8.0
Great
Restaurants

Neil Frame 09/12/22


Duck & Waffle

Welcome to Duck & Waffle, which is not only one of London’s rare “24 Hour” restaurants – and so the perfect place to go either for waffles at 4am, or duck at 8pm… or lots of other ingredients (spoiler alert, they don’t only serve ducks and waffles) at literally any time – but is also the 24 hour restaurant in London that’s closest to the moon. Which is nice.

To get there, take a leisurely stroll through The City to the gleaming base of the Salesforce (formerly Heron) Tower – it’s about a 2 minute walk from Liverpool Street Station.

Behind a small glass door next to the main entrance you’ll spot a friendly host effortlessly combining their clipboard with a Hollywood smile. Go ahead and inform them that today you’ll be heading to the roof… (best to have a reservation secured first, though this isn’t always necessary). Take the lift past Sushisamba straight up to the 40th Floor, where you’ll find the place you’re here to see: Duck & Waffle, a cocktail bar and restaurant named after its signature dish of waffle, crispy confit duck leg and fried duck egg with mustard maple syrup (a dish which – like everything else here – can be enjoyed 24 hours a day).

duck & waffle

The cocktail bar

On entering Duck & Waffle you’ll first find yourself in the bar, a surprisingly coherent textural mish-mash of Portuguese-inspired floor tiling; distressed wooden ceilings; extravagant chandeliers made from old wine bottles; and, of course, killer views, with the lights of the London skyline twinkling immeasurable feet beneath you.

As you drink in these views, it would be reasonable to drink in something more thirst-quenching, too – whether from their lengthy wine list, or monthly-rotating roster of cocktails – current offerings include a Tough To Beet (with cacao-infused rum, beetroot liqueur and cream of coconut), and The Yolk’s On You, which either means that you had trouble eating the signature dish, or are drinking a heady blend of vanilla vodka, oat milk and green Chartreuse.

Duck & Waffle

The view from Duck & Waffle

From here, you’ll take a leisurely mosey through to Duck & Waffle’s main dining room, with its window-side tables for two, and sweeping curved banquettes for bigger groups. Take your seat in front of the bustling open kitchen, snack on some bacon-wrapped dates, and spare a thought for the chefs toiling over your beer-braised rabbit at 4am… You can choose from a mix of internationally-inspired small sharing plates like ‘Nduja seared octopus; foie gras crème brûlée; and coal-roasted beetroot with tamarind before moving onto the larger – oven-baked cod; rib-eye for two; and of course the signature Duck & Waffle. Finish up with a chocolate fondant; lemon meringue; or raisin loaf with cereal milk custard…

…or just admire the views over cocktails until it’s time to start serving breakfast again; and feast on smoked salmon or caramelised banana waffles.

Duck & Waffle

The Duck & Waffle

A brief note regarding your journey up there…

On entering the lift that Hollywood Smile directs you to, you’ll want to either be chewing gum; yawning or expertly performing the “Valsalva Maneouver” because the speed at which you’ll be propelled to the top of the tower (5m/s) will guarantee a mild ear-popping. The fun lift ride is actually the #1 reason for even going to Duck & Waffle …

… after the cocktails, the food and the ridiculous views.

 

NOTE: Duck & Waffle is open 24 hours, year-round. There’s also a dining room for private hire, which seats up to 18. You can book a private or public table on their website here.

Duck & Waffle | Salesforce Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY


Like a panoramic view? Check out our guide to the best rooftop bars in London.


Duck & Waffle


Salesforce Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street, EC2N 4AY

0203 640 7310

8.0 | Great