Everyone loves a good rooftop bar, and this week the Skylark Lounge added one more high-altitude drinking spot to Manhattan.
The sleek-styled lounge, co-owned by David Rabin of The Lambs Club and Jimmy along with Jim Kirsch and Alison Awerbuch of catering company Abigail Kirsch, sits atop a Garment District building thirty stories above West 39th Street, offering drinkers stellar views of Manhattan, the Hudson River and the Empire State Building. The main lounge boasts low-slung couches, plush seats and small tables that line the wall-to-ceiling windows, with a 1950s-esque bar sitting opposite the skyline; there are also more private booths, a party room with a pool table and and an open-air rooftop terrace for better weather.
The lounge menu, spearheaded by Cassandra Quinlan-Ashford, formerly of Harvist in Harlem, features a series of small plates, like lobster tacos ($18), greenmarket flatbreads ($16) topped with root veggies, kale, goat cheese and balsamic vinegar and intriguing-sounding mac-and-cheese cupcakes ($16). As for cocktails, the bar's offering some $18 specialty cocktails curated by mixologist Johnny Swet (Pastis, Jimmy), like the Skinny Paloma, made with Milagro silver tequila, grapefruit, lime and citrus soda, or the signature Skylark, a blue-colored combination of Hendrick’s gin, Zu vodka, St. Germain liqueur, blue curacao, lemon and brandied cherry. They also have a selection of wines and beers on hand.
Skylark had its grand opening on Thursday, and it will only be open to the public on weekdays, so expect it to host a solid post-work Midtown crowd once word catches on. You can also book it for private events on weekends, though maybe hold out for some of that warmer springtime weather for full rooftop indulgence.
The Skylark Lounge is located at 200 West 39th Street between 7th and 8th Aves (212-257-4577, theskylarknyc.com).
