I love London with a passion. I think it’s probably one of the most scenic cities in the world. If you consider the vast green parks, historical sites of interest and contemporary architectural design, there’s a lot worth looking at. When it comes to finding great London restaurants with a view, there are some wonderful places to eat where, in addition to getting amazing food, you can also enjoy a feast for the eyes.
Best London Restaurants with a View
London is a relatively low rise city by comparison with places like New York or Hong Kong. Though in recent years there has been an increase in the number of high rise buildings. Consequently, this has resulted in a greater number of impressive roof top London restaurants with a view.
You don’t always need to get up high to get a great vista though. In this article I’ll share with you my Top 10 London restaurants with a view which, in my opinion, offer the very best combination of fine dining in a fabulous location. Most of them are quite pricey, they are, after all, among the best restaurants on offer in London. However, keep reading till the end as I am saving the best till last. I will introduce you to an especially great restaurant which offers delicious food, a stunning view, and an incredibly low priced menu. Just to prove that you can find a London restaurant with an unbeatable view, at an equally unbeatable price!
1. Fenchurch Restaurant
First of all, Fenchurch roof top restaurant is a dining experience you should definitely not miss. Located at the top of the famous Walkie Talkie shaped sky scraper (20 Fenchurch Street) in the Skygarden. Yes, a garden in the sky! Okay, it is more a collection of indoor tropical plants with lots of glass but it’s impressive nonetheless and the views from up there are truly sensational.
Dishes at Fenchurch are impressive and beautifully presented. The staff are very courteous and you feel like you’re really getting the service to match the location. I recommend you go early evening, about an hour or so before sunset. As far as London restaurants with a view go, this one is pretty suave. You can enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and take in the scenery, watch the sun go down, and then enjoy seeing the city lights below, shining in all their glory beside the river while you dine.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Open: Lunch: Mon to Sun: 11:45am-2:45pm
Dinner: Mon to Sun: 5:45pm-10:15pm
Sky Garden
1 Skygarden walk,
London
EC3M, 8AF.
Phone +44 333 772 0020
Menu at Skygarden
2. Galvin at Windows, Hyde Park
This Michelin star restaurant is situated on the 28th floor of the Hilton Park Lane Hotel in Mayfair. It boasts 360 degree views of the city from its floor-to-ceiling windows. You can dine in style while overlooking Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace and even St. Paul’s Cathedral. The restaurant launched in 2006 and offers customers some splendid views along with extremely tasty modern French haute cuisine. This is one London restaurant that definitely stands out from the crowd due to its location, gourmet food and impeccable service.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Lunch: Monday to Friday 12.00pm – 2.30pm, Saturday Closed, Sunday 11.45am – 3.00pm
Dinner: January through March dinner service starts at 5.30pm
Monday to Wednesday 6.00pm – 10.00pm, Thursday to Saturday 6.00pm – 10.30pm
Galvin at Windows,
London Hilton on Park Lane,
22 Park Lane,
Mayfair,
London
W1K 1BE
Phone +44 207 208 4021
Menu at galvinatwindows.com
3. Aqua Shard
Aqua Shard is a lively, cosmopolitan restaurant serving contemporary British cuisine. It is located on the 31st floor of London’s most recent landmark and sky scraper, The Shard, and it offers breath-taking panoramic views of London’s skyline and riverside. In the day time you can easily see Tower Bridge right round to the London Eye. At night, the sight of the city lights is truly stunning. If you’re looking for London restaurants with a view Aqua Shard has it all. The food is luxurious and presented elegantly so it’s perfect for a special occasion. You do need to have a head for heights though as The Shard is the tallest building in London. It’s a long way up.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Breakfast: Mon-Fri 7am-10.30am Sat-Sun & Bank Holidays 9am-10am
Weekend Brunch: Sat-Sun & Bank Holidays 10.30am-3.30pm
Lunch: Mon-Fri 12noon-2.45pm
Afternoon Tea: 1.00 – 5.00pm Monday – Friday, 1.00 – 4.00pm Saturday & Sunday (except Bank Holidays)
Dinner: Mon-Sun 6pm-11pm
The bar at Aqua Shard: Mon-Sun 12noon-Late. No reservations required.
Aqua Shard
The Shard,
31 St. Thomas Street
London
SE1 9RY
Phone +44 203 011 1256
Menu at aquashard.co.uk
4. Barbecoa
Barbecoa is described as ‘the home of smoke & fire’. It’s the co-creation of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and Perry Lang, a New York chef famed for his ways with barbecue, so you’d be hard pressed to find a finer steakhouse in London. It offers some of the finest British and Irish meats available. In terms of the view, it’s literally opposite St Paul’s, and if you get the right seat, the view is astounding. You’re almost nose to nose with the dome therefore this is a good option for a nice meal with a good iconic view of a London landmark.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 11:30am–11:00pm, Sunday & Bank holidays: 12:00pm–10:00pm
Barbecoa
One New Change,
20 New Change,
London
EC4M 9AG
Phone +44 203 005 8555
Menu at www.barbecoa.com
5. Tate Modern Restaurant
In July 2016 the Tate Modern, in London’s Bankside, a fashionable area on the Southbank of the River Thames, opened a new restaurant on the ninth floor of Herzog and de Meuron’s £260m Switch House extension. The Tate Modern already had one of the best London restaurants with a view but the new one has three-sixty views from the 10th floor. Consequently, it has truly beautiful views of St Paul’s Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge right across the river from your table. For less formal dining you can still visit the 6th floor bar and restaurant area. Just pull up a stool at the long bar facing the river and St Paul’s, enjoy a glass of wine or even take your laptop and do some work there (as I frequently do!).
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday 12.00-15.00, Friday to Saturday 12.00-21.30
Tate Modern Restaurant,
Switch House Level 9,
Tate Modern,
Bankside,
London,
SE1 9TG
Phone 020 7887 8888
Menu at tate.org.uk
6. Babylon at the Roof Gardens
Located off Kensington High street, Babylon at the Roof Gardens has lovely views from its 7th floor rooftop beautiful garden setting. This place does not provide some of the big city centric views like other London restaurants with a view do, such as The Shard or Fenchurch at the Sky Garden. It has a more relaxed, elegant and chic ambience. You can see South London suburbia beneath, including views of the Royal Albert Hall and Knightsbridge. Therefore, it’s a delightful option if you want to enjoy a good seasonal Britsh menu with a nice vista, in the presence of lots of greenery.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday 12pm until 12am and on Sunday 12pm until 7pm. Babylon’s bar is open Monday to Sunday from 12pm until Midnight and on Sunday from 12pm until 7pm.
99 High Street,
Kensington,
London,
W8 5SA
Phone +44 20 7368 3993
Menu at Babylon
7. OXO Tower Bar and Brassiere
The OXO tower is an iconic land mark in London. The food served in the Bar and Brasserie, Harvey Nichols on the 8th floor of the tower, one of three restaurants in the tower, is innovative, sophisticated British cuisine. No, it isn’t all covered in gravy (see what I did there? No? Oh, okay, I’ll just stop…). Direct from the restaurant are sweeping views of the river below and the glass frontage provides a spectacular view of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Dining is accompanied with Jazz music on most evenings and although it’s a fairly pricey restaurant you can’t beat it for combining a bit of London’s cultural history with great views of the river. Hence, as far as London restaurants with a view go, this is definitely a good pick for interest sake.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday 12 midday – 11pm
Sunday 12 midday – 10pm
Menu at OXO Tower
8. Duck & Waffle
The Duck & Waffle is a bit different when it comes to dining in London since it is open 24/7. Located on the fortieth floor, this restaurant has delicious British and European cuisine served in modern surroundings. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views. Situated in the City of London (right in the heart of London), this restaurant has one of the best close up views of the iconic London building affectionally known as the Gherkin. It also has a swift lift to bring customers up and down, so hold onto your hat if you decide to visit.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Er…All the time!
110 Bishopsgate (Heron Tower),
London
EC2N 4AY
Phone +44 20 3640 7310
9. Sushisamba
Following on from the Duck and Waffle, and also in the Heron Tower but this time on the 38th and 39th floor, is Sushisamba. This restaurant offers a unique blend of Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian cuisine. There are delicious sushi and sashimi dishes to enjoy and again, splendid views of the Gherkin. It’s literally right next to you, up close so it offers great photography opportunities! In fine weather there’s a beautiful outdoor terrace and bar where you can have a cocktail or just a glass of wine if you want to visit and take in the views.
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Sunday – Tuesday 11:30am – 01.30am. Last reservation 11:30pm
Wednesday – Saturday 11:30am –02.00am. Last reservation 12.30am
Heron Tower,
110 Bishopsgate,
39th Floor,
London
EC2N 4AY
Phone number +44 20 3640 7330
Menu at Sushisamba
10. Butler’s Wharf Chop House, London Bridge
Finally, I said that I’d save the best till last. Well, for me, topping the poll of London restaurants with a view has to be Butler’s Wharf Chop House Bar & Grill. Situated in the fashionable Shad Thames area, right by Tower Bridge, with the full length of the restaurant opening out onto the terrace in good weather, you can really soak up the riverside views.
Best of all, despite its fabulous location, it won’t even cost you an arm and a leg. The restaurant is actually divided into the main eating area and the bar & grill area. I’ll let you into a little secret (well okay it’s not exactly a secret but it feels like one it’s so good). If you ask for a table in the Bar & Grill area when you walk in (which is just as nice in my opinion as the main restaurant) you can order from the Bar & Grill set menu which is UNBEATABLE value. I have literally never seen such good value cuisine in London. The food is amazing, and you can enjoy a three course meal for just £15.50! Ot two courses for only £12.50! With the stunning views thrown in for free!
What Can You Expect From Butler’s Wharf Chop House?
I go fairly often, so you could say that I’m becoming a regular. I often enjoy the bangers and mash, they are something else. The last time I went with friends and I had three courses; Celeriac & apple soup, sippets & chives to start; Free range chicken supreme, Jerusalem artichoke and wild mushrooms for main; and sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream for desert. In addition to the great food, the staff are outstanding, so attentive and courteous, that I really can’t fault the place. As a result, this has to be my Top recommendation. After all, with those sorts of prices, you really can enjoy dining in a London restaurant with a great view every night of the week if you wish!
Restaurant Opening Hours:
Lunch: Monday – Sunday 12pm – 4pm
Dinner: Monday – Saturday 6pm – 11pm Sunday 6pm – 10pm
Chop House Bar & Grill Opening Hours:
Lunch: Monday – Sunday 12pm – 5pm
Dinner: Monday – Saturday 6pm – 10.45pm Sunday 6pm – 10pmButlers Wharf Chop House
36e Shad Thames,
London,
SE1 2YE
Phone number +44 20 7403 3403
Menu at Butler’s Wharf Chop House
Have you been to any of these restaurants? Or do you plan to go? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.
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Author Profile
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A Media Psychologist & Life Coach by profession, Honey loves to help people create a life & career that they love. She has always been passionate about travel and the incredible life enrichment it brings.
Honey is a highly experienced Brand Ambassador and Spokesperson. In her thirteen year career she has worked with some of the world's best known brands such as Virgin, Google, Disney, American Express, Jet2 Holidays, Eurostar, British Airways and many more.
Honey is founder and editor-in-chief of The Wanderlust Post. She started the mag in order to provide bloggers with an opportunity to share their travel tales, recommendations, reviews and adventures with each other and the world at large.
A self confessed 'Stamp Tramp' Honey is always happiest with her passport in one hand, and a Baileys on ice in the other.
