Best-of list · City Guide
The best summer rooftop bars in London for 2026: Frank's, Sky Garden, Netil360 and more, with what to order and the best time for warm-evening views.
The short answer
9 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
London's summer rooftop bars are a particular category of experience, and getting it right requires planning. The summer rooftop bars in London that actually deliver — views, drinks, a crowd worth being around — are not always the ones with the biggest marketing budgets. We have been spending warm evenings working through the current options, from the well-known terraces in Shoreditch to the emerging spots in Peckham and Battersea, and here is what earns its place on the list.
South London has quietly become home to some of the city's best rooftop drinking. Peckham in particular has developed a rooftop culture that feels genuinely local rather than designed for visitors, and the views across to the City and Canary Wharf are among the best in London.
Frank's tops a Peckham multi-storey car park each summer, reached by an infamous pink staircase and crowned by Bold Tendencies art. It reopens for the 2026 season on May 15, weather permitting. Order a Campari spritz and stake out a breeze-block ledge for the sunset over the City. It is queue-heavy and worth it, so arrive before 6 PM on a Friday.
Full listing & hours →The Bussey Building rooftop runs above the Peckham arts complex, part bar and part open-air cinema through the warm months. The crowd is young, local and there for the skyline more than the cocktails. Order a frozen Aperol and time a table for golden hour. It books up for film nights, so reserve ahead in peak summer and bring a jacket for after dark.
Full listing & hours →Sky Garden caps the Walkie-Talkie tower on Fenchurch Street, three landscaped floors of public garden under a glass dome at 155 meters. Entry is free with a booked slot, or skip the line with a bar reservation. Order a glass of English fizz and walk the terrace for the Thames and Shard views. Best on a clear early evening, and the 5 to 7 PM slots go first.
Full listing & hours →Netil360 runs a scrappy, much-loved rooftop above London Fields in Hackney, all shipping-container bar and East London skyline. It is unpolished by design and pulls a young local crowd through the summer. Order a frozen margarita and grab a deck seat for sunset over the City. Weekends and event nights need a booking; weekday afternoons stay relaxed and walk-in friendly.
Full listing & hours →Madison sits atop One New Change with one of the closest rooftop views of the St Paul's dome in London. The terrace splits between a restaurant and an open bar, the crowd a City after-work set. Order an English sparkling and take the terrace rail at dusk. It books fast on Thursdays and Fridays, so reserve ahead or come early for a walk-in spot.
Shoreditch House runs a members-only rooftop and pool above the Tea Building, so access means a membership or a member's invite. For those inside, it is one of East London's defining summer terraces, calm by day and busy by night. Order a poolside spritz and time a weekday afternoon for space. Worth knowing about, but plan the visit around a member.
Aviary tops the Montcalm Royal London House above Finsbury Square, a 10th-floor terrace looking toward the City towers. The room leans polished, the crowd dressed for a night out. Order a garden-led cocktail and book a heated terrace nook for cooler evenings. It works best early for the skyline light, then settles into a busier after-dinner scene on weekends.
Full listing & hours →Selfridges crowns its Oxford Street store with Alto by San Carlo, a citrus-grove terrace heavy on seasonal Italian plates. The crowd mixes shoppers and a dressed-up evening set. Order a Sicilian-leaning cocktail and a plate of fritto, and aim for a late-afternoon table in the sun. It is a calm West End option between shopping and dinner, best booked ahead on weekends.
Bokan37 sits 37 floors up at the Novotel in Canary Wharf, a 360-degree rooftop bar over the Docklands and the river bend. It is the highest terrace on this list and the most weather-dependent, so pick a clear night. Order a signature cocktail and take the outdoor ring at sunset. The eastern views over the Thames are the draw, so book ahead for Friday evenings.
How we picked
For value and atmosphere, Franks in Peckham remains the definitive London summer rooftop. It is free to enter, the drinks are fairly priced, and the view is spectacular. For a more elevated experience — cocktails you will remember, a reservation worth making — Aviary and Bokan37 both deliver. Madison at One New Change is our pick for the single most dramatic view in London accessible without a membership or a dinner reservation: St Paul's at the same elevation, on a long summer evening, is genuinely hard to beat.
Last reviewed 2026-06-12 · The editors recheck hours and closures against current local coverage.