Best & Cool Bars in St Albans

"The ferns, fig trees and purple African lilies that clamber up the final three storeys of the 'Walkie Talkie' skyscraper are mere wallflowers at this 155m-high rooftop garden – it's the rather extraordinary 360-degree views of London (the best in the City) that make this vast, airport-terminal-like space so popular (advance booking recommended). Located on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch St, the Sky Garden has front-row seats for the Shard and vistas that gallop for miles east and west."

"If a trip up to the stunning viewing gallery of one of London’s tallest buildings sounds like a pocket drainer, think again. Situated inside a glass oasis at the top of the “Walkie Talkie”, Sky Garden is London’s highest public garden, filled with greenery and boasting panoramic views of the capital. It’s totally free to head up there, but you’ll need to book in advance, with post-lockdown visits starting up again from July 29."

"Number two on our list of the bests building and architecture in London is the stunning sky gardens. This is one of the most modern buildings found in the city. Also, its one of the highest public gardens to be found in the United Kingdom."

"With its zany prints and neon signs, The Parlour at Sketch feels more appropriate for cocktails than it does brunch, but its menu of breakfast dishes, served until 11am, suggests otherwise. The focus here is on eggs, and you can have yours in six different ways, including scrambled and served with feta cheese and sourdough bread, poached with streaky bacon and Hollandaise sauce or tempura with avocado, asparagus and ‘Sketchup’. There is also a selection of pastries and sweeter dishes, such as waffles, acai bowls and fruit salads."

"Sketch is an experience and it definitely lives up to the hype, with its multiple dining rooms that each have their own unique decor. Each room has a different aesthetic, but you're faced with the same feeling – bewitchment. The food is impeccable and the staff treat you like royalty."

"From artwork plastered on the walls to the egg toilets and that pink gallery room, this Maddox Street restaurant is instantly distinguishable amongst Londoners and tourists alike."

"We love the classic schmoozy charm of this place, set in the heart of Theatreland. The food is a little like very upmarket pub food, so think half pints of prawns, fish pies, lobster thermidor (what do you mean you've never seen that down the King's Head?), and platters of shellfish galore. There’s an oyster bar next door, too, which made it onto our list of the best oyster bars in London"

"It’s a piece of prime gastronomic real estate, but M&Ms aside, there isn’t much to eat in Leicester Square itself. A claw-cracker’s throw from the neon, though, is some of London’s best seafood, courtesy of J."

"What: A great one for groups, London Shuffle’s ‘Bottomless Shuffle Brunch’ includes unlimited pizza and booze as well as a 30-minute shuffleboard taster session to the soundtrack of some great funk and soul tunes. Shuffleboard, for the uninitiated, is a game in which two teams use long cues to push weighted discs along a narrow lane and (hopefully) into a marked scoring triangle. Lanes can accommodate 2-8 players at a time and each ticket covers a two-hour session including bottomless prosecco, draught beers and pizza, which you don’t even need to feel guilty about because you’ll be working it all off as you go… Probably."

"Shuffleboard and brunch collide at one of the most fun bottomless events in the city. Head down to London Shuffle as you not only take on the game, you take on their signature pizzas alongside bottomless prosecco or beer."

"Plush as they come, Chiswell Street Dining Rooms make no bones about it, their forte is strictly to be one of the best fine dining restaurants in London, and they're doing a darn good job at it. From their botanical theming down to their British plates, this is not one to miss."

"A chilled out space of contemporary elegance, this is a great place in the city to unwind and reflect on your day. The venue serves up tasty and immaculately presented British fare, with friendly service and an array of cocktails, wines and quality microbeers to match."

"Sister restaurant to the next-door Jugged Hare, Chiswell Street Dining Rooms has been serving the good people of The City for years. The vibe is subtly luxurious, with unpretentious food made from the best ingredients."

"St Barts puts on a choice of homemade burgers, classic British mains and renowned flatbread spreads from its Smithfield base. The focus falls on the best British ingredients they can lay their hands on, with meat coming from the nearby market and a whole host of artisan wines and Meantime Brewery beers to wash it all down with."

"One of London's coolest restaurants, Chotto Matte fuses Japanese and Peruvian cuisine through its innovative Nikkei menu. Pop over to the Soho spot for the chance to tuck into beef tataki and passion fruit salsa, sea bass ceviche and aubergine miso sushi, washed down with some of their sumptuous signature cocktails."

"Japanese , Sushi"

"Originating in New York, Red Farmlanded in Soho back in 2018, bringing with it quirky Pac Man shrimp dumplings and custard bao. Order one of their set menus online to enjoy their contemporary take on classic Chinese cuisine, with bottles of Champagne also available for those extra special occasions. Red Farm's steamed bites are almost too cute to eat...almost."

"The popular New York City restaurant RedFarm recently took over a space in Covent Garden and within a matter of months landed on The Times’ Top 100 UK Restaurants list."

"Restaurants Contemporary European Clapton. ‘Easy Rider’ meets east London hipster at Jim’s Café, a greasy spoon reborn with a little help from Hackney-based motorcycle collective Black Skulls. As a drop-in it’s very cool and custom-built for the neighbourhood."

"Clapton , Hackney"

"Undoubtedly one of the most special spots to dine in the city is Hutong, another of The Shard’s sky-high eateries located on the 33rd floor. With dark red, moody interiors, sparkling lanterns and a traditional Chinese wishing tree where guests hang their wishes on branches, Hutong oozes the romance of fairy tales and is an absolute delight. This is our top pick for a splash-out supper, with its vast selection of fine northern Chinese cuisine and creative cocktails set against the backdrop of the sprawling London skyline, which twinkles at night."

"They do say heat rises: Chinese restaurant Hutong is for thrill-seekers who love a bit of spice with their heights. Positioned on the 33rd level of The Shard – London’s tallest building by quite a stretch – a night at Hutong comes with a view of pretty much the entire city and its twinkling lights, as well as fiery pepper-packed Sichuan dishes. Head one level down at the Shard and you’ll find Aqua Shard and Oblix, a duo of restaurants with similarly stunning views and a little less numbing of the tongue."

"A post shared by Life FR (@life_fr_) on Dec 27, 2017 at 6:26am PST. Savour spectacular views of London from this plush northern Chinese restaurant on level 33 of The Shard. Choose from dim sum such as Shanghai-style xiaolongbao or mains such as monkfish in Yangtze hot and sour broth."

"Housed in the old Hampstead Central Library on Finchley Road, Camden Arts Centre began life as a local initiative, providing art classes for the community. Now, it is a powerhouse of contemporary art showing ambitious exhibitions by well-known British and international artists such as Kara Walker, Rose English, Ben Rivers and Jennifer Tee. The bookshop stocks a range of artist’s editions, and the garden is the perfect spot for a sunny afternoon."

"In 1965 a former library was converted into a gallery to promote contemporary art. The exhibitions feature emerging artists, international artists debuting in London, significant historic figures who have inspired contemporary practice, and group shows relevant to current debate. Arkwright Road, NW3 6DG Free entrycamdenartscentre.org"

"The SSE Arena, Wembley is just steps away from the 20 coffee shops, restaurants and 50 outlet shops at London Designer Outlet (LDO), London’s leading fashion and lifestyle outlet centre. LDO’s outlet shops are open from 10am until late seven days a week. Offering year-round savings of up to 70% on famous brands such as Nike, Kurt Geiger, Converse, Guess, GAP, M&S, Superdry, Clarks, The North Face, Adidas, Villeroy & Boch and Ernest Jones."

"LDO is home to 70 brands selling at discounts of up to 70%, plus restaurants, bars and multi-screen cinema. Please ask at our Wembley Hotel reception for your London Designer Outlet Privilege Card giving an additional 10% discount at most stores."

"Every Sunday between 8am and 3pm, Columbia Road in East London is transformed into the capital’s biggest flower market, with many independent growers selling flowers, plants and more. Even if you’re not out to buy any plants yourself, the market is still a great free place to visit in London – a colourful oasis filled with the scent of florals and sound of bargaining traders."

"Tower Hamlets had staggered the return of their markets, with less-popular markets such as Whitechapel Market opening first, but Columbia Road Flower Market was able to join them on the first weekend of July. To keep people safe, the number of visitors at any one time has been strictly capped, and more of the surrounding roads have been closed."

"One of the most traditional romantic places in London has to be Columbia Road’s Flower Market. Even if you’re not interested in buying flowers, the atmosphere and people will certainly romanticise the occasion. It’s a cute and quaint market, and arguably one of the more subtle romantic places around London."