The Roof on Wilshire
Photo Courtesy of Dan Bayha
To find some of the best spots to grab a drink in Los Angeles, all you have to do is look up. These five sky-high sanctuaries pair spectacular views of city lights and beachside sunsets with fabulous cuisine and cocktails.
The Parisian-style restaurant and lounge crowns downtown L.A.’s historic Pershing Square Building with uninterrupted views of the skyline. Take the Art Deco-influenced elevator to the 15th floor where you will arrive to a bohemian salon with hand-painted tile floors and antique-inspired furniture. The sophisticated space is surrounded by a wraparound porch — you’ll want to reserve a table there — that offers unparalleled backdrops for your dinner, lunch or brunch. If you strictly want to imbibe, ascend to the 16th-floor patio and cozy up around a fireplace where you can grab a Midnight in Paris (cognac, Fair quinoa vodka, crème de peche, lemon, orange) and watch the sunset fade into the twinkling city lights.
Rooftop dining has never been as elegant as it is at this tony Thomas Schoos-designed dining room inside The Huntley hotel. Resting some 18 stories above the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, the silver-shell-encrusted bar is the focal point of the indoor-outdoor space that boasts 360-degree vistas from Manhattan Beach to Malibu. Opt for a more private outing at one of the restaurant’s luxurious table cabanas. Your secluded section comes with a chandelier and is lined with gauzy drapes. While admiring the sights, nosh on fennel sausage pizza, lavender honey duck breast and other modern American farm-to-table selections with ingredients straight from area farmers markets.
The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ Roof Garden, Photo Courtesy of The Peninsula Hotels
The luxurious Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star escape offers poolside dining five floors up at The Roof Garden. Soak up the sun, or cozy around an outdoor fireplace in a chic outdoor setting while sampling eclectic California cuisine. The menu brims with items from the sea such as citrus-marinated prawns, coriander-crusted halibut and fish tacos. This fall, you can also enjoy a smoothie roster that’s been enhanced with exotic flavors (wildflower honey), seasonal fruit (strawberries) and herbs like ginger and basil picked straight from the rooftop garden.
Year-round sun and mild weather make The Roof on Wilshire’s poolside digs atop The Hotel Wilshire perfect any time of year. Scale six stories to soak up panoramic peeks of the Hollywood Hills and beyond while you sip on the El Diablo (tequila, lime juice, housemade ginger beer and a cassis float) or other signature mules. Grab a cushioned cabana table to dine on fare from celebrity chef Eric Greenspan. Known first and foremost for his top-rate burgers and gooey grilled cheese sandwiches, Greenspan’s of-the-moment menus pair his signature comfort food with fresh choices such as mole-glazed lamb shank with heirloom summer squash, and hibiscus-glazed duck with plantains, cabbage, corn and black rice.
Union Jack waving is encouraged at The London West Hollywood’s British-themed rooftop restaurant and lounge that opened this past May. Spend the last few weeks of summer sipping a refreshing gin- and lemonade-packed The Leaper and lounging in swanky surroundings styled by Room & Board and Jaguar. Feel like grabbing a bite in between your Instagram posts? From 10 floors above the Sunset Strip you can observe the action below while enjoying UK-tinged dishes — rasher-wrapped British banger, marrow toast — from Gordon Ramsay’s executive chef Anthony Keene.
