Orleans

rooftop · Britomart Orleans Rooftop is the Britomart room that gives the precinct its loose, post-work spine and one of the best mid-tier view-and-drink propositions in the central city. The terrace is wrapped around a covered timber bar that faces north across the precinct's lower laneways toward the ferry building, and the cocktail programme — modern classics with a New Orleans nod, a handful of seasonal signatures, a respectable rum and bourbon back-bar — is consistently better than the casual atmosphere suggests.

The room runs harder than it looks, especially on Friday evenings, and the kitchen sends out genuine small plates rather than nominal bar snacks. It ranks third because the price tier is friendly, the technical floor is honest, and Britomart's after-work crowd uses Orleans the way Sydneysiders use a serious harbour pub — as a default rather than a destination.

For the full ranking, see our editorial round-up of the 10 best rooftop bars in Auckland, the broader Auckland rooftop bars guide, and our category index of rooftop bars worldwide.