Brooklyn's Best Rooftop Bars
What better way to escape the bustle of New York City than to rise above it? These Brooklyn rooftop bars offer cold drinks, stellar NYC views and a welcome breath of fresh air. By Adrienne Smith.
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Berry Park
4 Berry St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 782-2829
berryparkbk.com
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Berry Park brings a taste of Europe to Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood. Most of the bar's 14 craft beers on tap are German, and soccer – sorry, football – is often playing across the huge TVs. Grab a Hofbrau Dunkel, $7, and take in the Manhattan views on Berry Park's 3,000+ square foot roof deck. Make sure to spring for the frickles (fried pickles with chipotle aioli) for $5 or park fries with garlic mayo, ketchup and chopped scallions for $8.
The Ides at the Wythe Hotel
80 Wythe Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11249
(718) 460-8000
wythehotel.com
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The Ides can be found inside Williamsburg's trendy Wythe Hotel. Perfect for a date night, The Ides offers upscale cocktails like the Harvey Wallbanger (vodka, Galliano, orange) and the Last Word (gin, lime, maraschino and chartreuse). The rooftop's space seamlessly shares indoor and outdoor spaces, but head to the outdoor deck for a side of Manhattan skyline with your drink. To avoid the now signature lines to get in, head to The Ideas on a weeknight.
Night of Joy
667 Lorimer St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 388-8693
Nightofjoybar.com
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Despite being right under the BQE, this Williamsburg bar manages to offer a relaxed vibe on its charming rooftop bar. A sister bar of Greenwich Village's Dove Parlour, Night of Joy also offers solid cocktails with a focus on cleverly infused liquors. Try the basil-lime gin gimlet for a taste of summer as you relax beneath the small deck's twinkling strung lights. If you get here early enough, you'll catch Night of Joy's happy hour, which includes $6 cocktails or margaritas until 8 p.m.
Roof at Whole Foods Market
214 3rd St
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 907-3622
wholefoodsmarket.com
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Gowanus' new Whole Foods Market boasts something no other NYC grocery store offers: a rooftop bar. Yes, you read that right. Post-grocery shop, head to the 200-seat roof to grab one of the 16 local beers on tap. You'll be treated to widespread views of Brooklyn and see the Lower Manhattan skyline in the distance. The bar, open until 11 p.m., also serves dishes like triple garlic sticky wings with miso dip ($12) and a BLT grilled cheese with maple-cured bacon and New York gouda ($10).
Bia
67 S 6th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 388-0908
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This Williamsburg eatery offers an unexpected combo: Vietnamese food and a rooftop deck. While Bia's downstairs scene holds its own – the space was an old carriage house – grab a seat at the picnic tables or lawn chairs upstairs instead. Bia offers both a solid selection of craft beers and a well-curated cocktail menu. Drink either, and make sure to order the steamed pork buns or the Banh Mi Ga with spicy ginger sauce.
Rock Shop
249 4th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 230-5740
therockshopny.com
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The rooftop at Park Slope's Rock Shop is as unpretentious as it gets. Live music plays most nights, and the crowd is refreshingly low key. Beers are cheap here; drafts run around $6. Get a beer and an untaken board game and head upstairs to the large roof deck. You won't get stellar views here, but the board games, live music and jukebox ensure you'll be entertained all night. Added bonus: Rock Shop hosts trivia on Wednesdays.
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Adrienne Smith manages Lifestyle & Entertainment content for CBS Local. Follow her on Twitter here.