Simon Wittenberg heads to the newly-opened Bar and Kitchen at the VU from The Tower for lunch and to enjoy the panoramic vista across the Thames and London.

VU from The Tower just opened on 1st August, so it is the new kid on the block when it comes to London’s vibrant dining scene.

Located on the upper foyer level of the four-star Thistle-branded Tower Hotel, the fully refurbished cocktail bar and 150-cover restaurant grants stunning views of Tower Bridge, the River Thames, City Hall, and The Shard, which are especially magical on a hot and sunny summer’s day like we enjoyed.

Following the full refurbishment of what was previously the Xi Bar, VU from The Tower has been tastefully styled with bright colours and matching fabrics.

The wooden tables, curved seating, and a large bar create a cosy vibe. The expanse of windows that look out onto the river and quays below also flood this restaurant with plenty of natural light, creating an inviting atmosphere.

It is, therefore, a ‘must’ to reserve a table by the glass frontage to admire the hive of activity on The Thames and the tourist trail which The Tower Hotel overlooks.

In addition to being able to gaze at the surrounding vista, another tip is to coincide your visit with when Tower Bridge lifts for larger vessels, as this gives added spectacle whilst dining at VU from The Tower.

Open from midday to the early hours, this venue caters for guests around the clock, serving a bottomless brunch, an all-day à la carte menu, and afternoon tea. We visited for a weekday lunch, and the relatively concise menu opens with a series of nibbles and a couple of sharing plates, including a charcuterie board and a vegetarian mezze (£19).

We opted for the latter as a starter, and the suspended wooden board housed pieces of marinated artichokes, delicious red pepper hummus, fresh cherry tomatoes on the vine with rocket and a sprinkling of balsamic glaze, marinated olives, pickles, and two large pieces of creamy sliced mozzarella. This was complemented by a couple of pieces of soft mezzaluna bread, which translates as half-moon folded flatbread made with extra virgin olive oil.

Small plates to appease the palate are equally available. These are more akin to traditional starters and include Tricolore salad and penne pasta with vodka and tomato sauce.

VU from The Tower is also a bar, so there’s a full line-up of beverages, with numerous spirits, wines, and cocktails that provide a decent amount of choice.

On the day we visited, temperatures reached 34 degrees centigrade outside, so an ice-cold Piña Colada (£15.50) proved just the ticket. Pineapple leaves and a glacier cherry added some nice tropical touches. My other half sipped on a ‘Gingeroni’ mocktail (£9.50), concocted from ginger ale, grenadine, and maraschino cherries, amongst other carefully selected ingredients.

With a short pause and napkins refreshed, our mains arrived. Choices for this course span a Caesar salad and burgers to steak and chips. There are a few sides to choose from, such as triple-cooked chips and sweet potato fries, all priced at a reasonable £5 each. I settled on the delightful baked salmon supreme (£26), which sat on a bed of creamy mashed potato and plenty of kale and was topped with Hollandaise sauce normally found in Eggs Benedict and some nice mini capers.

This was a relatively filling dish where the principal ingredients merged seamlessly on the palate. My other half headed for the equally flavoursome chicken katsu curry (£18), composed of a breaded schnitzel complemented by shredded green beans, edamame beans and jasmine rice.

For those with a pocket of room remaining, there’s a selection of three mouth-watering desserts (£11) to close out your meal. Without hesitation, my eyes were drawn straight to the black forest waffles, which arrived with a touch of cream, melting chocolate ice cream and berry compote – the perfect ending to what had been an excellent lunch. My dining partner had a specially concocted fruit salad with mango sorbet because the ‘standard’ sweets were all orientated around dairy ingredients.

Throughout our visit, it was apparent that although the individual components used were relatively simple, the dishes themselves were always very nicely presented, which is what makes the food so tasty and appealing here.

Our hosts were also very attentive to any specific dietary requirements, and the chefs at VU from The Tower will tailor dishes to accommodate requests where they can.

In summary…
VU from The Tower is conveniently located for those who wish to capture some of the capital’s most popular landmarks while enjoying swift and friendly service, generous portions, and decently priced food.

This really is one of the capital’s hidden culinary gems and will no doubt prove a hit with Londoners and visitors alike, meaning the future’s looking bright for this new bar and dining destination. There’s certainly no “déjà vu” here…

VU from The Tower – Where and How?

VU from The Tower is located at The Tower Hotel, St Katharine’s Way, London E1W 1LD, United Kingdom.

For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.vicinitylondon.co.uk/vu-from-the-tower.

See highlights from our visit in our Instagram reel.