Visiting Aqua Shard
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Visiting Aqua shard London
About Aqua Shard
Aqua shard is a Modern British cuisine restaurant on the 31st floor of the tallest building in Western Europe.
Guests at aqua shard can enjoy 360 degree views across London. Aqua shard has a spacious bar adjacent to the open plan restaurant. The restaurant menus available here are lunch, brunch. Dinner or afternoon tea with advanced booking.
The View from Aqua Shard
The Shard is currently the 16th tallest building in the world - as my 5 year old son keeps reminding me! With lots of people booking tickets each year for the view from the shard.
What a lot of people don't realise is that you can take in the dizzying heights of the shard for next to nothing with a visit to Aqua Shard on the 31st floor.
If you visit early enough, Aqua at the Shard is a family friendly bar, with no fancy dresscode.
Here you can enjoy drinks and snacks at the bar of the Aqua shard - along with panoramic floor to ceiling views across the city. No reservation required. Just check their website for opening times.
My youngest son has become fascinated by architecture so we spontaneously decided to finally visit the shard for drinks during the summer holidays.
Whilst Aqua Shard is only half as high up as the view from the shard experience of viewing platforms on the 68th and 69th floors. Or the jaw-dropping height of the open air viewing deck on the 72nd floor. The panoramic views are still very impressive at Aqua on the 31st floor of the tallest building in London.
The lift is a smooth ride that only goes to the 32nd floor. Taking just 15 speedy seconds to do so!
Prices
If you're not willing to spend much at Aqua shard, then order a soft drink. Hot drink or water. Whilst not listed on the drinks menu at the tables in the bar area, these other cheaper options are all available here.
A selection of eight bar snacks are available at aqua shard, including Truffle and pecorino mixed nuts. Or larger sharing options like the Neil's Yard cheese platter.
The bar menu is extensive and consists of gins. Vodkas. Whisky from America. Ireland and Japanese regions. Vintage and non-vintage Champagnes. Tequilas. Rum. Wine and other well loved spirits. I'm certain you'll find the drink you've been looking for at Aqua shard!
Let's talk Cocktails. The cocktails at Aqua shard are divided into four categories: Music, Art, Fashion and Film. Each section of the cocktail menu includes four creative and cleverly named cocktails plus one non-alcoholic mocktail.
From the trailblazing musicians who changed the sound of the world. To the visionary artists who redefined the boundaries of creativity. The menu is a celebration of the bold. The innovative and the daring.
The atrium bar at Aqua Shard comes alive to the sound of music every Friday and Saturday evening when a live Dj plays through the night.
My experience at the Aqua Shard bar
We arrived as a group of four just before 1pm on a Monday and were escorted to a comfy table with a curved sofa and partial views of the world outside.
As it gets busy here. You'll want to arrive at opening time to secure better views at a table closer to the windows.
The bars main drink station is a large circular island beside the restaurant. Here guests can pull up one of the many bar chairs available and watch their drinks being prepared beneath beautiful hanging globes.
Past the drink station is where we sat and received table service throughout our visit. The Peter pan afternoon tea was popular with restaurant guests during our visit.
I tried the miniskirt cocktail from the fashion section of the cocktail menu. After some help from a knowledgeable waitor.
The miniskirt is a sweet and sour cocktail with a velvety consistency. A pretty pink drink with a tangy taste. Created as a tribute to the legendary Mary Quant and her revolutionary creation: the miniskirt.
Just a few steps up from Aqua shard on the 32nd floor is the bar at Gong. Here you can boast that you've enjoyed drinks at the highest bar in Western Europe! Gong might have different opening hours depending on your chosen day of visiting. So plan accordingly.