With summer-type heat descending on us this week — way too soon, I may add — it got me thinking that I should head beachward before it becomes climatically untenable. I’m not much for lounging on the sand, but I could warm to the idea of lounging on a rooftop bar.
Unfortunately, a couple of the beach places with rooftop bars remain closed due to hurricane damage. The Berkeley Beach Club — where I’ve been plenty of times — and Level 11 at the Bellwether Beach Hotel come to mind. Here’s wishing you godspeed in your efforts to reopen.
We chose Azura Rooftop at Hotel Zamora on St. Pete Beach and Vista at the Top at The Residence Inn Tierra Verde. The latter is not on the beach, but it’s close — and it has water views.
We put together a party of four — locals having fun doing touristy things. Bonnie and I chose two drinks from the cocktail list at each place, and got a little something to eat as well. I’ll rank the drinks at the end of the column.
AZURA ROOFTOP
Our plan was to catch the sunset at this place, which is on the east side of Gulf Boulevard and offers your classic 360-degree views of St. Pete Beach.
We arrived at 7 p.m. amid perfect weather — not too hot, with a mild breeze. The Azura Rooftop is vast. Remove the tables and chairs and you could play a game of 5-a-side soccer on the expanse of artificial turf, although there might be a slight problem with stray balls landing on the parking lots below.
We decided to grab seats at the small(ish) covered bar. The glare coming from the sun made it temporarily hard to enjoy the view, but we knew that would abate. We ordered a whiskey-based Summer of ’75 and a vodka-based Blueberry Buck (both $17), and an order of fries ($12).
The drinks came in standard plastic bar cups and were laden with ice. Both drinks were refreshing and beachy but could’ve done with a few less cubes.
The fries arrived on a plain white plate with a small bowl of ketchup — nothin’ special — but they were chunky and tender and tasty, and disappeared quickly.
VISTA AT THE TOP
We arrived at 8:20, and although it was a half-hour past the official sunset time, I was treated to a last vestige of color in the sky. Also a lovely water view — of a pool. The Vista, a much smaller space than at the Hotel Zamora, has a nicely tiled surface, with stylish wood-topped tables and some couches.
We sat at a four-top in the far corner by the railing. I was perfectly comfortable in my Coltrane T-shirt, no jacket required. Our server, Austin, was attentive and efficient.
Bonnie and I ordered a vodka-based Rhythm & Views ($16) and a Blood Orange Smoked Margarita ($13) plus Island Pork Sliders ($15).
The drinks were beautifully presented (see picture at top, courtesy of ace phone photographer David Downing) in different-shaped glasses. The tall-and-skinny Rhythm & Views was ruby red, courtesy of strawberry puree. The margarita came in a cocktail glass that was liberally rimmed with a colorful spice mixture.
The pulled pork in the sliders was moderately sauced, unlike heavier barbecue. I put the accompanying slaw and pickle inside the bun and indulged in a tasty snack.
On to Ranking the Beachy Cocktails on Rooftop Bars …
1 — Rhythm & Views
(Grey Goose Strawberry, Cava Brut, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, strawberry puree). It had just the right blend of sweetness, tang and alcohol punch. My only complaint is that it disappeared too quickly.
2 — Summer of ’75
(Crown Royal, cantaloupe, Prosecco, lemon) In my, um, advancing years, I’ve become more disposed to brown than clear liquor, so this one had an advantage. It’s not easy to make whiskey drinks light and refreshing, but this one did a solid job of it. The whiskey flavor came through amid the cantaloupe and Prosecco, neither of which made much of an impression. The drink could be improved by using less ice. And a glass. I get that it’s a rooftop bar on the beach, but still — a $17 cocktail should be in a glass.
3 — Blood Orange Smoked Margarita
(Sombra Mezcal, Cointreau, simple syrup, agave, blood orange) I’m not much for tequila/mezcal, and therefore margaritas, but I liked this one. It was the most creative drink of the group. The tajin spice (a spicy Mexican mix of lime, chili pepper and salt) was a little strong for my liking, but it had far more character than salt.
I read that Sombra Mezcal has a “slightly smoky vibe,” but other than that I have no idea how the drink is “smoked.” I did, however, detect some smokey flavor. So there ya go. The blood orange had the effect of muting the mezcal, which made the drink all the more enjoyable. For the record: Bonnie, who chose this margarita, was impressed with it.
4 — Blueberry Buck
(Tito’s Vodka, lime, ginger beer, blueberries, basil) It tasted strongly of basil, with the blueberry all but undetectable. It’s called Blueberry Buck.
And finally — sunsets are hard to shoot with a phone camera. You look out at a lovely tableau with that orange-y orb; you snap a pic, and the resulting image makes the sun look like the head of a pin that’s been held over a cigarette lighter. Here’s the best I could do: Hotel Zamora, Azura Rooftop, St. Pete Beach, 7:48 p.m.
