London's best rooftop bars

The annual opening of Peckham’s hip car-park bar is as much part of the London summer season as Chelsea Flower Show or Wimbledon.

Climb the stairs for Campari cocktails, superior bar snacks, art installations and expansive sunset views.

Best for: Sporty types

Play croquet or pétanque at this East London behemoth, or catch Wimbledon and the World Cup on the big screens.

Step into one of the tower’s two glass elevators for some of the finest wraparound views in the City.

Brace yourself for some serious indulgence; both the fusion restaurant (Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian) and outdoor terrace bar are unapologetically high-end – hence the ‘casual elegance’ dress code.

Escape Shoreditch’s frenetic pace at this verdant roof garden, perched above the Culpeper pub on Commercial Street. It’s known for its imaginative summer events schedule (workshops on botanical drawing or medicinal herbs), modern British menu and rooftop greenhouse, which supplies ingredients for the kitchen and bar.

Best for: The posh life

The Tom Dixon-tastic Mondrian hotel is topped off with this sleek, high-spirited bar, whose sunny sliver of balcony looks out over the Thames.