Frank’s: South London’s Favourite Rooftop Bar Is Back

5 months ago

Don't walk, run to this Peckham terrace

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When the sun shines in London, there’s only one place to be: sat, cocktail in hand, in one of the city’s rooftop bars. They’re dotted all over the city, but you’ll struggle to find better vibes than at Frank’s Cafe, the Peckham hotspot which has just reopened its doors for the summer season.

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Part of the charm of this perennial favourite is its unassuming location: Frank’s is perched on the 10th floor of a multi-storey car park in Peckham. First constructed in 2009 by Bold Tendencies, with a design by London-based studio Practice Architecture, the sprawling bar has become a south London institution over the years.

The venue is exposed to the elements, hence why it’s only open during the summer months, but on a fine day it’s one of the city’s most special spots to watch the sunset, with near-360 views of the skyline. No doubt you’ll have seen these sun-dappled panoramas all over your Instagram feed, as well as the iconic pink staircase, which was transformed by artist Simon Whybray back in 2016 as one of the site’s commissioned artworks.

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Better still, prices are much more reasonable than many of its sky-high competitors. There’s a short but sweet list of cocktails, which includes the famous Frank’s Negroni, alongside a Mango Picante, Yuzu Collins, Margarita and Rum Punch. Alongside this, there are draught beers and a few cheap and cheerful wines to choose from.

Food-wise, this summer’s offering includes nibbles of dips and flatbread ahead of mains including a pulled pork sandwich, lamb breast kebab and roasted butternut squash. On weekends, the bar serves brunch from 11am – 4pm: think feta and pea frittatas, brisket hash, red pepper shakshuka and tomatoes on toast, which you can pair with Bloody Marys or Rum Iced Coffee.

The bar is open from Wednesday through to Sunday, and it’s walk-in only, so on a sunny Saturday get there early to nab a good spot.