Vertigo 42 (Closed)

Address: Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London, EC2N 1HQ, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7877 7842
Website: view Vertigo 42 (Closed)’s website
Door: Make reservation
Style: Lounge bar
Food: Bar Snacks

Review

The former NatWest Tower might no longer be the tallest building in the capital, but Tower 42 is in the heart of the City and commands some of the best views of London.

Since 9/11, entry to Vertigo 42 rightly entails rigorous security. You must reserve by phone and if booking on the same day, call before noon for lunch or before 5pm for dinner. On arrival, check in at the reception desk, feed your bags through the X-ray machine and take the ear-popping express lift to the 42nd floor.

At the top, nearly 600 feet up, you are unlikely to be wowed by the drinks selection. There's no beer and only a limited wine list, there's no actual bar to speak of - drinks are served rather unceremoniously from a 'hatch', so theatre and atmosphere are lacking somewhat - and the decor is a little 1980s.

But does any of that matter when you are enjoying 360-degree panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling windows of the greatest cities on earth? Choose from 42 (geddit?) varieties of Champagne and a small selection of Champagne cocktails, sit back and ponder the building's footprint in the shape of the NatWest logo. IC