London doesn’t do al fresco very well. We rarely have the weather for it so most restaurants are happy to throw a bit of cheap patio furniture outside and be done with it. If you don’t fancy breathing in London fumes or having your ravioli knocked into the gutter by passers-by, what’s the alternative? Head for the roof. Think Babylon, Boundary, Coq d’Argent – you get the idea. Better yet, think Aqua…
The ambitious Aqua London project divided the critics when it opened last year but six months down the line, business is booming for restaurant Nueva and Kyoto and reviews are generally positive. If you haven’t been, now is the time. Aqua’s three spacious terraces have come into their own thanks to the warmer weather and the views, from the West End to the London Eye and beyond.
Drink – There’s wine, of course, and probably beer as well but it’s really all about the cocktails. Over 20 creative concoctions pay homage to the Spanish and Japanese flavours on offer in the restaurants and while they’re not cheap, they are very well made. Try the exotic Wild Dragon – a blend of the excellent Bulldog gin, dragon fruit, wild berries, vanilla and lemongrass sugar, and ginger beer.
Eat – If you miss the trays of bitesize freebies, you can order snack-sized portions of dishes like quail and plum tempura; scallops with beetroot and tomato jam; Iberian pork loin with apricots and vanilla.
Sarah Jessica Parker, Alicia Keys, Jessica Alba and Demi Moore have all been in for a drink but on an average night you can expect a mix of post-work suits and dolled-up shopperati.
Need more inspiration? Check out our Best For lists for Al Fresco, Views and Riverside.
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