Swing right at the entrance to the Heron Tower (and its fish tank bigger than your house) and you’ll come across the glass door to Duck and Waffle. A cross between a Pan Am stewardess and some Clarins counter babe will flash a big bright smile and request where you’re off to…“Duck and Waffle” is a sufficient answer and she’ll call you the lift. The lift in itself is an experience, having been slowed down by 20 seconds already, it’s still fast enough for you to grab your hot date in fright. At floor 40 you won’t get a better sight of London, riding high with the top of the Gherkin and the Shard for company, your view of the Thames is in strong competition with the Eastenders intro.

The name comes from their signature dish – fried duck egg and mustard maple syrup, and the space has a clean cut bar with the restaurant just around the corner. The bar is unique in its layout, turned inside out it looks like an up market buffet but with good looking bartenders on hand. The cocktail menu is short but sweet: four signature cocktails that are classics with a twist. We loved their Whiskey Sour made with whiskey, lemon juice, sugar syrup, rosemary and truffle, but if none of the four take your fancy then the bar is yours and with the help of one of the guys you can even make your own concoction. Being a 24 hour bar the food is just what we wanted – the fois gras all day breakfast, bbq spiced pig ears and the mutton tartare were welcome additions to our night on the town.

If you’re wondering what all the noise is downstairs, you’ll find the equally enjoyable Sushisamba With five bars and two restaurants spread over these two floors it’s a whole playground of 24 hour fun to be had. We’ll be seeing you there!