At long last, the warmer months are upon us — and with them comes NYC rooftop season. While there are plenty of top-floor bars and restaurants around the city, it can be difficult to find one worthy of its locale, so we’ve got you covered with more than just great views. Don’t worry, we’re taking you all across the boroughs for a host of different experiences, whether it’s dinner and drinks, a very long brunch or something in between. Some of these spots are even open year-round, so the sights and the vibes never stop. Here are seven great options for rooftop dining, for this season and beyond.
Lala’s Brooklyn Apizza
Brooklyn
Opened just last year, Lala’s Brooklyn Apizza sits on top of the Grimm Artisanal Ales taproom in Williamsburg. But don’t let the name fool you — it actually serves New Haven-style, thinner-than-thin apizza, with wheat milled in house, no less. The eponymous treat ranges from simple (red, white) to classic (New England-style clam) to sublime (pea and prosciutto, buffalo cauliflower). Add to that the neighborhood’s urban rooftop views for an experience that’s uniquely New York (with some New Haven thrown in).
990 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn
Gallow Green
Manhattan
At the McKittrick Hotel — which is not actually a hotel, but a warehouse that became the home of long-running immersive performances like Sleep No More — you’ll find Gallow Green. The outdoor bar is bedecked in garden greenery, and it’s only open seasonally, from May to October. You’ll find weekend champagne brunches (served buffet-style), jazz and more in the space, which can feel like an oasis of sorts even though it’s in the middle of Chelsea. Make sure you have a reservation if you’re headed there on a weekend, especially for brunch.
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Manhattan
Manhatta’s all-new team has brought it to new heights, so to speak, and not just because it’s on the 60th floor of the skyscraper at 28 Liberty Street. It’s in the Michelin Guide, plus food-world icon Ruth Reichl recently named their bar’s Oysters Manhatta with uni and champagne sabayon one of her favorite snacks in the city. There’s a multitude of ways to enjoy Manhatta, too: There’s an a la carte menu for lunch and at the bar, and two different prix fixe menus for dinner. And let’s not forget that skyline: Add Lady Liberty to your reservation because she’ll be there joining you, too, with the venue’s gorgeous views of New York Harbor.
Nubeluz
Manhattan
When the elegant Ritz-Carlton opened their newest hotel in Manhattan’s NoMad, they asked renowned chef José Andrés and his team to oversee their entire culinary program. Included in that is Nubeluz, on the hotel’s 50th floor, with views from its 28th Street location that extend all the way downtown. While Nubeluz is primarily a bar (IH’s Trevor Morrow recommends their Foggy Hill cocktail), there’s also a selection of snacks and sandwiches, and on the weekend a prix fixe high tea menu that includes a glass of champagne. Note there is a dress code — cocktail attire is requested and athleisure is not — and reservations are required.
Bar Blondeau
Brooklyn
You’ll find Bar Blondeau atop the stylish Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, with both indoor and outdoor seating perfect for warm-weather views. The menu features small bites great for sharing, not to mention a list of fine natural wines and inventive cocktails which have put it on a number of lists of the best bars in Williamsburg. Plus, from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, they have what they call a Sunset Hour menu for happy hour, so you can enjoy drinks and small plates, yes, but also stunning sights as the sun sets behind the East River.
80 Wythe Ave, 6th Floor, Brooklyn
The Turk’s Inn
Brooklyn
Inspired by a Wisconsin supper club of days gone by, a new version of the Turk’s Inn opened in Brooklyn in 2019. The restaurant is known for its kitsch, but in the summer — reopening May 2 — the rooftop bar, now called the Sultan Rooftop, will offer live music and DJs, not to mention happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. With their reopening, they’ll also have several new cocktails, including the Spa Margarita, Xanadu Mule and Pomegranate Michelada, as well as frozen drinks like a Frozen Honeydew Smash and Frozen Masala Colada, all with food from their in-house takeout venue, Döner Kebab. Hidden away in Bushwick, this is a rooftop that’s meant for a hang.
Zona de Cuba
Bronx
One of the biggest and best rooftops in New York isn’t in Manhattan or Brooklyn, it’s in the Bronx. Since it opened in 2019, Zona de Cuba’s vibrant atmosphere, live music, outdoor seating and tasty treats have contributed to its reputation as one of the most exciting rooftop venues in the five boroughs. Plus, it’s the first rooftop restaurant in the Bronx. It fills up quickly, though, so if you’re craving their paella or ceviche, you’ll definitely need a reservation. If you’re more in the mood for happy hour, though, from Tuesday through Friday cocktails like Mojitos and Margaritas can be yours for just $7.
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