The 10 most entertaining terraces in London

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For a pool party

The Berkeley Rooftop Bar

The hotel’s glamorous rooftop pool terrace, usually reserved for guests, channels a taste of the Italian Riviera in London, and is open to everyone for evening drinks and dining throughout the summer months. Lounge around the pool or book a table to dine from the Italian menu. The rooftop’s pizza oven has three offerings: lobster with marinated peppers, parma ham with rocket and parmesan, and artichokes with anchovies and Taggiasca olives. There’s an Amalfi-style twist to the Malfy Gin cocktail menu too: the Capri Negroni is a white negroni blending Malfy Gin con Limone, Bitter Bianco, dry vermouth and chamomile, finished with a fig leaf. It is open Thursday to Sunday, 7.30pm to 11pm, with the last sitting at 9.30pm.

For watching Wimbledon

Ham Yard Hotel Roof Terrace

A large LED screen will broadcast the BBC’s coverage of The Championships every day throughout the tournament (from 30 June to 13 July) at the Soho hotel’s “Centre Court Yard”. Visitors can watch volleys and line calls with a cocktail, strawberries and cream, or a special afternoon tea (£53 per person or £65 with a cocktail or glass of Rathfinny Classic Cuvée 2018), while listening to the commentary on wireless headphones. There’s more tennis on the terrace, where you can try a cocktail created with London Essence (the Port Serve Fizz, £16, is a spritz of Quinta de la Rosa rosé port, Asterley Bros Bitter Aperitivo, homemade red berry shrub and London Essence rose and raspberry soda). The only bookings will be available for the Ladies and Gentlemen’s singles and doubles finals (on 12 and 13 July), where a prime viewing table (£25) will put you front and centre for the duration of the match – and will include a Wimbledon Spritz cocktail and homemade strawberries and cream ice cream.

For theatre lovers

The Barbican Bar & Grill by Searcys

Head to level one for a pre- or post-theatre dinner surrounded by foliage- and a herb-filled urban garden, all framed by a brutalist architecture. The selection from the Bar & Grill has summer barbecue vibes, from the BBG burger (from £16.95), to smoked chicken and roasted peach salad (£17) or Caesar salad topped with charred halloumi or marinated chicken (from £13.50). The wine offering includes classics and the venue’s cocktail list is inspired by the herbs lining the terrace. Thyme for Honey is made with bourbon, honey-thyme syrup and Angostura bitters (£13). The entertainment? The Barbican’s summer line-up includes Fiddler on the Roof, Good Night, Oscar, Feel the Sound and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Anthony Pappano.

For the cool crowd

Setlist at Somerset House

Art installations, cuisine, mean cocktails (beware the moreish Margaritas), and a musical line-up that ranges from Vibe Village (who have supported Dua Lipa and Mary J Blige) to DJ sets by Pxssy Palace founder Skyler Myler keep things lively on this terrace overlooking the Thames. Everything happens inside a 50m-long pavilion, designed to showcase some of London’s most promising creative talents, including two artists: Brixton-based Farouk Agoro and Dallas-born, London-based Gray Wielebinski. The food offering (tasty with a spicy kick), is created by a line-up of guest chefs with a focus on female talent. Expect jerk chicken skewers with scotch bonnet chutney, slow-cooked beef brisket with suya mayo, and a west Africa-style fried chicken burger (from £7.50 each).

For cinema under the stars

Rooftop Film Club, Peckham and Stratford

Screenings return to the rooftops of Peckham and Stratford this summer, where the experience eschews plush velvet seating and 4D viewing for dramatic urban cityscapes, sunset and a canopy of stars. The screenings include classic and new releases that can be enjoyed with snacks and drinks from the bar. This year’s line up includes American Psycho, Pretty Woman, Wicked, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Interstellar, Notting Hill and La La Land. Daytime showings tend to be family-oriented (Stratford has a ’90s Kids Club on the last Saturday of the month throughout the summer), and the Peckham rooftop also welcomes dogs. Tickets range from £8 to £25.

For gourmands

Hyde Park Garden at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park 

Chef Heston Blumenthal’s culinary odyssey continues at his two-Michelin-starred Knightsbridge restaurant, where the manicured terrace garden has views of adjacent Hyde Park. The lunchtime menu includes Blumenthal’s take on a British staple, Chips and Fish: a gourmet dish of triple-cooked chips and fresh Cornish catches in batter served with mussel ketchup and peas (£34), alongside other signature dishes developed at the Fat Duck, such as the Tipsy Cake, a classic historic dish from c1858 reimagined with brioche buns soaked in brandy cream (£26). The evening menu also features the chef’s famed Meat Fruit (c1500): a serving of what appears to be a small mandarin orange but turns out to be chicken liver parfait (£28). A curated wine list by Château d’Esclans accompanies the dishes. The terrace opens from 12pm to 2.30pm for lunch and 3pm to 8.30pm in the evening.   

For Dog and DJ lovers

The Nest in Treehouse

An elegant place to perch in central London. Take dogs on a Sunday for what the venue calls Drinks on the Woof between 12 and 3pm, where the food on offer includes meals for your hound. By night, a rotation of DJs set the tone from 8.30pm from Thursday to Saturday (fire breathers perform at the venue’s Mexican restaurant Madera on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7pm). At The Nest, try dishes such as a duo of British beef burgers with all the trimmings, £18, or twice-cooked crispy pork belly bao with barbecue sauce. There’s a champagne and oysters hour every Thursday and Friday from 5pm to 9pm.

For the Ibiza vibes

Madison London

A vibey hotspot high above the city with views of St Paul’s Cathedral. Live DJs play from sunset to late and there are special nights like Afrodisiac on Fridays, mixing Afrobeats, funk and disco house, as well as performances by musicians. All can be enjoyed with cocktails, champagne or dinner (£48 for two courses or £54 for three). There’s also a two-hour weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday between 12pm and 4pm; £39 for two-courses or £44 for three) with bottomless sparkling wine for £35 per person.

For a washoku masterclass

Kioku by Endo at The OWO 

Created by the third-generation sushi master Endo Kazutoshi at his namesake sixth-floor restaurant in the old war offices, Kioku is a memorable dining experience only topped by sitting on the terrace, where the city views segue from the London Eye to the BT Tower. For a taster of the cuisine, try the Kioku Bites & Bubbles selection (£30 per person) available from 3pm to 5.45pm, which pairs small bites, such as Torotaku and sea bream with yuzu, and a glass of Rathfinny Rosé Brut 2019. Dishes are presented with an artisanal attention to the ingredients and provenance. Book the chef’s table for a more intimate dining experience.

For the atmosphere

Aqua Nueva 

A chic Spanish skyline go-to with good food in a central London location. Spend the day admiring the city views above Regent Street and return for the sunsets and dancing to live DJ sets. The cocktails, such as the St Germain Slushine Paloma (£16), help you cool down and the cuisine at the bar – a modern take on tapas – includes morsels like crab tostada (£15); and beef ragu with potato and salsa brava (£14).