The Bar & Restaurant at 30 St Mary Axe

For exclusivity & wow factor nowhere in the City quite matches the Searcy’s-run bar & restaurant atop 30 St Mary Axe (aka The Gherkin), where only people working in the building or those paying £1,000 plus VAT for membership & their guests can enjoy the setting. Though decor plays second fiddle to the view, it’s a handsome modern space. The bar occupies the very top of the building & the dining room is one floor down, but both have a spectacular panorama. The French-influenced British menu is as lofty as the setting: a beautifully balanced starter of smoked wood pigeon with fondant parsnip, Puy lentils, parsnip puree & trompettes de mort might be followed by tender roast rump of veal with seared tongue, foie gras, Koffman cabbage & a sensational red onion marmalade. The wine list is French-focused, but includes bottles from notable Old World producers such as Italy’s Franz Haas. Service is charming & efficient & prices – that elevated membership fee aside – are surprisingly competitive.