Now that the weather has been heating up and the outdoor bars have officially entered full swing, what better way to enjoy your summer afternoons than with a refreshing cocktail in hand? For those in the New York area, choosing just where to go to break away from the monotony of a work day and relax with an ice-cold beverage can be difficult, given the sheer number of bars around. To help ease that burden, here are some of the best bars New York has to offer where you can either sit in the sun, or stay within the realm of air conditioned rooms.
This luxury hotel designed by Ian Schrager houses several bars throughout its quarters, including a rooftop hangout perfect for enjoying the sunset with drinks. Should the temperature be a little too high, there is a bar on the ground floor, and the Diego bar just one floor up, both of which serving high-end cocktails with perfect flavors for summer. Schrager’s idea was to give New York City an affordable luxury hotel, which also happens to have some of the most creative cocktail recipes you can imagine.
This Mexican cafe has some of the best agave distillates in the city, and serves a wide range of modernized traditional Mexican recipes. Started by chef Enrique Olvera, Atla serves everything from margaritas, to Micheladas, to Oaxacan coffee, embodying Mexican cuisine with a New York twist. The bar itself has enormous windows, so while you may not be sitting outside, you are still able to enjoy the sun in the comfort of a much cooler room.
A newer seafood restaurant located in the very fitting East Village, Out East’s menu is themed after coastal New York, and features a California-inspired wine selection, as well as seasonal cocktails crafted to compliment each meal. The quaint restaurant is perfect for a summer afternoon of lightly-flavored drinks with plenty of citrus.
Just as the name implies, Roof at Park South is a casual rooftop restaurant and bar with a touch of elegance, serving expertly crafted cocktails and upscale bar food created by Tim Cushman. As an added bonus, the view from the restaurant’s rooftop is entirely unobstructed, displaying the New York City skyline in all its glory. Should the drinks flow a little more heavily than planned, the Park South Hotel is located just on the other side of the building.
