cocktails, and a selection of side dishes. It was perfect.
Yasmin at 1 Warwick - Soho
I stumbled across Yasmin by accident and gasped when I realised what I'd found: a fancy Middle Eastern restaurant, in Soho, on a rooftop! Why has no one been talking about this?! I booked a table immediately, but sadly my friend had to cancel, so I haven’t made it over there just yet, but it’s firmly at the top of my hit list.
Headed up by Chef Tom Cenci the menu looks awesome. I cant wait to try the whipped sheep’s cheese with hot honey and the duck skewers with orange & saffron mayo. Yum
Where’s your go-to rooftop spot? Let me know if there’s a secret gem I need to add to the summer hit list!
For more mouthwatering insights into Britain’s most exciting chefs and restaurant scene, pop over to Square Meal website - it’s a treasure trove of culinary inspiration.
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