Six Boston-area rooftops to enjoy a drink (or a meal)
Looking for a primo place to toast the last delicious days of summertime? Snag a seat at a rooftop bar with dazzling views of the city. Arrive at sunset when Boston’s iconic buildings are backlit with sorbet hues, and order the most summery-sounding drink on the menu. Chowder season will be here before you know it. The new season of “This Is Us’’ can wait.
Lookout Rooftop and Bar, Envoy Hotel
The vibe: Thrillist named it one of the 21 best rooftop bars in America. In three words: sunsets, singles, Sangria. Glowing oversized mod lamps can’t compete with the sparkle of the surrounding skyscrapers at night, a 270-degree panorama of skyline and harbor.
Guest list: Dressed-for-clubbing singles, mostly under age 35. Dress code is elegant/casual; no baseball caps or tank tops allowed.
Eat this: No food service on the roof, but chef Tatiana Rosana dishes out good eats at the Envoy’s Outlook Kitchen and Bar. Tip: Eat there, and your server will send you up to the Lookout Bar, bypassing the line (unless they’ve reached maximum capacity at the bar.)
Drink this: Craft cocktails, wine by the glass, and local brews like Bent Water and Lord Lobo IPA.
Etc.: No cover charge. Open May through October. In winter, the bar sprouts igloos (domes) for intrepid patrons. 70 Sleeper St., 617-338-3030; www.theenvoyhotel.com.
Rooftop@Revere,
Revere Hotel Boston Common
The vibe: Rising seven stories above the city, the Rooftop@Revere is a lofty setting for live performances, including big-name artists like Jason Derulo. Wine soirees, oyster shucking, and networking events are also on tap at this pool-slash-bar space. (The pool is closed off from the bar at night.) Unlike the Colonnade’s rooftop pool, this one is open to the public on weekends.
Guest list: It varies from night to night, but there’s typically a mixed crowd of people ranging from their 20s to their 50s or so. Wednesday night networking events draw earnest young professionals (a sea of blue button downs and khakis and sheath dresses). By day, pool-going patrons sink into rental cabanas stocked with towels, fresh fruit, and water, or do full-on sun worshipping in open-air lounges.
Eat this: Chef Sean Dutson dishes seasonal snacks like lobster bites (lobster salad on a mini brioche bun), New England charcuterie, and house-made beef jerky. The watermelon and feta salad tastes like summertime on a plate.
Drink this: Settle in with a summer-themed libation, say the Boston Common Cucumba with Belvedere vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, cucumber and fresh basil, or the island-inspired Sukka Punch (Malibu and Myers rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, and orgeat syrup.)
Etc.: Day passes are $20 Monday-Friday and $30 Saturday and Sunday. Access is complimentary after 5 p.m. except on Sunday, when a $20 cover charge applies. Open May through September. 200 Stuart St., 617-482-1800; www.reverehotel.com/drink/rooftop-pool.
Airdeck at Coppersmith
The vibe: Playful and casual. You’ve wanted to check out this buzzy restaurant, set in a former, c.1894 South Boston copper foundry — come now, while the outdoor bar is open. The Airdeck bar “floats’’ between the building’s interior and a seasonal patio. Craft beers and house cocktails are served from a vintage Airstream. The view isn’t spectacular, given that the roof is only up one floor, but the bar smells good, thanks to aromas wafting up from the restaurant’s smokers. Under a string of lights, guests socialize with cans of beer and play cornhole.
Guest list: A youngish bunch that includes neighborhood residents, the after-work crowd, and first-daters (a dating expert named Coppersmith one of the top places for a first date in the city.) Some complain that Saturday nights can feel like “Frat Boy Central’’ here, though.
Eat this: Large parties (6 to 30 people) with reserved space can order Airdeck platters (various options, including vegan) on the roof deck, served in a red Radio Flyer wagon. Otherwise, plan for a meal at the restaurant; chef Jason Heard’s oak-smoked barbecue (pulled pork, brisket, jerk chicken) is delicious.
Drink this: Frose’, craft beer, cocktail pitchers.
Etc.: No cover. Outdoor bar service will likely close for the season at the end of September. 40 W. 3rd. St., South Boston. 617-658-3452; www.coppersmithboston.com.
RTP (rooftop pool)
at the Colonnade Hotel
The vibe: As close as it gets to South Beach in Boston. It’s all about the pool at the RTP. Rent a cabana or sprawl out in a lounge chair on the deck and eat, drink, and be fabulous. No need to drag a pile of gear — amenities like umbrellas, fresh towels, changing rooms, and infused water make this a cool and comfortable summer hangout. By night, the RTP morphs into a sophisticated bar scene. On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 6:45, the vibe changes again, for rooftop boxing boot camp and yoga, respectively (open to guests for free and the public for a fee).
Guest list: Hotel guests, sun-seekers, and families. This plummy spot is open for hotel guests and Colonnade residents only on weekends. On weekdays, the rest of us can enjoy this plummy spot for $45 all day until 5 p.m.; $10 from 5 to 10 p.m. (age 21+.)
Eat this: Lobster rolls, grilled swordfish tacos, Volcano Shrimp (spicy grilled shrimp cocktail). Every other Tuesday, chef Nick Calias hosts a casual cookout with a guest chef ($30 per person); all proceeds go to Share Our Strength. No outside food or drink is allowed.
Drink this: Blackberry mojito or their signature Frose’.
Etc.: 120 Huntington Ave., 617-424-7000, www.colonnadehotel.com.
Promenade Deck,
Legal Harborside
The vibe: The Improper Bostonian named it the city’s best rooftop bar for 2017. Set on the third floor (or Promenade Deck, as they call it) of Legal’s 20,000-square-foot flagship property in the Seaport District, this waterfront perch has views that will entrance even the most jaded city dweller. Like the oysters, the ambience is super-chill and glossy. It’s a four-seasons bar thanks to a retractable glass roof and walls. Squishy couches and lounges and a copper-clad fireplace add some warmth (style-wise and literally) to this sleek space.
Guest list: It’s a mixed crowd, age-wise. Singles over 30 will feel right at home here; there’s also a lively after-work scene.
Eat this: Nosh on briny treats from the raw bar. And summer can’t be over if you’re eating a lobster roll, right? Try the Harborside’s tempura version of this New England classic.
Drink this: Sangria pitchers; a proprietary gin from St. George of San Francisco.
Etc.: Open all year. 270 Northern Ave., Liberty Wharf; 617-477-2900; www.legalseafoods.com.
Sky Lounge,
YOTEL Boston
The vibe: Located in the recently opened (in June) YOTEL Boston hotel, the feel of this 12th-floor bar is sleek and airport-lounge-y. The look they’re aiming for throughout the hotel is “first class air travel,’’ so there you go. An indoor lounge opens to a rooftop terrace. Understated décor allows the setting to serve as eye candy, an Insta-worthy view of the Seaport, city skyscrapers, and Boston Harbor.
Guest list: Hotel guests and the Seaport District’s after-work crowd.
Eat this: Giant Bavarian pretzel served with white queso, bacon, spinach, and quinoa hash dip. (Sure beats Auntie Anne’s at the airport!)
Drink this: Pier Pressure (Tanqueray gin, Ty Ku cucumber sake, blackberries, mint, and cucumber) or a Frose’ with Martini & Rossi rose, dragon berry rum, and watermelon puree.)
Etc.: Open all year. Music by YOTEL’s sound architect Tom Middleton. No cover charge. Starting Sept. 18, they’re offering Meditation Mondays with the Boston Buddha, Andy Kelly. 65 Seaport Blvd.; 617-377-4747, www.yotel.com/boston.
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