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There’s really nothing quite like enjoying dinner at a luxurious restaurant with a view of London’s iconic skyline.
Treat yourself to fine dining while taking in London’s most famous landmarks from above. From the top floors of modern skyscrapers to cosy rooftop terraces, there are plenty of amazing restaurants to choose from when it comes to dining with a view in London.
Below are 11 of the absolute best London restaurants with a view…
The best restaurants with a view in London
Duck & Waffle (Heron Tower)
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Duck and Waffle is a luxury and internationally-renowned British restaurant located on the 40th floor of one of London’s tallest buildings – the Heron Tower – with floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking panoramic views out across the city.
It is also the highest 24 hour restaurant in London, serving everything from breakfast and brunch to late-night dinner, midnight snacks and cocktails.
Duck & Waffle’s menu consists of modern British and European cuisine, with different dishes available depending on the time of day but all featuring one main item; the restaurant’s signature crispy duck leg confit served on a waffle with a fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup.
Book: Duck & Waffle.
Address: 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY.
Opening Hours: Open 24/7.
SUSHISAMBA (Heron Tower)
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Located just below Duck & Waffle on the 38th and 39th floors of London’s Herron Tower is the equally impressive restaurant with a view – SUSHISAMBA.
SUSHISAMBA uniquely blends Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine and culture, with a menu featuring everything from tempura and sushi to churrasco and seviches.
As well as the large main dining room with its floor-to-ceiling windows and unusual bamboo roof, SUSHISAMBA also features the highest outdoor dining terraces in Europe, offering unparalleled 360-degree views across the capital. Undoubtedly one of the most spectacular spots in London to enjoy the sunset over the city over a delicious meal and a few cocktails.
Book: SUSHISAMBA
Address: 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY.
Opening Hours: Mon, Tue & Sun 11:30am – 01:30am. Wed – Sat 11:30am – 02:00am.
Darwin Brasserie (Sky Garden)
Darwin Brasserie is London’s highest brasserie on the mezzanine level of the Sky Garden – one of the best free viewpoints in London set over the top three floors of 20 Fenchurch Street, better known as ‘The Walkie Talkie’ building.
The elegant 36th-floor restaurant overlooks the lush scenery of the surrounding tropical garden and down over London, with amazing uninterrupted views across the entire city.
Darwin Brasserie serves an all-day menu of seasonal British dishes with a modern twist, as well as a great weekend brunch menu so you can enjoy your avocado toast with some of the best views in the capital.
Book: Darwin Brasserie.
Address: 20 Fenchurch Street, 1 Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF.
Opening Hours: Tues – Weds 12pm – 9pm, Thurs 12pm – 9.30pm, Fri 12pm – 10pm, Sat 9am – 10pm, Sun 9am – 9pm.
Fenchurch Restaurant (Sky Garden)
Also found within the Sky Garden is another of the best restaurants in London with a view, Fenchurch Restaurant, named after the street on which the iconic skyscraper can be found.
The 47th-floor fine-dining establishment offers a contemporary British menu created by their incredible new Head Chef Michael Carr, paired with an award-winning wine list. Treat yourself to a delicious and luxurious dinner with some of the most spectacular views over the capital.
Book: Fenchurch Restaurant.
Address: 20 Fenchurch Street, 1 Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF.
Opening Hours: Thurs 5pm – 9.30pm, Fri – Sat 12pm – 10pm, Sun 12pm – 8.30pm.
Helix at the Gherkin
30 St Mary Axe – or the Gherkin as it’s better known – is another of the City of London’s most iconic skyscrapers and home to one of the most striking restaurants with a view in London.
Helix by Searcys at the Gherkin, which was remodelled and rebranded in 2018, is a modern British restaurant located on the skyscraper’s 39th floor where the uniquely shaped building rounds off to create its famous gherkin shape. Sitting just above it on the mezzanine 40th floor is the Iris Bar where you can end your meal with a cocktail or two.
The distinctive crisscrossed domed glass roof shared by the luxury restaurant and bar not only offers one of the most unique spots to enjoy a meal in London but also boasts some of the most spectacular 360 views across the entire city.
Book: Helix at the Gherkin.
Address: 30 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8BF.
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 1pm – 8pm, Sat 2pm – 8pm, Sun 1pm – 7pm.
Aqua Shard (Shard)
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Several of the most luxurious London restaurants with a view can be found inside the Shard – London’s tallest building.
One such restaurant is Aqua Shard, a super swanky and ultra-modern British restaurant and bar inside a three-story glass atrium on level 31 of the Shard, with stunning 360-degree views across London.
Open throughout the day, Aqua Shard is probably best known for its themed British Afternoon Tea experiences every afternoon. In 2021, you can opt for the Peter Pan Afternoon Tea – with savoury and sweet treats inspired by Peter’s adventures in Neverland – in partnership with the Great Ormond Street Hospital, with a donation made to the charity for every booking.
Book: Aqua Shard.
Address: The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG.
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 12pm – 11pm. Sat – Sun 10:30am – 11pm.
Oblix (Shard)
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Oblix is located on level 32 of The Shard and is split into two different spaces.
Oblix West is a sophisticated and upscale dining room with a menu that showcases the best of British and European produce, with dishes from the rotisserie and grill in their open kitchen. Oblix West also offers a proper British roast dinner every Sunday with views out across West London.
Oblix East is a stylish lounge and cocktail bar offering a creative selection of cocktails and a mix of seasonal small bites which can be enjoyed with views of East London stretching from the city and Tower Bridge over to Canary Wharf.
Book: Oblix Restaurant.
Address: The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG.
Opening Hours: Weds – Sun 12pm – 10pm.
Hutong (Shard)
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Sitting on level 33, Hutong is the highest of the restaurants in the Shard.
Hutong showcases the very best of northern Chinese cuisine and culture, with its stylish interior sporting traditional red lanterns, hand-carved ‘Moon Gates’, silk curtains and epic views over London, a menu based on the ‘Lu school’ cuisine of China’s Shandong Province and cocktails inspired by ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine.
While all of the restaurants in the Shard certainly come with an inflated price tag, popping in for a cocktail and small bite could still prove better value than forking out £32 for a ticket to ‘The View from The Shard’ viewing platform.
Book: Hutong.
Address: The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG.
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm – 10pm.
City Social (Tower 42)
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City Social is celebrity chef Jason Atherton’s Michelin Star restaurant on Level 24 of Tower 42 in the City of London.
The elegant art deco-style restaurant sits against the backdrop of the stunning London skyline, with amazing views across to neighbouring skyscrapers, including the Gherkin and the Walking Talkie, and out over the rest of the capital.
Enjoy the spectacular views from your private booth alongside Michelin star fine dining, with an offering of modern-British cuisine and an award-winning wine menu.
Book: City Social.
Address: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad St, Cornhill, London EC2N 1HQ
Opening Hours: Tues 5pm – 11pm. Weds – Sat 12pm – 2:30pm & 5pm – 11pm. Sun 12pm – 6pm.
Galvin at Windows
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Moving away from the skyscrapers of the City of London now, Galvin at Windows is a Michelin star French restaurant on the 28th floor of the London Hilton on prestigious Park Lane.
Located in the west of the capital, Galvin at Windows offers a totally different vantage point over London than many of the other restaurants included in this list, with views down over neighbouring Hyde Park and back across the capital’s iconic skyline.
Plus the food is just as impressive as the views, with several innovative menus based around seasonal French cuisine created by Chef Patron Chris Galvin.
Book: Galvin at Windows.
Address: 22 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 1BE.
Opening Hours: Tues – Thurs 5:30pm – 11pm. Fri – Sun 11.45am – 4pm & 5.30pm – 11pm.
Aqua Nueva
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Last but certainly not least, Aqua Neuva is a Spanish restaurant with a view over London’s West End.
Sitting on famous Regents Street, 5th-floor Aqua Neuva may not be as sky-high as many other restaurants on this list, but that certainly shouldn’t put you off.
The glamorous restaurant has not just one but two large rooftop terraces overlooking the surrounding streets of the bustling West End. The perfect spot to relax and enjoy delicious northern Spanish tapas and the restaurant’s innovative cocktail menu on a sunny afternoon in London.
Book: Aqua Neuva.
Address: 240 Regent Street, (Entrance 30 Argyll St W1F 7EB), London W1B 3BR.
Opening Hours: Tues – Weds 5pm – 11pm. Thurs – Sat 12pm – 11pm.
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Emily is a born and raised London girl, starting life in the north of the capital then moving down to Fulham in the southwest. She has a master’s degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology from University College London and now works full-time running this blog and as a freelance travel writer, splitting her life between London and travelling the world as a digital nomad.
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