Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cocktails Alfresco (Who's Al Fresco?)
Food and drink always
do
taste better alfresco. Here are
some of my favorite places for cocktails out of doors.
The outdoor space at rowdy
Jeremy's Ale House,
228
Front St. (
&
212/964-3537;
www.jeremysalehouse.com),
near the South Street Seaport, is no fairy tale, but it does
have one of the best views of the Brooklyn Bridge. Maybe
that's because the bar is practically under the bridge (on
the Manhattan side). Jeremy's is so close to the river you
may think you smell the sea, but what you are really
smelling is the calamari and clams in the deep fryers and
gallons of Coors beer, which are served in 32-ounce Styro-
foam cups.
Some of the best outdoor drinking can be found at a
few select hotels. The best of the best, way downtown at
the southern tip of Manhattan, is the
Rise Bar
at the
Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park, 2 West St., just north
of Battery Place (
&
212/344-0800
). On the 14th floor of the
hotel, the bar boasts incomparable views of Lady Liberty
and New York Harbor from the massive waterfront terrace.
barroom up front and a bigger room in the back that's good for
groups. Original wood veneer detail remains, adding to the pub's
charm. The Guinness is cheap and drawn perfectly by the able and
sometimes crusty bartenders. Best enjoyed in the late afternoon or
early evening when the regulars populate the bar. Stay away on week-
end nights and St. Patrick's Day when the place is overrun with ama-
teurs: frat boys and sorority girls on pub crawls.
225 W. 79th St. (btwn
Broadway & Amsterdam Ave.).
&
212/874-9528.
Subway: 1 to 79th St.
Great Hall Balcony Bar
One of Manhattan's best cock-
tail bars is only open on Friday and Saturday—and only from 4 to
8:30pm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art transforms the lobby's
mezzanine level into a cocktail-and-classical music lounge twice
weekly, offering an only-in-New York experience. The music is pro-
vided by a grand piano and string quartet. You'll have to pay the $10
“requested contribution,” but the galleries are open until 9pm.
At the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Ave., at 82nd St.
&
212/535-7710.
www.
metmuseum.org. Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 86th St.
Moments
