Top 10 Rooftop Bars in the World

EVERYTHING GETS BETTERWITH A NICE VIEW

Looking for a chic and romantic evening? A long and sunny lunch on a comfy terrace? Or a full night out, dancing the night away under the stars? Look no further, as our list of the world’s best rooftop bars has got you covered for it all! Our list comes with the note that top 10's are hard. There are many of rooftop bars that could make the list, some even should! But these are the ones we believe you should first write down on a bucket list for your 2019 travels.

1. Das Loft, Vienna, Austria

With a breath-taking setting on the 18th floor of the Jean Nouvel-designed Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom hotel, Das Loft will please not only lovers of fine food and wine, but also lovers of contemporary art. Extensive floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer panoramic views of Vienna’s city skyline, the iconic St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Danube river, while an illuminated colourful ceiling appears to dance over its pure and simple interior, creating an ambience of exclusivity and extravagance of Viennese charm and international flair. A perfect complement to the stunning views and daring dishes of Das Loft, is a four-metre-high walk-in wine cellar, offering some of the finest wines from Austria, France and around the world.

Das Loft, So/Vienna, Praterstraße 1, 1020 Wien, Austria +43 1 906168110 dasloftwien.at/en

2. Hutong’s Shanghai Bar, London, UK

Enjoying a cocktail on the 33rd floor of The Shard overlooking the London skyline, whether before or after dining - or as an indulgence on its own, has always been one of the pleasures of visiting Shanghai Bar. Well-known for its fiery spice and seasoning, its cocktail menu artfully captures the subtlety and surprises of Northern Chinese cooking. Signature cocktails include ‘Old Peking Fashioned’, ‘Penicillin’, ‘Bright and Stormy’ and many more unusual and intriguing cocktails that perfectly balance sweet, sharp and savoury flavours. You’ll be sure that you will not find a parallel taste or appearance in cocktails anywhere else!

Shanghai Bar, Hutong, 33, The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY, UK +44 20 3011 1257 hutongblog.co.uk

3. Il Bar Milano at La Rinascente, Milan, Italy

Set on the 7th floor of La Rinascente department store in Milan, the Il Bar is an exclusive place for lovers of the great classics of Italian-style aperitivo with a creative twist! Its lounge area and rooftop terrace offer a wonderful view over the spiers of the iconic Milan Duomo Cathedral. Timeless drinks that have made up the history of world mixology take on a new turn from the classic ‘Milano’ with wild berry tea to the ‘Armour’ with artichoke liqueur, up to the fresh and fruity ‘Bramble’.

Il Bar Milano, La Rinascente, Via Santa Radegonda, 1, 20121 Milano MI, Italy +39 02 885 2454 ilbarmilano.it

4. Serra Alpina by Birreria, New York, USA

The brand-new Serra Alpina by Birreria is a winter themed pop-up restaurant, which opened its doors last November on the 14th floor of the vibrant Italian marketplace Eataly NYC Flatiron. The minute you enter the restaurant, you face a winter ‘wonderland’ with a retractable glass roof featuring twinkling lights, rustic tables, furry rugs and snow-white flowers inspired by the rear Stella Alpina, a flower found in the Italian Alps across northern Italy. This gorgeous cosy space changes with the seasons, inviting guests to have a unique dining experience, while staying true to its greenhouse concept. Perfectly accenting the food, Serra Alpina offers an extensive drink menu, which includes a variety of spiced mulled wines, craft cocktails and digestives infused with mountain herbs and flowers. A must-try on the menu is the ‘Stella Alpina’, a house-made Vin Brulè with white Moscato d’Asti steeped with orange peel, cloves and cinnamon.

Serra Alpina by Birreria, Eataly, 200 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010, USA +212 937 8910 eataly.com/us_en/stores/nyc-flatiron/serra-by-birreria

5. Cé La Vi, Hong Kong, China

Following a swift rebranding from Ku De Ta to Cé La Vi, this three-story restaurant, club lounge and rooftop bar crowns the 25th floor of the California Tower in the heart of Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong party district. The highlight of this venue is the Sky Deck, a rooftop bar featuring a central jacuzzi with impressive wrap-around views of the city, mountains and the harbour that leaves you feeling like you’re still in the city rather than above it. The sleek, dark and shimmering interior of the restaurant, the view and buzzing atmosphere alone are enough to make you want to be there on a chic night-out. A musttry on the menu during the evening hours, while admiring the setting sun against the famously dense, domino-like towers of Hong Kong is the ‘Matador’, a seasonal sundowner with rum, dry vermouth, pineapple and ginger beer concoction served in a bamboo mug.

Cé La Vi, 25/F California Tower, 30-32 D'Aguilar St, Central, Hong Kong, China +852 3700 2300 hk.celavi.com

6. Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant, Bangkok, Thailand

Perched on the 37th floor of the renowned Pullman Bangkok Hotel G, Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant manages to defy expectations on every level, by combining the sleek and contemporary environment of an elegantly designed rooftop restaurant with the warm and intimate ambience of an urban farmers’ market.

The venue offers spectacular views of the city and Chaopraya river, accompanied with French cuisine and an extensive wine list of over 250 old and new world labels that rotate on a weekly basis.

Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant, Pullman Bangkok Hotel G, 188 Silom, Bangrak, 10500 Bangkok, Thailand +66 2352 4000 pullmanbangkokhotelg.com/

7. Zillers Roof Garden, Athens, Greece

Located on the rooftop of the homonym boutique hotel in Athens’ city centre, the Zillers bar and restaurant is one of the most beautiful urban roof gardens in the city. Its industrial decoration combined with emerald green marbles and the mesmerising views of the Athens cathedral and the Acropolis hill create the ultimate Athenian experience in an atmosphere where the old merges with the new. At Zillers, you can enjoy the Greek flavours in a classic yet modern version with a number of controversial cocktail choices that will cool you and fill you with a taste of warm summer nights.

Zillers Roof Garden, The Zillers, Mitropoleos 54, Athens 105 63, Greece +30 21 0322 2277 thezillersathenshotel.com

8. O2 Lounge, Moscow, Russia

The O2 Lounge bar found on the 12th floor of The Ritz- Carlton Moscow hotel, is one of the most sought-after destinations in the centre of Moscow, not least due to its approximately 1,100 sqm roof terrace. The bar offers unparalleled views of the iconic Kremlin and the Red Square with its historical 16th century St. Basil’s cathedral and its colourful onion domes. The terrace is designed as a public ‘plaza’ with multiple zones and uses, where people could enjoy live seafood coupled with innovative cocktails and a selective wine list. The floor-to-ceiling windows disposed all around the bar together with the dazzling lighting of the interior make one of the visual highlights of the O2 Lounge’s bespoke atmosphere.

O2 Lounge, The Ritz-Carlton Moscow, Tverskaya St, 3, Moskva, Russia, 125009 +7 495 225 88 88 ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/europe/moscow/dining/o2-lounge

9. Poli House Bar, Tel Aviv, Israel

Characterised by an ultramodern design, the Poli House bar on the rooftop of this boutique hotel in Tel Aviv is the embodiment of the urban lifestyle and diversity that shape the city’s eclectic culture and permanent state of 'Joie de vivre'. The exquisite triangular rooftop bar of the hotel with its heated infinity pool, jacuzzi and spacious sundeck spots to relax, overlooking the Carmel Market is described as ‘the Tel Aviv’s hotspot’ during the summer months. The Poli House bar masterfully combines the classics of white curvy Bauhaus architecture with the extravagant creativity of the world-renowned designer Karim Rashid. Its decor is a chic and vibrant backdrop for a seafood-based menu and inventive cocktails. A must-try on the menu is the signature drink of the bar, called the Poli Collins, which is made from Earl Grey-infused gin, tonic water, lemon and thyme.

Poli House Bar, Poli House Boutique Hotel by Brown Hotels, Nahalat Binyamin St 1, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel +972 3 710 5000 brownhotels.com/poli

10. Siddharta Lounge, Dubai, UAE

With fascinating 360˚ views over Dubai Marina and the Palm Jumeirah, a cool and chilled vibe, a funky music mix and sleek décor, there’s a lot to love about Siddharta Lounge. Set on the 4th floor of Tower Two at the Grosvenor House, Siddharta Lounge is clearly not the highest rooftop bar in Dubai, yet it is one of the most popular places in the city, due to its large terrace with an outdoor pool and plenty of different seating styles to relax and indulge in sunset views. Its menu boasts a range of Mediterranean coastal bites and fresh dishes; however, the feel of the place is more of a rooftop bar, where you can enjoy your cocktail with a shisha!

Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar, Grosvenor House Dubai, Al Emreef St, Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971 4 317 6000 siddhartalounge.com