Savage Garden

Twelve floors up from a fairly standard DoubleTree hotel near Tower Hill, Savage Garden opens onto one of the more genuinely impressive views in this part of London: the Tower of London directly below, Tower Bridge off to one side, and the Shard visible across the river. It’s a rooftop bar that doesn’t need to try particularly hard on styling because the setting does most of the work.

Cocktails are where the kitchen and bar team clearly put their creative energy, with drinks built around unusual presentations, foams, smoke and garnishes that lean theatrical rather than restrained. Food runs alongside as a secondary offering, sharing plates and brunch dishes rather than a full dinner menu, which is honest about what this venue actually is: a drinks destination with food to keep you there longer.

The space works for a range of occasions, from an after work catch up with colleagues to a bigger group night out once the DJ starts later in the evening, and the terrace seating fills up fast on any evening with decent weather. Staff have generally been praised for attentiveness even when the bar is busy, which isn’t always a given at rooftop venues trading heavily on their view.

Cocktails run in the £14 to £16 range, which is standard for a London rooftop rather than especially cheap or expensive, and a night out here for a small group with a few rounds and some food will land somewhere in the £40 to £60 per head territory. It suits groups celebrating something, date nights that want a view attached, and anyone who wants City history laid out beneath their table.

The honest caveat is that the venue leans heavily on the view and the cocktail theatre, and the food menu, while decent, isn’t the reason to come. On a wet or overcast evening, some of the appeal genuinely drops away, so it’s worth checking the forecast before booking a table specifically for the terrace. Reservations via the Savage Garden website are recommended for weekends.