Leisure, considered.

Nine London rooftops that keep going through winter, from a 35th-floor garden to domes under the Eye

Heaters, blankets, glass walls and domes under the Eye: nine London rooftop bars with real height and a winter plan, from the City to Soho.

Saunter Drink · 9 October 2026

A rooftop bar in July asks very little of the city, because the sky does the work. In November it asks for more: a heater, a blanket, a roof that can be pulled across, and a reason to climb to the top floor when the street below is cold. These nine have each answered in a different way, and every one of them has the height to make the climb worth it.

The answers are specific. 12th Knot looks to St Paul's through glass, The Nest heats a 16th-floor terrace above Langham Place, and Yasmin hands out blankets in Soho. Circe's puts glass domes on a Waterloo roof with the London Eye turning behind them, Sabine looks to the Shard from its heated terraces, and Sky Garden reaches the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street without charging for entry.

Hours and winter set-ups change through the season, so check the venue before going. 12th Knot, Circe's and Sky Garden all look over the Thames, which is worth knowing if New Year's Eve is the plan, and worth booking for early.

City · 35th floor

Sky Garden

Sky Garden is a covered garden on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street, with bars among the planting and the Thames running out below the glass. Entry is free, though booking ahead is advised, and because the space is covered and naturally ventilated it stays usable when the weather turns. A coat is still sensible, and the festive trimmings arrive for winter.

Best for A free view of the river that does not need a table.

Visit Sky Garden

Southbank · Sea Containers rooftop

12th Knot

12th Knot crowns Sea Containers London with a glass-walled room of plants and sofas, and a terrace, looking over the Thames to St Paul's and the City. It is the one to book for New Year's Eve in spirit if not in sight: the evening is a ticketed rooftop party, and the fireworks are shown on a big screen rather than seen from the roof.

Best for St Paul's across the river, from a glass room.

Visit 12th Knot

Langham Place · 16th floor

The Nest

The Nest is the rooftop bar of Treehouse London, on the 16th floor, with a glass-sided terrace, overhead heaters and a living wall, plus indoor seating when the weather has the last word. DJs play from Thursday to Saturday, and the skyline runs all the way round.

Best for A heated terrace with the whole skyline around it.

Visit The Nest

Soho · Sixth floor

Yasmin

Yasmin sits six floors above Soho on the roof of 1 Warwick Street, a Middle Eastern restaurant and bar with a marble bar, velvet finishes and a terrace that is heated and kitted with blankets for winter evenings. The view is Soho's own, lit up for the season.

Best for Sharing plates on a heated Soho terrace.

Visit Yasmin

Southwark · The Hoxton rooftop

Seabird

Seabird sits on the rooftop of The Hoxton Southwark, on Blackfriars Road, a glass-walled room of cane chairs, palms and marble tables with a terrace beside it. The Shard fills the window at one end, and the kitchen leans on Spanish and Portuguese seafood, with oysters through the afternoon.

Best for A long lunch or early drink with the Shard in the window.

Visit Seabird

St Paul's · 7th floor

Sabine

Sabine takes the 7th floor of the Leonardo Royal Hotel near St Paul's, though it runs independently of the hotel. Two terraces carry heaters and blankets, and after dark the Shard lights up the horizon beyond the patio heaters.

Best for The Shard lit up over a heated terrace.

Visit Sabine

Trafalgar Square

The Rooftop at The Trafalgar St. James

The Rooftop looks across Trafalgar Square from a canopy-covered terrace, with a glass-enclosed room, ROOM, beside it for the evenings that call for walls. After dark Nelson's Column stands against the sky and the London Eye glows red beyond it. It opens Wednesday to Saturday, so plan the night around that.

Best for Trafalgar Square lit up, with the Eye in the distance.

Visit The Rooftop

Waterloo

Circe's Rooftop

Circe's sits a few floors above Waterloo and, by its own account, has direct views to the London Eye and the Thames. Its winter set-up features illuminated glass domes, each a private pod with the Eye turning behind it. The venue also markets itself as a calmer place to see the New Year in than the crowded South Bank.

Best for A private dome under the Eye.

Visit Circe's

Battersea Power Station

JOIA at art'otel Battersea Power Station

JOIA is the rooftop of art'otel London Battersea Power Station, with 360-degree views of the power station and the skyline, and it is open daily. A Lisbon-inspired menu sits behind the bar, and the height gives Battersea a view it rarely gets of itself.

Best for Battersea Power Station from above rather than from the riverside.

Visit JOIA

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