Enjoy a drink on London's best rooftops

Drinkies, a great view... what else you could possibly need?

There's something about swigging a drink as you survey what lies beneath which makes you feel like quite the big-wig. "Look at those little poor people down there scampering around with their lives as I sup Cinzano from this, my lofty drinking station."
No? Just us, then.

Whatever feelings it may arouse, there's no denying that there's something a little bit different about a night on a roof terrace.

So grab your glad-rags and make plans for a night in the clouds. (Well, at least one story up, anyway.)

Check out our list of London's best rooftop bars.

The Fox image
The Fox
372 Kingsland Road E8 4DA
Haggerston 0.45 miles
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Having undergone yet another refurbishment (will this new Fox last?) the new residents at the Fox have wisely smartened up the terrace at the top of this Kingsland Road pile. Escape the urban environment below and sip craft beer as you peer down on the mean streets.

The Red Lion image
The Red Lion
41 Hoxton Street N1 6NH
Hoxton 0.32 miles
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At the corner of Hoxton Square, The Red Lion has long been an attractive option for the curious and the carefree. Rough around the edges, yet packed with charm, the rooftop terrace is the place to find a touch of serenity in crazy old Shoreditch.

The MacBeth image
The MacBeth
70 Hoxton Street N1 6LP
Hoxton 0.21 miles
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When this week’s latest indie-pop outfit gets a bit too much, escape upstairs to the terrace up top. The Macbeth may be more synonymous with the sweaty swagger of bands but on the roof there’s a way out – of you can handle the smoke.

The Rooftop St. James image
The Rooftop St. James
2 Spring Gardens SW1A 2TS
Charing Cross 0.05 miles
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Vista is your classic dial-a-hotel-rooftop-bar with its swanky tables, ‘chill out’ soundtrack and pricey punch, however, the views are ace. Like the website says, on top of the Trafalgar Hotel the views are ‘indulgent’ – and with Nelson’s Column next door, you’d have to agree.

The Queen of Hoxton image
The Queen of Hoxton
1 Curtain Road EC2A 3JX
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Film screenings, BBQs, games, cocktails, club nights - The Queen of Hoxton has it all, and that’s just the roof! Any trip to Shoreditch is brightened up immeasurably with a trip to the peak of this multifaceted venue. There’s even Astroturf in a sweet attempt at a grassy illusion. Aahh.

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Proud Camden
Chalk Farm Road NW1 8AH
Chalk Farm 0.29 miles
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Well, well, well… isn’t the rooftop terrace at Proud rather swish?! The wicker chairs, the cushions, the pot plants; it’s all just so attractive. If you’re looking for down to earth style at odds with hotel bar aesthetic then this is the rooftop for you.

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The Big Chill House
257-259 Pentonville Road N1 9NL
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The thing with the Big Chill venues is that they’re both a world away from the eponymous festival. However, despite the rowdy nature of the club nights at this Kings Cross emporium of fun, there’s always the rooftop escape. The terrace gets BUSY in summer but what’s a little shoulder rubbing between friends?

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Boundary Rooftop
2 - 4 Boundary Street E2 7DD
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Luxury hotel and rooftop terraces mix and nowhere are the results more attractive than on the Boundary Rooftop. A chic layout is more South of France than East of London and a classy cocktail bar provides the refreshments to match the views.

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The Brunel Museum
https://www.thebrunelmuseum.com/support-us/volunteer/ Railway Avenue, Rotherhithe SE16 4LF
Rotherhithe 0.00 miles
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Voted one of London’s best rooftop bars, Midnight Apothecary takes over the rooftop of the Brunel Museum each summer. Visit the secret riverside garden and drink artisan cocktails in the moonlight while keeping warm by the fire pit. The ingredients for the cocktails come from the garden itself or from foraging in the local area.