Rooftop Bars That Are Even Better in Winter

The Swiss-inspired winter experience at The Peninsula New York, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, features two rooftop “chalet-inspired domes” for a charmingly icy-chic Manhattan moment. The wintery hotspot, dubbed Chalet de Ning, will be on the west terrace of Salon de Ning Rooftop Bar. Reservations for the winter wonderland domes can be made for up to 20 people, all of whom can enjoy “specialty cocktails and seasonal dishes inspired by the Engadine region of Switzerland.”

Within the LINE Austin, P6 debuted in March 2019—it was converted from a rooftop parking level to a swanky bar and lounge with views of the city. The sixth-floor space serves Mediterranean-inspired small plates overlooking Congress Ave, the lake, and the Austin skyline. Mezcal lovers and Aperol Spritz fiends can unite here over P6’s Wicked Warden cocktail with mezcal, aperol, citrus, and habanero shrub. And if that’s not a Christmas miracle, what is?

The Rooftop Lounge at Bobby Hotel has a retro-inspired bar and a view of 4th Ave and Avenue of the Arts. In mid-November, the lounge goes full “wintery Nordic village” with private cedar cabins and igloos. Bobby Hotel will be serving seasonal eats and cocktails in the rooftop winter wonderland—they have no fewer than four piping hot cocktails, including two spiked hot chocolate options, a hot toddy, and a horchata-esque rum cocktail.

The newly renovated Kimpton EPIC Miami has a pool, restaurant, and bar on the 16th floor overlooking Biscayne Bay, Brickell Key, and downtown Miami. It’s entirely open-air, but the Miami weather makes the panoramic views accessible year-round. The rooftop restaurant, Area 31, is featuring specialty programming this season, like Signature Bartender Nights on Wednesdays and Oysters & Bubbles on Sunday evenings.

The enclosed rooftop venue in Seattle provides sweeping views of downtown—including the Space Needle—and the Olympic Mountain Range. Though the restaurant and bar are primarily indoors, there’s also an outdoor patio, which if you’re going to brave during the winter may require the Ondaatje's Dream cocktail with tea, brandy, spices, honey, and lemon. MBar also serves a Winter Paloma on their happy hour menu, further enforcing the notion that tequila is not just a summer drink. While the patio has a limited food selection, you can reserve indoors for the restaurant’s full menu—the Allen’s Brothers ribeye with calabrian chili butter is a cold-weather must.

Perhaps the most talked about rooftop in downtown Los Angeles, Perch LA lives up to the hype every time. Perch is a 15th-floor restaurant with an outdoor patio, but their best-kept secret is the Perch rooftop. The rooftop is up one more flight, on the 16th-floor, and offers a panoramic view of downtown, cozy fire pits, jazz, and unbeatable cocktails. Their OTTO, with Kikori Japanese Whiskey, makes for a nice winter-in-LA drink.

The only thing better than a winter rooftop bar is a winter rooftop bar doubling as a Stephen Starr restaurant. The Continental Mid-town is three stories, including the rooftop patio, and serves innovative Pan Asian-fusion fare, like their French onion soup dumplings and Szechuan shoestring fries. In true Starr restaurant fashion, the global cuisine is complemented by the expansive martini selection—try The Astronaut martini.

The Envoy Hotel has a rooftop bar, Lookout, with views of Boston’s waterfront and skyline. Relax by the fire with a cocktail while taking in Boston’s stunning Seaport district, or book Harbor Lounge, their new private rooftop experience. Lookout’s winter pop-up igloos opened in November and offer seasonal cocktails and small plates, cozy blankets, and a memorable two-hour experience for up to 10 people. If the igloos aren’t your scene, you can instead have a drink at Lookout’s “new heated enclosure of the main bar.”

Cindy’s Rooftop is the rooftop hang within the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. It features an enclosed restaurant and bar overlooking Millennium Park, the Art Institute, and of course, Lake Michigan. Their cocktail menu capitalizes on creativity and even features craft, spirit-free cocktails “made with intention.”

A year-round rooftop bar is a tall order in Minneapolis, but UNION Restaurant rises to the occasion with their glass-enclosed, heated restaurant and bar. In full view of the downtown Minneapolis skyline, UNION serves classic American fare (though they’ve also expanded to a plant-based menu for their vegan clientele). It’s hard to go wrong with their hand-cut, Minnesota-raised steaks and a northern California or PNW-sourced red wine. You can also rent out the UNION Rooftop for a private dining experience, whether for an intimate meal or a business dinner for 200.