Address: Heron Tower, (Nr Liverpool St Station), London, EC2N 4AY , United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)203 640 7330
Email: dwreservations@sushisamba.com
Website: view Sushi Samba/Duck & Waffle’s website

Style: Cocktail bar
Established: 2012

This multi-faceted venue on the 38th, 39th and 40th storeys of new City skyscraper Heron Tower offers stunning views over London. You'll emerge via express lift on the 39th floor at Sushi Samba, a Brazilian/Japanese fusion, first at a small lounge with an island bar, where colourful plastic chandeliers and fairy lights contrast with Asian-style graffiti.

A short, seven-strong cocktail list utilises homemade infusions and syrups (£9.50-£11.50), though most of the City boy clientele drank bottled beers on our visit. Downstairs is an accompanying restaurant, served by an additional service bar, and with an outdoor terrace. Up a flight of orange plastic stairs you'll find a quite different concept called Duck & Waffle. Here an 'inverted' bar has the stations on the outside and all-manner of botanicals, fresh fruits and bottles taking up the middle. As this is also a service bar for a separate accompanying restaurant, it can get quite crowded and confusing, especially as bartenders and customers share the same space.

A mere three-strong list of cocktails is on offer, with a more 'molecular' bent including use of malic acid, flavoured smokes, bottled serves and infusions - some drinks containing practically all of these elements (£11-£13). They encourage you to go 'off-piste' too. A certain amount of newly-opened operational chaos marred our experience, though we're keen to return. You certainly won't be disappointed by the view.