Skip the ticket queue at the base of The Shard. A seat at Oblix East buys the same postcode, a 40 mile view on a clear day, and a drink to hold while you take it in.
Oblix occupies level 32 of The Shard at 31 St Thomas Street, directly above London Bridge station. Rainer Becker, the restaurateur behind Zuma and Roka, opened it in 2013 as the first restaurant in the building, and it has held its position as the tower's most consistent food and drink floor since. The space splits in two: Oblix West runs the grill restaurant, and Oblix East runs the lounge where the bar program lives.
East is the side this entry cares about. It serves cocktails, bar snacks, afternoon tea, and a short three course menu, with live music carrying the room most evenings. DesignMyNight's review praises the drinks and the service while warning, fairly, that the bill reaches as high as the floor number.
The room
Floor to ceiling glass wraps the lounge, and the open kitchen's wood fire glow warms a room that might otherwise read corporate. Tripadvisor reviewers single out the combination that defines the place: dimmed lighting, live jazz, and a skyline that scrolls from Canary Wharf to the London Eye. Sunset lands directly on the west windows, but the east side keeps Tower Bridge.
What to order
Treat it as a classics room. A Martini or a Negroni made carefully while the city glitters below justifies the premium better than anything elaborate, and the bar snacks outperform most hotel lounge menus. Afternoon tea runs daily from noon to 4pm for a cheaper route to the same view.
The honest math favors the bar. A cocktail here costs less than the ticket to the viewing gallery 40 floors up, and it comes with a seat, a snack menu, and a band. For the wider field, see our London rooftop ranking and the global rooftop bar guide.
Who it is for
Anniversaries, closings, proposals, and visiting parents: this is the special occasion floor of the London skyline. Dress accordingly, since the room reads as dressed up even without a formal code. Two floors below, Aqua Shard offers a similar view with an easier booking; price hunters should compare both before committing.
Best time to go
The bar runs daily from noon to 10pm. Weekday afternoons are the quiet window, with the view at its clearest and tables easy. Book ahead for any evening visit, and aim for an hour before sunset if the forecast cooperates. Our London bar guide covers lower altitude follow ups around Borough Market.
Sources: Oblix official site (oblixrestaurant.com); The Shard official site; DesignMyNight; Hardens; Tripadvisor reviews. Address and hours verified June 2026.
