Along with having some of the best restaurants in the world, we think London's also blessed with some of the best high-rise dining options too. Every once in a while it's important to rise above pavement level and look out at this great city of ours.
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High and Lucky Cat
The City- 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
How high? 60th floor
As we all know, Gordon Ramsay doesn't do things by halves and with this double restaurant opening up at the top of the 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper, he's got the two highest restaurants in London. High is the all-chef's-table Michelin-starred affair with views down to the Tower of London (which looks tiny from this vantage point). But if your budget doesn't stretch to that, there's always the Lucky Cat restaurant next door.
Shanghai Me
Mayfair- 22 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 1BE
How high?28th floor
Set across the top floor of the Hilton Park Lane and boasting views across Hyde Park and even into the gardens of Buckingham Palace, once you're up here you're actually travelling back in time to 1930s Shanghai. This is a restaurant to enjoy high-end dim sum and cocktails while a resident DJ keeps the place jumping.
Los Mochis City
City of London - 100 Liverpool St, London EC2M 2A
How high? 9th floor
They already had a hit on the ground floor in Notting Hill, but for their second London restaurant Los Mochis hit up the City with a place that has fantastic views across this part of town, and particularly St Paul's Cathedral. Inside the restaurant they sum up the menu as Tokyo meets Tulum, so the options (the menu is huge) are a mash-up of Japanese and Mexican influences including tacos, sushi, crudo, grilled skewers, robata grill dishes and more. Make sure to take a look at the extensive margarita list.
Kioku by Endo
Whitehall - The OWO. 7 Horse Guards Ave, London SW1A 2EX
How high? 6th floor
Endo Kazutoshi's Japanese restaurant at the top of The OWO may not have the intimacy of his White City restaurant (which also has a pretty good view) but it's a much larger affair (and a lot easier to book). Here there are dishes which mix Japanese and European techniques as well as the chef's signature sushi. From the windows you'll see some classic views of London, including Big Ben and the surrounding Whitehall/Westminster area. The private room in one of the buttresses of the building also has a spectacular vista.
The Oxo Tower
South Bank - Barge House St, London SE1 9PH
How high? Eighth floor
Another one of London's longstanding high-rise restaurants, this sits on the South Bank with fantastic views into the City of London (and Tower Bridge) both inside the restaurant and on the terrace. The big news here is that it's just been taken over by the trio behind Fallow, which will certainly make the menu worth watching. It's split into a restaurant, bar and brasserie and it's a notably great space to be if there happen to be fireworks on the Thames.
Book the restaurant | Book the brasserie
Brooklands
Belgravia - The Peninsula, 1 Grosvenor Pl, London SW1X 7HJ
How high? Eighth floor
Claude Bosi's restaurant at the top of the Peninsula London won the chef two Michelin stars in extremely quick succession. Set in a dining room with a replica of Concorde on the ceiling, the restaurant uses British ingredients but classic French techniques. With only Green Park in front of it, there are amazing views of the London cityscape both from the restaurant. But if you're after the classic London skyline the huge Brooklands bar (worth a visit by itself), and a seat on the terrace is a must in decent weather.
Note - Brooklands is currently on its summer hiatus. The space is currently Soleil by Claude Bosi until 3 September.
CÉ LA VI London
Paddington- 17 & 18, 1 Paddington Sq, London W2 1DL
How high?17th and 18th floors
As one of the rare high rise restaurants in the west of London, CÉ LA VI not only offers views out to the west, but looking back into the city you get a better perspective of the whole of London. The top floor is where you'll find the private dining room and bar - come for Golden Hour and drinks are 2 for 1 - and the floor below is the one with the huge terrace. Food-wise the menu roams around Asia so you'll find miso seabass alongside satay chicken and duck bao buns.
Joia
15th Floor, 1 Electric Boulevard, Nine Elms, London SW11 8BJ
How high? 15th floor
The signature restaurant of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment, Joia has some of the very best views of the iconic London landmark (as well as looking out across all of west London). As for the food, the impressive Portuguese menu is by Michelin-starred chef, Henrique Sá Pessoa. The double-height bar here is well worth a visit too.
Aqua Shard and Hutong
The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY
How high? 31st - 33rd floor
Both the restaurants by the Aqua Group at The Shard are well worth a look. Aqua Shard is billed as a British restaurant, but its best room is reserved for the double-height bar (where afternoon tea is also served) which has spectacular views across the river. At Hutong, expect Chinese food on the spicier side, with the soft shell crab Red Lantern and the whole Peking duck (carved at your table) being signature dishes.
Decimo
10 Argyle St, Kings Cross, London WC1H 8EG
How high? 10th floor
Decimo takes up the 10th floor of The Standard hotel in King's Cross - it's their signature restaurant and one that's popular with celebs too (it's a regular afterparty venue). The restaurant has amazing views across London and specifically of the glorious clock tower of St Pancras but the food is also a huge highlight. Paola Arenas' menu is a high-end version of Spanish food with dishes ranging from suckling pig carnitas to Iberico pork chops. There's also a great party vibe to the room and a big rooftop terrace in warmer months.
Fenchurch at Sky Garden
Level 37, Sky Garden Walk, 1, London EC3M 8AF
How high? 37th floor
This restaurant is right at the top of the "walkie talkie" building in the City and sees former Great British Menu chef Kerth Gumbs in charge of the kitchen. So alongside the vista, you'll have a menu that combines British ingredients with Caribbean flavours with dishes like jerk beef tartare and johnny cakes. There are also Caribbean-inspired cocktails to go with all that.
Angler
3 South Pl, London EC2M 2AF
How high? 7th floor
Bang in the centre of the city, this may not be quite as high as others on this list - but there's still a great rooftop terrace at the end of this restaurant at the top of the South Place Hotel. It also gets a special mention as one of the relatively few high-rise dining experiences in the capital that also happens to have a Michelin star.
Bokan
40 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9TP
How high? 37-39th floor
This bar and restaurant is at the top of the Novotel Canary Wharf - with the restaurants on 37, bar on 38 and terrace on 39. From here you've got a particularly good view of the City. In charge of the kitchen is Executive Chef Robert Manea, previously of L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon whose team serves up a modern European menu.
City Social
Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HQ
How high? 24th Floor
Jason Atherton's restaurants are known as much for the cocktails as the food, so you know you'll get a decent drink from the bar which is a scene all in itself up here. The menu here is all about showcasing the best of British ingredients with superb views over many key London landmarks. Run by chef Paul Walsh, who launched the restaurant with Atherton, it also has a Michelin star.
Duck & Waffle
Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4A
How high? 40th floor
This is one of two restaurants in the Heron Tower and is probably one of the city's best-known high-rise restaurants. That's at least partly due to its USP of being open 24 hours, so it's worth popping in at any time for either the signature duck and waffle, or an impressive weekend brunch. The lift ride on the way up is pretty spectacular too.
Also try: Downstairs from Duck and Waffle is the Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian fusion restaurant Sushisamba - more of a party venue than Duck & Waffle.
Min Jiang
2-24 Kensington High Street, London W8 4PT
How High? 10th floor
With a window that stretches the length of the restaurant, Min Jiang has incredible views right across Kensington Gardens and its Round Pond and yes that is the BT Tower in the background. The food at this Chinese restaurant is always on point, particularly the Peking Duck. If you like your sake, it's well worth popping along to one of their regular sake-pairing dinners.
Seabird
40 Blackfriars Rd, South Bank, London SE1 8PB
How High? 14th floor
This is the restaurant at the top of the Hoxton Hotel in Southwark and has some fantastic views looking towards the river. The food is primarily seafood. The octopus roll is one of the standout dishes but look out for the burnt Basque cheesecake which is covered with grated Manchego. Cocktails are usually on point too.
London's high-rise dining mapped
Here's where the restaurants with a view can be found
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