A third floor bar inside the Royal Festival Hall with floor to ceiling windows over the Thames.
Skylon occupies the third floor of the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, and the view does the heavy lifting. Floor to ceiling windows run the length of the room and frame the Thames, the river boats, and the skyline beyond. The Southbank Centre describes it as a destination cocktail and wine bar wrapped around a Modern British restaurant.
The name nods to the Skylon structure built on this site for the 1951 Festival of Britain, and the design echoes that period with bronze, walnut, and slate. Luxury Lifestyle Magazine praised the elegant setting and the service. This is a bar for the early evening and the pre theatre hour rather than a late night session, and it suits a calm drink with a view over a loud night out.
Skylon sits on the third floor of the Royal Festival Hall. The Grand Central Bar takes walk-ins, but book a table for dinner or pre theatre.
The Grand Central Bar splits the long room between the restaurant tables and the windows. Mid century lines, custom chandeliers, and warm metal surfaces keep it elegant rather than flashy. The seats by the glass are the ones to angle for, especially as the light drops over the river.
It is a wide, calm space rather than an intimate one, which makes it work well for groups and pre show drinks.
Skylon plays its cocktails straight. Well built classics, a tidy wine list, and a few seasonal serves are the safe path, and the kitchen sends snacks if you want to linger. The pleasure here is the room and the view rather than experimental mixing, so order something you trust and take the window seat.
Prices sit in the upper middle of the London range, fair for the setting and the location. Time your drink for sunset, when the river and the lights make the floor to ceiling glass earn its keep.
What to order
- 01
A classic, by the window
- 02
House Champagne or sparkling
- 03
Seasonal signature
- 04
Bar snacks
