It appears that spring has
finally sprung in New York and the City's streets are teeming with tourists and locals in tshirts, flip-flops and sunglasses! It is blissful.
Great weather like this also heralds the start of rooftop bar season, and New York has a fantastic array of rooftops to cater to every one of your food, beverage, and social desires.
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| Gallow Green |
One of my favourite rooftops in the whole City is
Gallow Green, a beautiful space atop the McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea. The rooftop officially opens again next Saturday (19 April) and it is always worth a visit. It is like dining in a herb garden - you're surrounded by lush, fragrant plants and flowers. To get up there, you need to ride an old, rickety elevator operated by a revolving cast of unusual characters, but it's all part of Gallow Green's charm.
Another very popular rooftop that never fails to attract beautiful crowds is
the rooftop at The Met. I'll never forget the first time I went there on a Friday night, and enjoyed a delicious French martini as the sun started to set - it was magical (even
with the crazy crowds).
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| Wythe Hotel |
If you find yourself in Brooklyn, I'd definitely recommend you visit the rooftop bar at
The Wythe Hotel, with its breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. If you can time your visit with sunset, you won't be disappointed.
But back in Manhattan and closer to my office in Midtown, there are several spacious rooftops, perfect for after-work cocktails and networking (but mostly for cocktails). I really like
the rooftop at Aretsky's Patroon, at the summit of a three-level event space. The restaurant on the ground floor is pretty nice too. I've only ever been to this rooftop for official events, but I'm pretty sure it's also open as an everyday bar when the weather is nice enough for it.
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| Pod Hotel rooftop |
My other picks for slightly less fancy, but still perfect places for after-work drinks and city views, include the rooftop bar at the
Pod Hotel (after dinner at the amazing
Salvation Taco downstairs) and the rooftop of the
Affinia Shelbourne (their downstairs restaurant called
Rare isn't bad either).
A few blocks away is the decidedly more fancy rooftop bar of the Kimberly Hotel, called
"Upstairs". The cocktails here are great, but I find the crowd is a bit more pretentious and you'll definitely need to stick out your pointy elbows and fight your way to the bar. The views can't be beaten though, so I try to make a reservation ahead of time - distance myself from the crowd, get a small table, and just soak up the atmosphere.
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| 230 Fifth |
One of the most popular rooftop bars in the City is
230 Fifth, and it's open all year round. It is literally around the corner from the Empire State Building, so it's a bit of a tourist trap at times but definitely worth a visit for the breathtaking views it affords. If you head here in winter time, you'll still be given the option to sit outside, and the hotel will give you hooded blankets to wear, just like Snuggies - looks a bit silly, but pretty thoughtful really.
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| Birreria at Eataly |
I like 230 Fifth for the amazing views, but my favourite year-round rooftop space is
Birreria, the beer garden on the roof of
Eataly. The view's not so great up here, but the food and beer menu more than makes up for that. Everything here is so fresh and tasty. If you're lucky enough to snag a seat at the bar, the staff will hook you up with all kinds of refreshing beers, but my favourites are the local ones curated by Eataly's Head Brewer. The bartenders will even let you try a sip of the local beers until you know which one you want to order - it's definitely a good idea to branch out and try something new. Just be ready for the crowds here too; they can be a bit intense.
Of course, this is just a random selection of my favourite rooftop haunts when the weather finally turns in my favour. There are so many more spaces just like these ones to discover in this town, and after the polar vortexes we've endured this winter, I bet it won't take long for New Yorkers to head upstairs and get as close to the warm sun as they can.
