A vertiginous 31 floors above the concrete streets of the capital, Paramount, the former members’ club that’s now accessible to anyone with a reservation, provides spectacular views of the capital’s iconic landmarks.

The Venue
You’d have to be a right misery not to enjoy a visit to Paramount Bar. Panoramic views stretch out in all directions and from the comfort of highly stylised seating in the bar and restaurant – Tom Dixon governed the design - you can see as far as the eye can see, taking in all the sights to the east, all the way down to St Paul’s Cathedral, the Gherkin, Tower Bridge, even Canary Wharf. If you’re lucky enough to visit as the sun sets you’ll be able to watch the sun cast its shadow across the metropolis, before darkness descends and the streets below become artificially illuminated.

The Atmosphere
Once you pass a super-posh chap on the ground floor desk and hurtle upwards in the lift, you reach the bar and restaurant. Via a set of stairs you can continue skywards onto the viewing gallery, which has a smaller champagne and wine bar. You can even walk the entire circumference of this floor, pull up a chair and admire the skyline (the BT Tower is particularly impressive after dark).

Back on the 31st floor, a mixture of formally attired work colleagues, boggle-eyed couples and more casually attired groups of friends sit drinking and dining. You’d think that the air up here might be rarefied and stuffy but the atmosphere is very relaxed, and credit is due to the staff who go about their business with consummate ease.

The Food
Make a reservation in the bar area and you have the perfect place to impress during a work meeting or a date, without the formalities of sitting down in the restaurant. A selection of small plates are available, like huge Gordal olives (£3.50), hummus with pita bread (£4.75), or chicken satay (£7.50). Not one to share food, even with a loved one? You can have a dish all to yourself from a shortlist that includes the medium-rare steak sandwich (£12.50) served on top of one slice of bread with peppery rocket and a jammy red onion marmalade. Another good choice is the sublime Paramount fish pie (£10.50, which has an abundance of scallops, salmon and haddock in a creamy sauce under its fluffy mashed potato topping. For dessert, a vanilla crème brulee (£7.50) served in a shallow cast iron dish is adequate and enough for two.

The Drink
Cocktails are a big deal at Paramount Bar and there’s a list of champagne, classics and modern remixes. Show a little adventure and you’ll be rewarded. The Angel Martini (Grey Goose vodka, elderflower liqueur, apple, lemon juice and a splash of sauvignon blanc), the Paramount cream soda (vanilla-infused Bacardi, lemon curd and vanilla sugar, lemon juice and Billecart Salmon Champagne), and the dark chocolate and fig Manhattan (all £11) are excellent concoctions, expertly mixed and ingeniously balanced in flavour. Wines start from just over £20 a bottle and a selection of beers, including Asahi and Adnams ale, will set you back around £5. Overall, the above average prices are to be expected when you take into account the exceptional surroundings.

The Last Word
Now that mere mortals can book a table and enjoy one of the finest views London has to offer, a trip to Paramount, whether for drinks in the bar or a more formal dinner, is a must do.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (8) image gallery (9)