Last Updated on March 8, 2025
A Starlight Dining Experience at Vintry and Mercer
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Vintry and Mercer Boutique Hotel opened just six years ago in 2019, with the stunning Mercer Roof Terrace a key attraction. It is set in the heart of the City of London, in the Vintry Ward. It’s a part of the city that used to be home to wine merchants (vintners) who historically traded and stored wine in the area. Near the Thames River, it was perfectly located for wine imports during the medieval period, and the Vintner’s Company, one of the City’s historic livery companies, still has a home in the ward. The Mercers, who lend their name to the terrace, were textile traders, some of the wealthiest merchants in the City of London, based a little to the north of the hotel, around Cheapside.
The Mercer Roof Terrace is a true hidden gem with an open terrace and a small indoor restaurant and bar with panoramic windows out over the rooftops of the city. In winter, there’s even an igloo and shepherd’s huts for those wanting to dine almost al-fresco despite the inclement English weather.
We went along on one of the wettest evenings in February to find out more. Despite or perhaps even because of the appalling weather, the romance of looking out over the City at night was undeniable – and both the food and drinks at the Mercer Roof Terrace were excellent too.
Cocktails to set the evening off on the right note, my companion’s Apres Ski was fresh and zingy with lemon verbena laced vodka and elderflower. My mocktail, a Malum, was made with Feragaia, apple juice and ginger syrup, creating a soft, fragrant drink with a sweet foam that meant I didn’t miss the alcohol at all.
Then, to start, for my companion, a generous and delicious Cornish crab cake, which was served with brown crab mayonnaise and lightly pickled fennel. It was a hearty start to the meal but well balanced and full of flavour.
For me, Salisbury goat’s curd and heritage beetroot tartare with radicchio, blood orange and pumpkin seed granola. I loved the contrasting textures of the soft goat’s cheese, the firm but tender beetroot and the crunchy radicchio and granola – and the morsels of blood orange added exactly the right amount of tartness to the dish.
I particularly enjoyed my main course, Cornish monkfish tail with bourguignon sauce – a surprisingly delicious flavour combination with a rich red wine, mushroom, bacon and onion sauce together with some Parmesan potato puree and a little truffle oil. It’s a simple enough concept, but it worked brilliantly.
My companion meanwhile was feasting on another hearty option – South Downs black treacle bacon chop with hash browns, fried St Ewes egg, burnt apple ketchup and mustard jus. A perfectly fried egg topped a melt-in-the-mouth bacon chop with the treacle adding just the right amount of sweetness.
We both shared the courgette and leek gratin, a naughty but luscious side dish that was generously topped with melted cheese.
Inevitably, desserts were really not necessary, but somehow we managed! For my companion, Madagascan vanilla and blueberry cheesecake with lemon, digestive and blueberry jelly was a little too sweet and rich – though that might have been partly down to our previous indulgences. It was served topped with fresh blackberries.
I enjoyed the apple and blackberry parfait with cinnamon file and chocolate crumble – beautifully presented it was a fresh, palate cleansing option which perhaps would have benefitted from being taken from the freezer a little earlier.
We enjoyed a bottle of Terre Sicilane, Vini del Sole from Sicily, with our meal, was well-priced at £26 for a bottle. Mercer Roof Terrace has a remarkably well-priced and extensive wine list along with a good collection of cocktails. Perhaps that’s a legacy from the location in the Vintry Ward?
The Mercer Roof Terrace is the kind of reasonably priced restaurant with a decent and accessible wine list that can be rare in the City. The view is spectacular, and the service is friendly without being overwhelming. It’s the kind of place where I’d be happy to meet up with friends – particularly as the weather improves.
Mercer Roof Terrace
Vintry and Mercer Hotel
20 Garlick Hill,
City of London,
London EC4V 2AU
Phone: 020 3908 8099
Looking for more restaurants with a view? Check out Llama Inn in Shoreditch
