Philadelphia—Congrats! We’ve made it through this never ending, Game of Thrones-esque winter and are finally seeing some signs of spring. And let me tell you, there is no better way to rejoice in the warm weather than with a delicious cocktail at the city’s premiere outdoor bar, Stratus Rooftop Lounge (433 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia).
I recently visited Stratus to try out their new spring offerings, which include both innovative barrel-aged and delicious fresh cocktails and a recently revamped appetizer menu from chef Jorge Chicas.
The lush, swanky open-air lounge is located on the roof of Hotel Monaco in Old City. The venue boasts an enormous fireplace, chic furniture and fun music that brings an uptown Manhattan vibe right to Philadelphia.
I tested Stratus’ new Tableside Cocktail Cart drinks and have compiled a list of my favorites. Check them out:
Best Libations for a Girls’ Night Out:
I enjoy a night out on the town with my girlfriends from time to time (okay, all the time), but I don’t often like to consume heavy drinks during the workweek. Stratus offers the perfect solution with two of their lighter signature cocktails, the Spring Forward (left) and Love Me 2 (right). These fun, girly cocktails would also be the perfect accessory for any bachelorette bash.
The Spring Forward features Belvedere vodka, raspberry syrup, lemon juice, and Peychaud’s bitters. The coral-hued cocktail offers the perfect combination of sweet and sour and is topped off with an edible hibiscus flower. My personal favorite of the evening, the Love Me 2, is a mixture of Square One cucumber vodka, elderflower, lemon and Peychaud’s bitters. The fizzy, baby pink drink is topped off with a fresh cucumber slice and just screams of spring once it hits your tongue.
Best Cocktails to Impress Your Friends:
Some of the coolest options Stratus Rooftop Lounge’s new cocktail menu are barrel-aged cocktails, including the Aged Cosmo (left) and Two Ways to Win (Right).
The Aged Cosmo is a sweet concoction of Hangar mandarin blossom vodka, Solerno blood orange liqueur, cranberry and lime juices. The drink is naturally infused with mandarin, which gives it a divine floral taste. The pink beauty is topped off with a deconstructed mojito foam, made of muddled lime, mint and egg whites. On the other side of the barrel bar is Two Ways to Win, which utilizes Plymouth gin. Combined with Lillet blanc, Aperol, and Cherry Heering, this velvety concoction is sure to appease any liquor lover.
Best Date Night Cocktails:
The La Vida Loca (left) and Perfect 10 (right) rounded out my favorites for the night. These drinks would make for the absolute best date night combo at my house. My husband would adore the smokey La Vida Loca (left). The drink offers a combination of Espolon blanco tequila, Vida mescal, pineapple juice, agave syrup, and house citrus-spice bitters. One sip had me feeling like I was sitting around a barbeque fire. I, however, enjoyed the the Perfect 10 even more. The dark pink liquid, composed of Tanqueray 10 gin, hibiscus syrup, lemon juice, and Tawny port, is right up my alley. Stratus makes it own hibiscus syrup in-house, making the cocktail even more unique.
Don’t Forget the Food
In addition to scrumptious cocktails, Stratus Rooftop Lounge showcases a brand-new menu from chef Jorge Chicas. We sampled treats including puff pastry with crème fraîche and trout roe, tuna tartare with fresh avocado and popcorn topped with chicken-curry seasoning. As usual, the dessert portion of the evening was my favorite part. Offerings such as mini macaroons, an assortment of colorful pastries and frozen chocolate-covered banana bites topped off an absolutely perfect night.
If you’re looking for a glamorous location for your next night out, the Stratus Rooftop Lounge at Hotel Monaco is the place to go. Find Stratus Rooftop Lounge at Hotel Monaco at 433 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia; phone: (215) 925-2889. Follow Stratus Rooftop Lounge on Facebook and on Twitter.
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