Having sauntered around some sky-high venues around central London recently, I can very positively say Sky Garden is up there with the very best. Of course, if you are looking for a very formal and intimate experience, Sky Garden might not be for you. If you want to enjoy spectacular views of London, listen to the hottest musical talents in town and savour heavenly food platters and cocktails, this is the perfect venue for you.
At 155 metres high on the 35th floor, this is the optimum height to gain a great perspective of our stunning metropolis. Other venues might be situated in taller buildings, but you lose definition in what you can see. Being based centrally at Fenchurch Street, you can observe all the fascinating new buildings springing up across the City and also a historical part of London by getting an unrivalled overview of the Tower of London.
There are various restaurants and bars to cater for all your needs from the best of contemporary British cuisine at Fenchurch restaurant to an all day brasserie at Darwin. There is also the sky pod bar offering a casual and relaxed drinking and grazing experience. Their seafood, charcuterie and Neal’s Yard and Goodwood Estate cheese platter are extremely popular with guests. Run by Rhubarb catering, they ensure they are choosing the freshest possible ingredients by changing their menus monthly rather than just seasonally.
Their wine options are quite limited, however there are many other choices on the menu. The list of Champagnes available are longer than the white, red and rosé options combined. The cocktails are particularly refreshing and uses an abundant amount of top ingredients such as the Babylon with tanqueray Gin infused kaffir leaves, St. Germain elderflower, herbal liqueur, lemon, jasmine & apple juice. No expenses are spared when it comes to creating their tasty cocktails.
What really makes your visit to Sky Gardens extra special on top of the exceptional views, food and beverage, are their live music sessions on Thursdays – Saturdays. They range from live bands to DJs supplied by the acoustically brilliant ALR music. The music creates a sensational atmosphere for all guests whether you are just visiting the gardens and dining at one of their restaurants. On our visit, the band even managed to make a Justin Bieber song sound respectable (a jazz version of Sorry), which isn’t necessarily an easy feat.
Surprisingly for such a popular venue, it isn’t filled with pesky tourists, but mostly with Londoners who appreciate a great venue offering sumptuous views with excellent dining and imbibing options.
baldwin@townfish.com