The Best Rooftops To Take In New York City
Spring is here and what better way to celebrate the end of a harsh year than to finally be able to go outside and enjoy yourself with spectacular views and amazing food and drinks. Here’s a list of some of the best rooftop restaurants because we know how overwhelming and difficult it can be to choose the perfect one.
The Sentry
The Sentry is the rooftop you'll need a connection to get into, atop the iconic American Copper Buildings (626 1st Ave.). This amenity driven private social club made for those who move, make, create and shake things up a bit is accepting applications this year. The private rooftop is currently open for the summer season and originally opened in 2019 and has hosted poolside musical performances by Fat Joe and Naughty by Nature along the way.
Sushi Lab Rooftop (132 W. 47th Street)
At The Sanctuary Hotel in Midtown offers guests a creative spin on traditional sushi from Executive Chef Frankie Chen in a gorgeous leaf-filled, canopied rooftop setting. The restaurant features Japanese small plates, along with creative Nigiri, Sashimi and Maki sushi. Of course the star of the show is their omakase experience, utilizing only the freshest ingredients. Sushi Lab Rooftop is open seven days a week, Monday from 5pm - 10pm and Tuesday - Sunday from 12pm - 10pm.
Ampia Rooftop (100 Broad St)
A modern Mediterranean inspired bi-level venue with classic Italian dishes, providing a much needed escape from the chaotic city below. With gorgeous floral decor draped across this expansive FiDi rooftop and a stunning art mural by OGMillie, guests are instantly transported to an oasis where you can expect an extensive array of cocktails and a delicious menu filled with authentic Italian cuisine. Guests have the option to dine in greenhouses in the sky, individual colorful villages or in open air. This expansive rooftop is open Monday - Friday from 4pm - 11pm and Saturday - Sunday from 12pm - 11pm.
Haven Rooftop
Above the Sanctuary Hotel (132 W. 47th Street) in Midtown is a perennial favorite. Haven offers delicious food including sliders, tuna tartare, and Buffalo wings, Branzino and Steak Au Poivre with peppercorn sauce. Pair that with a Cloudtini or summer sangria for a truly elevated experience. Haven is open Monday - Friday beginning at 3pm, with Happy Hour from 3pm - 6pm and on weekends beginning at 11:00am for weekend bottomless brunch.
Moxy East Village
Designed by Rockwell Group, The Ready will celebrate the culture and energy that surrounds the East Village neighborhood. Cans and coolers filled with local favorites like Bronx Brewery and City Light Lager highlight the drink offerings. And, just like every great backyard gathering, beer pong will help to work up an appetite for made-to-order fresh tacos that are sure to satisfy, plus classic bar snacks that pair perfectly with brews and beverages of all kinds.
National real estate developer Lightstone opened the award-winning Moxy East Village hotel in NYC in September 2019, following the successful launches of Moxy Times Square and Moxy Chelsea. Earlier this year, Lightstone debuted its first Moxy hotel outside of NYC with the opening of Moxy South Beach and celebrated the groundbreaking development milestones for two more Moxy hotels in NYC; Moxy Lower East Side and Moxy Williamsburg.
Fornino
Fornino has their seasonal rooftop and restaurant open at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park for diners to take in summer sunsets with wood-fired pizzas, salads and sandwiches and drinks of all kinds. The rooftop is open weather permitting Wednesday - Thursday from 4pm - 9pm and Saturday - Sunday from 12pm - 8pm.
JIMMY
JIMMY, a mainstay of Lower Manhattan nightlife, today announces its much-anticipated reopening atop ModernHaus SoHo, a new luxury hotel. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, JIMMY, conceived and curated by hospitality veteran David Rabin, is an iconic, year-round New York City rooftop destination. Located at 15 Thompson Street, JIMMY features awe-inspiring, panoramic views of Manhattan from its unobstructed 18th floor perch, complete with an outdoor pool deck.
Johnny Swet, JIMMY’s Master Mixologist, partner, and a 24-year veteran of New York City’s hospitality scene, is unveiling exciting new cocktails and reprising fan favorites that make JIMMY a drinks destination. Swet takes classics and transforms them into seasonally inspired cocktails and innovates with original, out-of-the box libations. The cocktails are served at both JIMMY’s intimate indoor lounge and pool deck, all with market fresh, seasonal ingredients. Highlights include the Mexican Honey Bee, Sazerac Tonic and Marmaduke, with frozen options, like the Boozy Watermelon Frosé, slaking the thirst of summertime revelers.
Cantina Rooftop
The Hell’s Kitchen modern Mexican dining experience helmed by Executive Chef Saul Montiel features a climate-controlled retractable glass rooftop with a beyond gorgeous skyline view. Guests can feast on fan favorites including their Guacamole; Nachos with melted chihuahua cheese, black beans, pico de gallo, pickled onion, queso fresco, pickled jalapenos, avocado and Morita sauce; and Tacos with roasted chicken, pork carnitas and sauté beef tenderloin.
Ainslie
In Williamsburg has a rooftop escape for up to 25 guests to enjoy in addition to their biergarten and sidewalk seating. Ainslie's Executive Chef John DeLucie and lead pizzaiolo Erasmo ‘Mino’ Lassandro offer a tasty menu of wood-fired pizzas, pastas, free-range chicken, NY Strip Steak, Atlantic Salmon and Wood Fired Rosemary Wings. The restaurant, wine bar and beer garden also has an extensive alcoholic beverage menu. They also have an All You Can Drink Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-4pm. Ainslie is open Monday - Thursday from 5pm - 11pm, Friday 4pm - 11pm, and Saturday - Sunday 11am - 11pm.