Best restaurants with a view in London

• Central London
• West London
• East London
• South London
• North London

Best restaurants with a view in Central London

Clap – for rooftop bar views

This lively Knightsbridge restaurant is the place to be if you like entertainment in the form of DJs and people-watching with dinner. An international set, familiar with its branches in Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh, laps up the bustle of the open kitchen and sushi bar, which turns out modern Japanese dishes with luxurious touches, such as truffle edamame, a surprising shiitake and sesame salad, hamachi sashimi, otoro and wagyu nigiri, black cod miso and kimchi-spiked lamb rack. Desserts are big on drama, too – the natsu platter is stacked with exotic fruit, matcha cheesecake and mochi. A rooftop bar has views over the city and fascinating light fittings that are made for Instagram. claprestaurant.com

abc Kitchens – for Hyde Park views

Renowned New York chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has curated the concept and all-day menu at this glamorous all-suite hotel. Featuring dishes from three of his NYC restaurants, influences range from Mexico to Japan to Italy, with British ingredients playing a starring role. English peas are added to guacamole; tacos are filled with south coast battered john dory; toasts are topped with Dorset crab and wildflowers. Everything is designed to share and there are plenty of crowd pleasers like burgers; three-cheese and truffle pizza; lemony chicken and rice with a side of homemade hot sauce with crisp crackling for added crunch. There are moments of genius, too, with a hero dish of Orkney scallop tartare, served in the shell and spooned onto shiso leaves and translucent slices of kohlrabi. Puddings include a deconstructed salted caramel, peanut and popcorn sundae. Views over Hyde Park and Knightsbridge, sumptuous banquettes and joyful bursts of colour in Damien Hirst’s The Secret Gardens artworks complete the upmarket vibe. the-emory.co.uk/restaurants-bars/abc-kitchens/

Shangri-La at The Shard – for a special occasion with city views

If The Shard had toes, they would tickle Borough Market, from where the splendidly high-rise hotel sources much of its produce. Initial impressions of main restaurant, TING (on level 35), are magnificent: the lift doors open onto a spectacular and uninterrupted panorama of London, dominated at first by St Paul’s Cathedral. Low tables and armchairs are sensibly arranged to soak up as much of the view as possible.

The food lives up to the view: Dorset crab, cucumber, mango, passion fruit and tomato to start; organic lamb loin with sake, soy, Erengi mushroom, apple and shiso to follow. Sommelier Anne Lomas is unstuffy and approachable despite the glam surroundings. The ground floor’s Lang sells yuzu cheesecake to eat in or take away.

Don’t leave without visiting Gong, the highest bar in London; and with a pool, too. Try The Big Smoke, a gin, sherry and vermouth cocktail served in a dramatic, smoked-at-table martini glass.

TING at Shangri-La also does a fabulously exotic twist on afternoon tea. If you enjoy Asian food, and would prefer to gaze across a sparkling city rather than a Victorian dining room, then you can’t get much better. Diners have the choice of a traditional afternoon tea or an ‘Asian-inspired’ afternoon tea… the latter reigns supreme, with fat, moreish steamed prawn dumplings and delicate crab soft rolls in place of finger sandwiches. Service is spot on – after loudly complimenting our dumplings, we were quickly presented with another piping hot batch to enjoy. shangri-la.com/london/shangrila/

Best restaurants with a view in West London

The River Café – for lunch by the river

Since opening in 1987, The River Café has become one of London's most popular riverside restaurants to enjoy long lunches during the summer. Overlooking the Thames in Hammersmith, the Italian restaurant serves a daily changing menu featuring antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci.

Share plates of crab spaghetti with fennel herb and lemon before digging into chargrilled leg of lamb with Italian spinach and braised chicory. Its signature chocolate nemesis is a must order, a generous slice of squidgy flourless chocolate cake-cum-chocolate mousse, served with a dollop of sour crème fraîche. All wine is Italian, so enjoy a glass of Sicilian Etna Bianco on the leafy terrace. rivercafe.co.uk

Decimo – for hip Mexican with a view

Hop in the red bubble lift that clings to the outside of The Standard Hotel up to chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’s striking top floor restaurant. Cacti poke out from behind wooden features, Mexican textiles line sweeping curved banquettes, and a large open fireplace provides a focal point. Bag a burgundy-tiled table by the window for iconic London views while you sip zippy margaritas on the rocks or Sevilla mimosas and peruse the menu. Order a selection of Spanish and Mexican small plates, including salty anchovies slivers in a pool of confit garlic oil, panko-coated croquetas laced with iberico ham and manchego, and charcoaled sourdough to scoop up smoky red pepper tartare. At the Saturday brunch, try twists on classic egg dishes, such as huevos flamenco – iberico pork shoulder ribbons topped with two fried eggs. There are also tacos served on chunky bespoke marble platters and delicate skewers including pork in cumin and cinnamon or meltingly soft koji squid. Opt for the mezcal flight to taste a selection of handpicked regional Mexican agaves, from a toasty variety from the Pacific Coast to a Oaxacan mezcal distilled with coffee. All to the backdrop of live DJs and music. standardhotels.com

Bingham Riverhouse – for relaxed luxury

The Bingham is one of Richmond’s best kept secrets, set in a chic Georgian townhouse tucked away behind the Thames Towpath and home to an expansive high-ceilinged lounge with a huge roaring fireplace, impressive artworks and top-notch cocktails which are expertly mixed behind a glamorous bar. Chef Vanessa Marx has created a simple but sophisticated menu which lets the high-quality ingredients speak for themselves, highlights include wild mushroom on sourdough bruschetta with truffle and baked diver-caught scallops with sea vegetables, preserved lemon and garlic butter. binghamriverhouses.com

Petersham Nurseries – for greenhouse vibes

For keen gardeners and foodies alike, Richmond’s Petersham Nurseries Café is the place to relax. Set within a glasshouse and adorned with jasmine, antique mirrors and Indian blinds, the café serves seasonal Italian-inspired dishes following the slow food philosophy. Dig into roast chicken with king cabbage, pancetta and hazelnut before a dessert of coffee mousse with hazelnuts and crème fraîche. petershamnurseries.com

Best restaurants with a view in East London

Boundary – for rooftop drinks

This rooftop bar is an east London institution, offering 360-degree views of London come rain or shine. In the cooler months, cosy up in the heated glass orangery adorned with strings of twinkling lights, while the outdoor terrace is perfect for sipping gin and tonics as the sun sets. Share boards of charcuterie, squidgy chunks of warm focaccia and bowls of olives, or keep things light with simple salads. boundary.london

Los Mochis London City – for city views

Executive chef Leonard Tanyag has brought the unique concept from the vibey Notting Hill original to a bigger audience high above Liverpool Street. Combining vibrant Mexican dishes and ingredients with the delicacy of Japanese cuisine, the comprehensive menu is designed to share and surprise. The tasting menu showcases the best: 10 dishes, from guacamole to enjoy with a mocktail through to a purple yam panna cotta. Highlights include teriyaki duck on crispy rice, sea bass ceviche with shiso-truffle soy; spicy yellowtail maki and the signature trailer park chicken taco (fried chicken, jalapeño BBQ sauce, habanero gochujang with toasted sesame and parsnip chips – genius). The clubby soundtrack, roof terrace, impressive agave selection and late-night snacks attract expense account groups as well as weekend thrill seekers. losmochis.co.uk/lc/london-city

Pavilion Café – for park views

For breakfast, brunch and lunch with a view, grab a spot at Pavilion Café in east London’s Victoria Park. With a decked terrace perched on the edge of the river, it's the ideal place to spend a few slow hours. Locally-grown produce is given a Sri Lankan twist, with string hoppers, dal, coconut sambol and beetroot curry served for breakfast. Stock up on loaves of bread while you’re there, or, head over to the bakeries on Broadway Market and Columbia Road for sourdough croissants and cinnamon buns. pavilionbakery.com

Rochelle Canteen – for garden views

Housed in a converted bike shed of a Shoreditch Victorian school, Rochelle Canteen is a must-visit for lunch in a lush garden under the dappled shade of vines and trees. Pop in for breakfast to enjoy bowls of granola with yogurt and poached fruits, and stay until lunch when the menu serves British classics. Expect chicken and leek pie, fish stew and steamed treacle sponge with custard. rochellecanteen.com

Duck and Waffle – for city views

Head to the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate for 24 hour views of London. Open seven days a week, this all-day dining spot takes British cuisine and gives it a playful twist, with waffles taking focus.

Book one of the squidgy leather window booths for the best views, and tuck into waffles topped with caramelised banana, hazelnut chocolate spread, vanilla ice cream and peanut crunch, or, go for the signature savoury one with crispy duck let confit, fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup. If you're there late at night (we're talking 11.30pm till 5am), order snacks of bacon wrapped dates and smoked eel croquettes, washed down with Kir Royales. duckandwaffle.com

Crate Brewery – for beer by the river

For laid-back vibes and plenty of pizza and beer, Crate Brewery on the River Lea is the place to spend a long summer evening. Previously an old print factory, the industrial white-washed building is light and airy, with old crates acting as tables and chairs.

With outdoor seating all the way around the building, grab a table and dig into Middle Eastern lamb pizzas washed down with pints of Summer Pale, or the limited edition Citra Sour. cratebrewery.com

Best restaurants with a view in South London

Gillray’s – for steak overlooking the London Eye

Situated on the banks of the River Thames, Gillray’s steakhouse offers diners spectacular views of the London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. There are more than 100 gins to choose from and a range of English steaks, burgers, fish dishes and old-school puddings – it’s a quintessentially British dining experience. gillrays.com

Joia, Battersea Power Station – for a view over Battersea Power Station

With a view that looks out over the transformed Battersea Power Station, Joia, with its floor-to-ceiling windows pouring light onto the warm pastel interiors, literally shines – which is apt, given that its name means ‘jewel’ in Portuguese. Perched at the top of Art’otel, Joia is London’s first offering from Michelin-starred Henrique Sá Pessoa, with the main restaurant, a vermouth and wine bar, and an additional rooftop bar spread over three floors. The menu, simply created using the best ingredients available, includes dishes such as bulhão pato mussels, suquet – a monkfish and red prawn stew – and hand-dived scallops with black aïoli sabayon. joiabattersea.co.uk

OXO Tower – for afternoon tea with a view

OXO Tower Wharf is one of London’s most famous landmarks, noted for its iconic branded windows and sky-high restaurants. It’s hard to find the entrance if you’ve never been before – head to the pavilion in the middle of the building, then catch the lift up to the 8th floor, for the restaurant. Enjoy stunning views on your way to your table, that stretch all the way from Waterloo Bridge to St Paul’s Cathedral.

The atmosphere is considerably formal – think leather seats and slate tables with crisp ironed white tablecloths, and a slanting glass roof to make the most of those beautiful views. Afternoon tea menus are carefully explained and although the selection of sandwiches and cakes seems endless, portions here are dainty so it’s possible to try everything. oxotowerrestaurant.com

Pear Tree Café – for a lakeside brunch

This café run by Annabel Partridge and Will Burrett (previously of Petersham Nurseries) boasts picturesque views of Battersea Park boating lake. Open every day from dawn to dusk, there’s an extensive brunch menu ranging from buttermilk pancakes to soft scrambled eggs on sourdough with maple and paprika bacon. Come lunchtime, there are loaded burgers with chipotle jam, Lincolnshire Poacher cheese and roasted garlic aioli, washed down with mango lassis. peartreecafe.co.uk

Tavolino – for river views

Tavolino is a relaxed, modern Italian with a killer riverside view and a crowd-pleasing menu. The buzzy outdoor terrace is often packed (inside there is a two-floor space with the same sweeping views across Tower Bridge to The Tower itself). The menu follows the classic Italian model of antipasti, pasta, secondi and dolci. There is also a short pizza menu and daily chef specials.

An antipasti of crab on bitter endive with ricotta is crunchy, creamy and sweet, with a generous amount of white crab and a nutty pistachio dressing. Burrata comes with a slick of basil oil and a chunky sweet-sour caponata of olives, courgette, celery and pine nuts to cut through the richness of the cheese. Fresh tagliatelle has a lovely al dente bounce and comes tossed with a spicy slow-cooked pork and ’nduja ragu – it’s a deeply comforting hug of a dish. Delicately cooked nuggets of saffron-glazed monkfish are served with tiny gnochetti in a brothy fennel-spiked sauce and little zingy pops of sea herbs. We finish with an amaretto panna cotta – rich and fudgy with little zesty segments of torched mandarin and a quirky ‘liquid dessert’ tiramisu – a heady cocktail of coffee liqueur, vodka, cream and chocolate. tavolino.co.uk

Garden Museum Café – for museum garden views

Filled with artwork, tools and artefacts, this south London museum is one for keen gardeners and foodies. After exploring the collections, head to the café (the best seats in the house go to the ones that look out through the bi-folding glass doors onto the tranquil paved garden).

A daily-changing menu highlights seasonal produce, so expect poached brill with asparagus and bottarga butter, porchetta, bean and celery salad and courgettes, borlotti beams, rainbow chard and basil followed by apricot and almond tart or a plate of Saint Nectar (semi-soft cow's cheese). gardenmuseum.org.uk

Hutong – for city views

For some of the best Chinese food and striking skyline views, head to level 33 of The Shard and enjoy a feast of peking duck and shrimp dumplings at Hutong. Go in the evening to make the most of it as the city lights shine bright through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Given such a setting it would be easy for Hutong to rest on its laurels when it comes to the food, but it doesn't. The (pricy) menu draws mostly from subtle and savoury Shandong cuisine, but it’s the fiery Szechuanese-accented dishes – especially the seafood ones – that really impress. Chilled, milky cubes of tofu come topped with sweet shreds of white king crab meat, in a pool of darkly umami, garlicky sauce that offers a fiery foil for its delicate partners. Crispy fried ma la eel, coated in the lightest of batters and tossed with liberal amounts of chopped dried chillies and cumin, is superb, the luscious buttery flesh of the eel the perfect match for the well-balanced, smoky heat of the chillies, their heat tempered by numbing peppercorns. A side of aubergine tempura, crispy on the outside but creamily collapsing inside, comes draped in an almost jammy, spicy sauce – it’s worth ordering all on its own. hutong.co.uk

Best restaurants with a view in North London

Plaza Pastor – for views over Coal Drops Yard

Coal Drops Yard – the latest King's Cross development – has a striking design, with shops, restaurants and bars tucked away in Victorian brick viaducts. Plaza Pastor, an alfresco Mexican restaurant, serves smoky rotisserie chicken and mezcal negronis on the paved terrace. Coming covered and heated, the terrace is perfect for hunkering down on in winter and digging into meaty mushroom tacos, while in the summer months, sip on a negroni rosita while Latin beats play on in the background. tacoselpastor.co.uk

Click here to read our full review of Plaza Pastor

Towpath Café – for canal views

Tucked away south of De Beauvoir on the Regent’s Canal is Towpath Café, a restaurant that literally celebrates the seasons (it's open spring and summer only). Grab one of the colourful metal chairs scattered on the path and spend your day sipping coffee while cyclists and runners whizz on beside you. A succinct menu scribbled on a blackboard lists classics such as grilled cheese sarnies and runny fried eggs on toast, or sharing plates of mozzarella with pickled radicchio and hummus with crispy lamb. towpathlondon.com

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