Leisure

Open Season

The Rooftop Season Playbook

Ready or not, here they come. Rooftops. Those glorious outdoor spaces just above the ceiling. Some of New York’s finest are back with a vengeance, alongside a few rookies in the “being a roof” game. Before you: the cream of the crop...

THE COCKTAIL ONE

The Pod 39 Rooftop

You require: A post-work wind-down for serious cocktails in a hood where they’re hard to come by.
You’ll receive: Communal, you-choose-the-liquor concoctions served in watermelons. Plus: April Bloomfield’s chips and guac, and one of the best views in town. This is why they put things on roofs.

THE PARTY ONE

The STK Rooftop

You require: Tropical cocktails and a side of beef with a group of fellow weekend warriors.
You’ll receive: A DJ’d deck of oft-bikinied, sun-soaked real estate overlooking the High Line. You’ve got Kobe sliders, bone-in filets and drinks that’ll make your mouth red... in a charming way.

THE BRUNCH ONE

The Roof Deck at Pera

You require: Brunch with a high concentration of vitamin D.
You’ll receive: A long stretch of sunbrella-kissed, elevated SoHo real estate where brioche french toast and mushroom-zucchini frittatas come in buffet form. Look at you, all self-reliant and everything.

THE PIZZA ONE

The Bread & Tulips Terrace

You require: A breezy spot for pizza and bottles of red on date night in Gramercy.
You’ll receive: A newly minted, Hamptons-esque terrace/indoor combo with a rolling wood-fired pizza oven. Which would be terrifying if it didn’t make pizzas.

THE REALLY HUGE ONE

Toshi’s Penthouse at the Flatiron

You require: A rooftop where you can stretch your legs a bit with a plate of yellowtail.
You’ll receive: 4,000 square feet of sofa-laden lounge with a raw bar, sushi options and a massive south- and east-facing terrace. Your feng shui guy would be proud.