Not one, not two but three new rooftop bars have graced our city this weekend – just in time for the rooftop bar season to officially start.
From the city and 360 views of London to Mexican heaven in Camden to cosy chilled Covent Garden there’s something for everyone with these brand new rooftop bars.
First up is Wagtail. Knowing this was going to be something special with its prime position on the old House of Frazer building opposite London Bridge, boasting 360 views of London. It has not disappointed.
It’s marketing has been slick and polished and even a little intimidating, which worried me. There’s quite a few rooftop bars I’ve been to in the world that have the ‘Pretty Woman’ effect – if you don’t look the part / look like you can afford judgment, or just rude bouncers! But I shouldn’t have worried. We hadn’t booked as it was £100 to secure a table for 90 minutes with a minimum spend of £50pp which for a quick drink after work wasn’t going to work for us. So we chanced a walk in and happily and with a warm welcome they had space. Though be warned our one drink quickly became a bottle or two as this rooftop bar is truly spectacular and we weren’t in a hurry to leave it with the luck of blue skies and a stunning sunset incoming.
If being perched on a stool isn’t for you then there’s sofa terraces on the floor below at the restaurant. The views of the shard are equally as stunning as the rooftop itself but on the rooftop bar is where you get all the views – from London Bridge, to the city, to St Pauls and the Shard. This is a walk out wow moment with tunes and cocktails I guarantee you will have trouble leaving too!
Next up is a totally different rooftop bar vibe in Camden – Lucky Club. Replacing the quirky Fest Camden rooftop bar which sadly closed its roof in the pandemic. But as one roof closes another opens it back up! Would have been a shame to waste this great little space at the back of the market.
Opting for a mega Mexican focus that makes up for the lack of views. Taco Tuesdays – where they are £2 each and ‘Lucky hour’, Monday to Thursday where tequila is the focus and cocktails. This will be a popular haunt and a great addition to the eclectic Camden Market.
And last but certainly not least another entirely different rooftop bar – Skybar, set on top of the new Berlin vibes AMANO Hotel in Covent Garden. This area is always awash with tourists and whilst there’s a good range of rooftop bars to escape the crowds from, this one brings a certain calm in a metropolis jungle.
It’s a tight space which has been maximised to the most. Views of London eye and set high up on 7th floor this would also be a great meeting space. Just serving snacks it’s definitely about the drinks – perfect for a pre or post theatre trip.
So really the question is which will you try first?