Rooftop Cocktails and Empire State Views in Midtown

Head up to the roof of the Refinery Hotel and the city arranges itself around you. A retractable glass roof slides back over the brick walls and hanging ferns, and the Empire State Building stands a few blocks south. By day the kitchen leans approachable, with a Double Patty Burger and shareable tiers of pizzas and dips that hold their own against the view. Come evening the room turns toward cocktails built from fresh, seasonal ingredients, poured under string lights and a casual-chic crowd. On Saturday and Sunday, brunch runs from 10:30am to 3:30pm, an easy way to trade the sidewalk for the skyline before the afternoon fills in. Evening service is 21 and over, and the low couches invite you to settle in for a while.