Your guests come to New York for the views.
Preferably in your bazillionth floor penthouse at 432 Park.
Preferably not huddled among a couple hundred other tourists at the top of the Empire State Building.
Fortunately, you can find a happy compromise between the two — even in December.
Herein: the five best all-season rooftops in New York City, from cozy, covered gardens to slick igloos to a fully converted rustic lodge nestled above the High Line.
Baita by Birreria
Befitting that Baita translates as “small ski lodge in the Alps” because we are headed due north. La Birreria gets winterized with Adirondack chairs, pine trees, vintage Dolomite artwork and, most vitally, a cover overhead and all the Italian wine and espresso-tinged Grappacino the heart desires.
200 5th Avenue
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Bar 54
The bubbles are back. These heated PVC igloos can hold up to ten people and keep out all the elements. In store: skyline views, champagne, an exclusive chef’s VIP platter and an all-around lovely time.
135 West 45th Street
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The Lodge at Gallow Green
The garden oasis atop the McKittrick Hotel undergoes a dramatic, Highlands-themed transformation when the mercury drops. The Lodge is the city’s best kept secret when it comes to winter hideaways. Enjoying ski chalet vibes amid a pine tree forest, and forget the cityscape all together. After knocking back a couple of their potent (trust us) cocktails, you’ll want to settle into the alpine retreat for a long-haul hibernation.
542 West 27th Street
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PHD Terrace
Like a wintry weekend away, the PHD Terrace is going full Peak. A lodge complete with frosted topiaries, fur throw blankets and log-wood candles awaits. And the festive menu follows suit, with warm Swedish glogg (port wine, sherry, bourbon, Everclear, raisins) and a martini splashed with crème de cacao and garnished with a peppermint stick, which complement plates like baked brie with figs and candied walnuts and a double-chocolate skillet cookie with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
210 West 55th Street
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St. Cloud
The kind of spot that will have you looking longingly over the skyline, cocktail in tow, and thinking, “This is why I live in New York.” Perched atop the historic Knickerbocker, once the favored watering hole of gentry like F. Scott Fitzgerald and John D. Rockefeller, the roof and terrace are named after the 19th-century hotel that once stood in its place. Step into one of their decadent “skypods” with a cigar from Nat Sherman tobacco and live it (all the way) up.
6 Times Square
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