New York’s best rooftop bars

Looking for a place where you can drink in that famous Manhattan skyline with a Manhattan in hand? Here is where to go.

Nubeluz

The high-speed elevator ride to the 50^th floor of The Ritz-Carlton New York Nomad will make your ears pop, but Nubeluz’s stylish design and spectacular views will make your eyes pop. You will need to book ahead to score a seat inside but if you don’t have a reservation you might score a spot on the west terrace looking out over the Hudson River or the east terrace with close-up views of the Empire State Building. Prices are as eye-watering as you might expect but this is one experience worth splurging on. The drinks menu includes superb mocktails such as the Emerald Coin.

Ophelia Lounge

You are unlikely to stumble across the Beekman Tower by accident, given its out-of-the-way location in Midtown East, but it’s worth making the trek out here just to check out the little gem of a bar on its top storey. Ophelia Lounge’s elegant fit-out is inspired by the building’s art deco architecture and includes arched glass panels, fabric in sumptuous shades of red and blue, and black and white tiles. The creative cocktail list is packed with highlights such as the Lower East Side which blends rye, passionfruit, cinnamon and lemon.

Gansevoort Rooftop

If you enjoy coordinating your outfit to suit your surrounds, you will have to plan ahead for a night out atop the Gansevoort Rooftop in the Meatpacking District. Each space has its own colour scheme, from the Mediterranean blues of the Greenhouse bar – with its brass-framed onyx bar, Moroccan tiles and Tuscan frescoes – to the blush pink marble bar and vintage rose velvet banquettes of The Loft. Go green on the terrace, with its vines, bromeliads and tropical print seating, or tone it down to take a seat in Saishin, the minimalist omakase bar..

Overstory

The Financial District doesn’t really rank on many lists of Manhattan’s most happening ‘hoods but it is home to the only rooftop bar in the city to crack the World’s 50 Best Bars list. If you can tear your eyes away from the view you will find Overstory is all about the details, including the elegant glassware and bespoke ice cubes. The impressive drinks list includes not just cocktails and champagnes but also – for those with in a blow-the-budget mood – a range of quality whiskeys and a fine selection of agave drops.

Dear Irving on Hudson

Times Square is generally considered a style-free zone, so it’s a surprise to find a bar as chic as Dear Irving on Hudson only a few blocks away.  Sitting atop the Aliz Hotel, this two-storey bar – a sibling to Gramercy Park’s Dear Irving – keeps things interesting by regularly updating its drinks menu. Current categories include the gin-forward Juniper Season and Spice Rack, featuring drinks with a zesty flavour. The 1960s’ James Bond vibe helps dial up the fun.

The Roof at Public

Ian Schrager has made a career out of creating buzzy hotels and Public Hotel on the Lower East Side is no exception. No wonder, then, that the hotel’s rooftop bar, with its wraparound views, has become one of the area’s hottest nights out. Music lovers will love the roster of in-demand DJs; just remember to dress up to blend in with the cool crowd.

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