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Note: we haven’t included bars, that’s for another time. Londonist’s Ruth Hargreaves recommends the rooftop OXO Tower Restaurant, open since 1996 and sitting pretty on the eighth floor of this riverside building. It may not be the tallest but it is one of the oldest on the list, plus it commands impressive views down the River Thames and across to the City of London. At the top of the Royal Garden Hotel on Kensington High Street, Min Jiang Chinese restaurant is best known for its signature Beijing duck cooked in a wood-fired oven, but also specialises in all manner of dim sum and classic Chinese dishes pimped up with luxurious ingredients such as lobster and venison. A very different style of eatery to most of the plush restaurants on this list, Frank’s Café is on the roof of a Peckham multi-storey carpark. Simple grills, salads and spreads on toast are the mainstay of the food list, while negronis, americanos and spritz are what most of the hip crowd drink. It’s open summertime only and is due to reopen again in summer 2018.
One of Jason Atherton’s newer restaurants follows in the footsteps of his West End modern classics Pollen Street Social, Little Social and Social Eating House. The least lofty restaurant in The Shard, but impressive all the same, Aqua is the most patriotic of the lot. Modern tongue-in-cheek takes on British classics such as prawn cocktail, or sausages served with piccalilli are joined by roast meats and grilled fish dishes with clever touches. Produce is sourced locally where possible, including from Borough and Maltby Street markets. From tartare to smoked salmon via ceviche, steaks and Japanese black cod, Oblix pulls together international influences to create a cosmopolitan New York-inspired restaurant that majors on wow factor. The restaurant itself is split into an East and West side according to the view, with each one featuring a different menu: East is more relaxed, seasonal fare while West is all about the grill. The second highest restaurant in The Shard, Hutong serves pricey but perfectly presented dim sum and other classic Chinese dishes.
For fans of peking duck willing to splash out, the elaborate two-stage carved-at-the-table offering is worth a try, though. Asian and European dishes along with its signature Asian afternoon tea. Darwin Brasserie is the main restaurant within the Walkie Talkie’s Sky Garden. It serves up classic British dishes which are encouragingly reasonably priced, considering its location — in fact, it’s quite possibly the best value option on this list. The highest eatery in the Walkie Talkie’s Sky Garden, the focus at Fenchurch Restaurant is on oysters, seafood platters and caviar — meaning it isn’t the most accessibly priced of restaurants.