The Resy Guide to New York’s Best Rooftop Bars and Restaurants

Does it get much better than Fornino’s excellent pizzas, paired with an equally excellent view of the water from Brooklyn Bridge Park? We think not, and we’re always elated when this seasonal outpost of wood-fired pizza favorite Fornino is out slinging pies.

Note: Fornino’s hours are subject to change, depending on the weather.

Creatures of All Kind goes big. The view is big, the menu is big (we like the wagyu empanadas and the lumpia lettuce cups), and the crowd is always big. It also has a decidedly tropical feel that we like in a rooftop, with cocktails that run fruity and decor that runs green. They’ve also got DJs here, beautiful people, and of course, beautiful views.

At Broken Shaker, which sits on top of the Freehand hotel, the original Miami iteration’s influence is still strong. The decor is loosely (and chicly) tropical, the music is mostly of the reggaeton variety, and the menu includes bites like Cuban sandwiches and fish tacos. For drinks, we’re partial to the indulgent Breakfast in Bed, with brown-butter-washed Angel’s Envy and banana liqueur

This two-story (40th and 41st, to be exact) bar inside the Aliz Hotel wouldn’t look out of place in a James Bond film. It’s plush without being tacky, and the food is elegant: think mushroom croquettes, a “nibble plate” with meat and cheese, and filet mignon bites. For drinks, you can’t go wrong with the “Ode to the Empire State” section of the menu, where drinks are made with local spirits, like the Peaks Island with NY Distilling’s Ragtime Rye. Of course, a martini (shaken, not stirred) wouldn’t hurt either.

Darling is opulence embodied: Think Petrossian caviar, lobster mac and cheese, seafood towers, and a 12-month aged tomme de savoie grilled cheese, served in a “secret garden” on the 47th floor of the Park Lane Hotel. Sink into the plush, velvet seats and sip on your Billionaire’s Row (it comes with a bump of caviar), knowing your troubles are far, far below you. If you’re in the mood to dance, they’ve also got DJs in residence on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bar Blondeau comes to us from the incredible team behind Le Crocodile and Chez Ma Tante. We love this spot for the views of the Manhattan skyline, but the cocktails are the real draw. Go for their “Sunset Hour,” with $11 cocktails from 5 p.m. to sundown, a deal that only gets better the further into summer we get. Supplement your drinks with the Japanese fried chicken, or the mussels escabeche. Swoon.

Escape to the tropics at Good Behavior, situated at the top of the Made Hotel, where you can sip on drinks made with pineapple, yuzu, coconut, and infused liquors. Hungry? Pop down to the hotel’s Debajo restaurant, with plates like patatas bravas and shishitos.

Translated literally to “something new,” Saishin is serving up sushi omakase with a view from the top of the Gansevoort Hotel. Choose from a la carte ($12 to $32), 12 courses ($135), or 15 courses ($175), topped off with a complimentary glass of sake for every diner. The cocktail list itself is also sake heavy, with more than 10 bottles to choose from and our personal favorite, the sake margarita.

Overstory, from the same team behind Crown Shy and Saga , has a dark romantic aesthetic, with low-lighting, wraparound windows, and lots of wooden details. It’s already emerged as a premier destination for cocktails, with the Terroir Old Fashioned (reposado tequila, palo santo, Tilden salt, and a stamped “Overstory” ice cube) at the top of our list. Make a whole night of a visit to Overstory by grabbing dinner at either Crown Shy or Saga before or after enjoying the views.

The Lower East Side’s newest hotel rooftop boasts 360-degree views of the city and a very of-the-moment menu: Wagyu Glizzy or General Tso’s pate, anyone? Drinks take inspiration from the city: The Red Handed (lemon verbena, apple, and Irish whisky) is served in a paint can, and there’s a Mott Street Martini featuring lychee, citrus, and vodka, too.

Jimmy is a year-round enjoyment. In the summer, enjoy a dip in the rooftop pool. Too cold? Sit inside around the retro conversation pit. No matter what the weather is, sip on a coco (for coconut, not chocolate) espresso martini or the blackberry and basil Old Fashioned, and snack on cheeseburger sliders while you take in the views.

An all-star team from Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer and the Kixby have joined forces with cocktail expert Pamela Wiznitzer (formerly of The Seamstress and The Dead Rabbit) to bring back this cozy rooftop oasis with incredible views of the Empire State Building. Don’t sleep on the dips and as for cocktails, we’re partial to the #8, made with Mezcal, peach, pandan, lime, and black salt.

This tri-story restaurant has finally reopened their rooftop for the summer, and we couldn’t be happier. Come here for snacks, the stuffed poblano pepper, tacos al pastor, and chips and guac. Don’t skip the margaritas (of which there are seven), that go perfectly with the view from Brooklyn.

This new restaurant, bar, and lounge sits on the 101st floor of Hudson Yards — even higher up than the Edge. During the week, come for dinner and feast on dishes like smoked lamb belly, squid ink chitarra, and milk bread with honey butter; but do note that the menu changes seasonally. (The carrots are a sleeper hit, just FYI.) After hours from Thursdays to Sundays, the space becomes Peakaboo, a late-night (10:30 p.m to 2 a.m.) lounge with bottle service, DJs, and dancing. No matter what time or day, this spot has incredible views of both the city and the Hudson.

Brooklyn Crab is one of our favorite escapes in the city. First of all, it’s in Red Hook, which, if you can get there (the public transit is notoriously lacking), feels like a vacation from the city on its own. Once you add in the three stories, seal statue, and seafood lover’s dream menu of Brooklyn Crab, you’ll pretty much feel like you’re spending the day on the coast in New England. Did we mention the ocean views? We could sip frozen piña coladas and munch on popcorn shrimp for hours, just watching the boats go by.

Looking for a party? You’re sure to find one at Make Believe. They’ve got regular DJs, regular lines down the block, and anything-but-regular views of the city from the Lower East Side’s Sixty LES. The menu is vaguely tiki-inspired, with drinks like a frozen Red Bull tropical tequila and snacks like tiger shrimp tempura and chicken wings from Blue Ribbon down the street. Come early, come unafraid to be pressed up against tons of other people, and come ready for a good time.

No matter what kind of a mood you’re in, you’ll find something that fits at Ainslie. This spot has multiple floors, featuring a very good Italian restaurant, a beer garden, an event space, and best of all, a rooftop. Order the wood-fired pizzas and the house-made pastas, washed down with one of the several local beers on tap.

If you’re interested in feeling like a character out of a Tolkien novel, mosey on over to Gallow Green. You’ll find an abundance of greenery (true to their name), beautiful twinkling lights, and cozy private yurts straight out of a fairy tale. The cocktails are similarly whimsical, including the Sleep No More (the famed show has a residency at Gallow Green’s home, the McKittrick hotel) with vodka, elderflower, butterfly pea-flower, citrus, and cider, or the Gallow Green, with bourbon, graham cracker, and blue curacao.

With Sweetbriar chef Bryce Shuman, formerly of Betony and Eleven Madison Park, and bar director Ivan Papic, formerly of Pastis, Balthazar, and Macao Trading Company, leading the charge, Roof at Park South has some serious food and drink to match its panoramic views of the skyline. The season starts at the end of April; after that, you’ll know where to find us.

The views alone from the Panorama Room are worth making the trip to Roosevelt Island to head to the top of the Graduate Hotel. From the 18th floor, you can see Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and, on a clear day, the Bronx, too. But there’s also the food and drink, too. Consider their martini variation, the Old Man & the Sea, made with Grey Whale gin and house-smoked olives, or the Snowbird, made with pear brandy and honey liqueur. For sustenance, you can’t go wrong with a seafood tower.

Last but not least, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Laser Wolf, occupying the rooftop of The Hoxton in Williamsburg. Not only do you get incredible views of Manhattan from your perch here, but you also get to feast on chef Michael Solomonov’s highly acclaimed (and very rightly so) cooking. This shipudiya, or Israeli grill house, specializes in skewered meats, seasonal salatim (dips, salads, and spreads), and pita. Come hungry.

P.S. Here’s a primer on how to get into Laser Wolf.