Experiences
London’s Most Instagrammable Evening Spots
The floral bars, glowing rooftops and striking dining rooms that photograph best once the sun goes down.
In short: our top picks are Sketch, The Gallery, Dalloway Terrace and The Ivy Chelsea Garden. 8 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
London at night photographs differently to London by day. The Thames turns black and picks up light from every bridge, glass towers stop reflecting the sky and start reflecting each other, and the interiors that look ordinary at lunch suddenly earn their reputation once the candles and low lamps come on. Some of these places are famous for a single detail, a pink room, a wall of flowers, a floor to ceiling window forty floors up, and that one detail is usually enough reason to go. A few of these are proper dinner venues and a few are better suited to one good drink and a wander round before you sit down elsewhere. Either way, arrive a little before dark if a view matters to you, since the transition from daylight to lit up skyline is the moment that actually makes the photo, not full darkness itself.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Sketch, The Gallery | Mayfair | ££££ |
| Dalloway Terrace | Bloomsbury | £££ |
| The Ivy Chelsea Garden | Chelsea | £££ |
| Sky Garden, City Garden Bar | City of London | ££ |
| Oblix at The Shard | London Bridge | ££££ |
| Isabel Mayfair | Mayfair | £££ |
| Sexy Fish | Mayfair | ££££ |
| Seabird | London Bridge | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Sketch, The Gallery
Why we pick itEvery surface, banquette and napkin in this room is the same shade of pink, and roughly 200 David Shrigley drawings line the walls. At night the lighting turns warm and pink rather than bright, which is what makes it look so different to the daytime afternoon tea crowd sees.
Worth knowingYou are booking the pink room rather than the plate: portions are ungenerous for the price and the food is perfectly good rather than the point.
Bubblegum pink dining room covered in Shrigley drawings
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Dalloway Terrace
Why we pick itA retractable glass roof and a canopy of trailing greenery and string lights make this terrace at The Bloomsbury Hotel glow rather than glare after dark. The florals change with the seasons, so it looks noticeably different in summer to midwinter.
Worth knowingThe room outshines the kitchen. Go for the terrace and the afternoon tea, and keep expectations modest for the dinner menu.
Covered terrace strung with fairy lights and seasonal flowers
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The Ivy Chelsea Garden
Why we pick itThe heated terrace is roofed in glass and wrapped in ivy and hanging plants, with a retractable cover that opens in warm weather. In December the whole space is redone with fairy lights and a decorated tree, which draws queues on their own.
Worth knowingThe garden is the reason to book rather than the kitchen: standard Ivy Collection staples done competently, and the indoor room is far less special.
Year round garden terrace on the King's Road
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Sky Garden, City Garden Bar
Why we pick itThis is one of the few free view points in the city, and at night the planted terraces are uplit while floor to ceiling glass frames the Gherkin and Leadenhall Building lit up outside. Book a slot ahead, since entry is controlled even though drinks and food are paid separately.
Worth knowingSkip it if you are in a hurry: there is airport-style security, entry slots need booking ahead, and the bars are overpriced with slow service when busy.
Glass topped public garden 155 metres above the City
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Oblix at The Shard
Why we pick itThe window seats run the length of the room on the 32nd floor, putting the whole City skyline and the Thames beneath you once the lights come on. The open kitchen and low copper toned lighting give the room itself a warm glow that holds up in photos taken from inside.
Worth knowingA window seat costs extra on top of an already steep bill, and sunset tables book out fast, so timing the reservation matters as much as the order.
Grill restaurant on the 32nd floor of The Shard
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Isabel Mayfair
Why we pick itFresh flower arrangements are changed through the week and displayed at the entrance and around the bar, against dark green and gold interiors that read well under low light. The upstairs bar gets a livelier, more lit up energy from around 9pm.
Worth knowingNot the place for a quiet dinner or culinary innovation. It is built around sharing plates, cocktails and a basement that keeps the night going.
Flower filled Mediterranean restaurant and bar
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Sexy Fish
Why we pick itBronze mermaid sculptures by Damien Hirst and a Frank Gehry glass ceiling sit above a bar lit in deep blue, which is what people actually come to photograph. The corner site on Berkeley Square has its own glow visible from the square itself once it gets dark.
Worth knowingSkip it if you want a quiet meal or value for money: the cooking is good rather than great, the room is loud after 9pm, and the bill escalates fast.
Asian seafood restaurant with Damien Hirst mermaid sculptures
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Seabird
Why we pick itA marble raw bar sits under a glass roof with a wraparound terrace looking towards St Paul's and the City skyline across the river. At night the terrace heaters and low string lighting keep it usable most of the year, and the skyline view is best from the western corner tables.
Worth knowingLoud, busy and very much a see-and-be-seen rooftop rather than a quiet retreat, with the terrace filling fast in warmer months.
Rooftop seafood restaurant on the 14th floor of The Hoxton
Before you book
Rooftop bars like Sky Garden and Seabird are free or low cost to enter but need a table or bar slot booked in advance, especially on clear evenings, while the restaurant rooms such as Sketch or Sexy Fish need a proper dinner reservation to get past the door in the evening. Budget £15 to £20 for a cocktail at the view bars and from £70 a head for dinner at the restaurants. Weekday early evenings, roughly 6pm to 7pm, tend to be quieter and better lit for photos than the after work crowd that arrives from 8pm.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Sketch, The Gallery is our editor's choice: Every surface, banquette and napkin in this room is the same shade of pink, and roughly 200 David Shrigley drawings line the walls. At night the lighting turns warm and pink rather than bright, which is what makes it look so different to the daytime afternoon tea crowd sees. Sketch, The Gallery, Dalloway Terrace and The Ivy Chelsea Garden lead the guide, with 8 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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