Editorial
A great city view from a rooftop bar is a specific kind of geography lesson. You see the thing you have been walking through from the outside for the first time, and you understand it differently. The grid, the density, the rivers and parks and gaps in the skyline that seemed arbitrary from street level resolve into something coherent from 40 floors up.
The bars on this list were selected because they offer that experience alongside a cocktail program that does not embarrass itself by the company it is keeping. We have covered 14 cities across every continent where people drink outdoors, from the predictable (New York, Tokyo) to the ones that surprised us (Istanbul, Cape Town). See also our full guide to rooftop bars by category and the companion piece on rooftop bars with infinity pools for the full picture.
European city views have a particular quality that North American and Asian city views do not: age. Looking out from a rooftop in Istanbul or Rome you are seeing a skyline built over 2,000 years, and the layers of construction create a visual complexity that modern cities assembled in decades simply cannot replicate. The bars that take advantage of this context are among the most rewarding drinking experiences on the planet.
"A view of Rome from a rooftop bar at dusk is one of the few things that actually lives up to the promise of its own reputation."
Not all city views are equal from a bar perspective, and not all great views combine well with great drinks. The editors use three criteria to evaluate rooftop bar views. First, architectural complexity: a view of one iconic building (Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower) scores lower than a view of an entire skyline or landscape because a single icon is eventually exhausted as a focal point. Second, changing light: views that transform through the day, from afternoon to blue hour to full night, provide more experience for your money. Third, accessibility from the street: a view that requires a 12-week reservation is great for the occasion but restricts casual discovery.
The bars on this list score well on at least two of the three criteria. For more city-specific rooftop recommendations, see our guides to New York rooftop bars, London rooftop bars, and the best rooftop bars worldwide at sunset, which covers the golden hour specifically across 10 cities.
Marcus covers Los Angeles, Miami, Sydney, Melbourne, and Tokyo. He has reviewed rooftop bars on six continents and still rates the New York Bar at Park Hyatt Tokyo as the single best hotel bar in the world.
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