Nomad’s newest rooftop Simona debuts in NYC

Sure, technically there's still a solid month left of warm weather for New Yorkers, but we've still got that school-kid mentality that summer in NYC ends with Labor Day 2023, which means if you want to get your rooftop hopping on before the season's over, now's the time. 

Luckily, there's a brand-new rooftop for you to drink in those last few days of summertime: meet Simona on the Sundeck, the latest iteration of the Royalton Rooftop at the Royalton Park Avenue.

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Launched last week to the public, the new rooftop bar experience brings a little la dolce vita to midtown Manhattan with citrus-forward cocktails, effervescent spritzes and accompanying bites that pull influence from the Italian coast. On the drinks menu, find refreshing sippers like a ‘Cello & Tonic (a limoncello-based concoction finished with fresh rosemary and dehydrated lemon); that viral Emma D’Arcy-approved order, the Negroni Sbagliato; and a whole category dedicated to that aperitivo favorite, the spritz: one comes flavored with bergamot and tarragon, another with grapefruit and thyme. Italian beer, wine and a few zero-proof options (a watermelon-raspberry "Baci, Baci," for example) round out the beverage program. 

The food options are of the nibbling variety: a lightly battered and flash-fried array of fritto misto, including a vegetarian assortment (asparagus, artichoke and the like, for $13) and a more traditional seafood option (calamari, shrimp and such, for $17), each served with a choice of Meyer lemon aioli or Calabrian pepper relish. And you can’t have la dolce vita without the dolce: for dessert, you can get pistachio gelato—a custom flavor by Queens-based Bad Habits Ice Cream—or lemon sorbetto by the cup or cone. 

Hours of operation for Simona are Wednesday through Sunday from 3pm to 9pm. Check out some of the drink options—as well as the sunny outdoor space with 360-degree views of Manhattan, including the Empire State Building and the East River—below: