10 Rooftop Bars to Toast the Start of Summer
Warm weather season is officially underway, and New Yorkers are ready to mingle. Here are a few new and recently opened outdoor and rooftop bars to check out as the summer heats up.
The Flower Shop Rooftop
The popular Lower East Side bar is returning to The Walker Hotel in Tribeca for another summertime rooftop residency. Opening May 2024, the outdoor lounge is festooned with twinkle lights, floral decor and greenery, creating a lush respite from the city streets below. Summer-y cocktails on offer include froze and a frozen aperol spritz.
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Nubeluz by José Andrés at The Ritz-Carlton New York
Located on the NoMad hotel’s 50th floor, Nubeluz offers impressive views and an upscale setting for cocktails and light bites — or during brunch hours on the weekend, for high tea. The room’s opulent interiors were designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, and are accompanied by two outdoor terraces. Nubeluz is open every day, with extended hours Thursday through Saturday; the “cocktail-appropriate” attire dress code positions it as a prime spot to toast a special occasion.
Apotheke NoMad NYC
The second location of popular Chinatown cocktail bar Apotheke is located on 26th Street in NoMad. The “speakeasy” bar features a botanical-focused cocktail menu crafted by longtime head mixologist Nicolas O’Connor, and is organized by the purported impact of the plant ingredients used (stress relief, etc.) in the spirit of an old-world apothecary; there’s also a curated selection of absinthe available. While guests enter through the bar’s cellar, head up to the penthouse lounge and rooftop terrace, which features stained glass windows and an all-weather atrium. Apotheke NoMad also serves a selection of small plates, including dumplings, as an homage to Apotheke’s original location downtown.
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The Ready at the Moxy East Village
The Moxy, known for its whimsical rooftop bar approach thanks to Magic Hour in Times Square, opened the rooftop component for its East Village location in 2021. The Ready features colorful decor and plenty of greenery and twinkle lights for atmospheric effect — and retractable glass walls that allow the bar to transform into an all-season, all-weather destination. There’s frosé, cocktails, local beer and canned wine, and a food menu that veers Mexican with à la carte tacos.
Jimmy at the ModernHaus SoHo
Formerly known as Jimmy at the James, this late-night SoHo rooftop lounge — a popular after party location — has been updated and rebranded as just Jimmy. Located on the 18th floor of the ModernHaus SoHo hotel, Jimmy features an indoor lounge boasting impressive views. But the real jewel of the space continues to be the outdoor pool deck, which offers an unobstructed view of lower Manhattan. The outdoor area has been elevated with a poolside bar and decor that takes cues from Picasso’s Blue Period.
ElNico
Rooftop bar and restaurant ElNico is located inside the Penny Williamsburg hotel in Brooklyn hotel, helmed by chef Fernanda Serrano, and beverage director Cristhian Rodriguez. The food and beverage menus are both ingredient-driven, featuring casual and colorful renditions of classic Mexican dishes.
Panorama Room
Located on the 18th floor of the Graduate Hotel on Roosevelt Island, the Panorama Room is a destination — but one with the payoff of unobstructed immersive views of the East River, Manhattan, and Long Island City. Soaring floor-to-ceiling glass windows make the indoor experience as immersive as the outside deck. Whether mid-day, sunset or nighttime, The Panorama Room is a novelty likely to impress even the most seasoned New Yorker. Take the Tram to Roosevelt Island to get the full experience.
The Sentry
Members club The Sentry opened its first public space at Hotel Henri in Flatiron. The lounge is located on the 18th floor and features retro decor and open-air terrace views of New York’s NoMad neighborhood. The menu offers cocktails, wine and spirits along with a curated bar menu that includes standard fare (fries, black and pepper squid) and vegetable-forward options.
The Glass Ceiling
The menu at midtown’s The Glass Ceiling spotlights female-owned businesses (hence the name). The multipurpose space — it functions as a coworking space and a lounge — features indoor and outdoor seating outfitted with pink and green design accents, primed to appeal to the young professional. In addition to drinks, The Glass Ceiling also serves a full menu of shared plates, salads and main dishes, with brunch on the weekends.
Ai Fiori Sky Terrace
Located a few blocks south of Bryant Park on Fifth Avenue, the Michelin-starred Ai Fiori has expanded upwards with its more casual 11th floor outdoor terrace at the Langham Hotel. Take in views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building with a summery Blossom Punch cocktail or house-blended bourbon. Altamarea corporate chef Lauren DeSteno designed the accompanying a la carte menu, which draws from the ground floor restaurant’s prix-fixe offerings.
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