New York City: Roof Garden Café at The Met

It was one of those wonderful sunny Fridays in the city. I had spent a lazy afternoon strolling around the cozy tree-lined street in West Village and before I knew it, it was 6pm and I had to hurry up to Roof Garden Café on Upper East Side, where I was meeting some friends.

Roof Garden Café is the rooftop bar at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and one of the most wonderful spots when it’s summer in the city.

I’m usually not a big fan of museums, and I easily get bored looking at old stuff, but The Met is in a different league. I found myself swooning over the exhibition from the Byzantine Era and the portraits in the impressionist section on my way to Roof Garden Café.

The view from Roof Garden Café was beautiful and I touched down right in the middle of the golden hour. I think I clicked 20 pictures or more in that perfect light, but not a lot of them came out well. I really should read that camera manual..

Notes

Roof Garden is only open May-October and as it’s completely open air, so pick a sunny day for your visit. There’s no cover charge, but you pay a $15 entrance fee to the museum. I had some troubles finding the right elevator up to the 5th floor, where the Roof Garden is located, but the staff was very helpful and pointed me in the right direction

The bar closes early and drinks are rather pricey so Roof Garden is mostly a place to meet for afternoon drinks before heading somewhere else for dinner. The best time to go is Friday or Saturday afternoons, when the bar is open a little later (until 20:15) and the vibe is more pre-party-ish. There’s no dress code, and people dress casual except for the ones, who are going somewhere fancy afterwards.

• There are no seating areas, so wear comfortable shoes.

•  A beer is $9 and a glass of wine is $13

• The views are spectacular so remember to bring your camera and your selfie-stick.

Roof Garden Café at The Met,  The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 5th Floor, (via the elevator in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts galleries), Only open May – October and only when the weather permits