Up Top - Connecticut Restaurants With a View

The Treehouse at the Oyster Club in Mystic is an homage to the classic New England clam shack, offering outdoor dining and coastal breezes above historic downtown Mystic. Open daily from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. In Branford, Stony Creek Brewery lets guests tour, sample and relax on one of its two large decks overlooking a marina. You can also snack on delicious bites from the various food trucks that the brewery hosts each day.

Watch the sunset from Rooftop 120 in Glastonbury, New England’s largest four-season rooftop lounge, offering a trendy atmosphere combined with a fine dining experience which includes a wide selection of beer and wine, handcrafted cocktails, small plates and full-size entrees. Or go to Cava Restaurant in Southington, where their elegant outdoor space is a perfect spot to watch the sun go down.

Located in Stamford’s lively Harbor Point, Sign Of The Whale combines American fusion dishes and a fun rooftop bar atmosphere to provide a relaxed and enjoyable dining experience. Not to be outdone, the nearby Stamford outpost Fortina has a laid back, tropical-party themed rooftop bar called the Surf Club, serving up fun drinks and snacks including boozy Italian ice, tacos served in Doritos bags, funnel cake fries and more. For fresh seafood, try Mystic’s Rocks 21 which overlooks the Pequotsepos River and Mystic Harbor.

SKYTOP 353 at The Watershed in Norwalk offers an open-air rooftop patio where guests can play games and mingle or relax on chic loungers. 

Not technically a rooftop, but still a high point with a million-dollar view, the seasonal outdoor deck at The Gelston House in East Haddam overlooks the Connecticut River, the famed Swing Bridge and the magnificent Goodspeed Opera House. With both fine dining and a pub menu available, every meal is a great experience. On the western side of the state, overlooking Bethel's P.T. Barnum Square, you'll find Vesta Rooftop Kitchen above La Zingara, with its indoor-outdoor retractable glass roof and a menu that includes wood-fired pizza and a variety small plate options.

After a day of taking in the art in Old Lyme’s many museums and galleries, grab a bite outside at Café Flo, on the grounds of the Florence Griswold Museum. Or wrap up the day with live music and dining on the outdoor patio at the Old Lyme Inn.

Dine among the vines at Sharpe Hill Vineyard in Pomfret or enjoy live music at Priam Vineyards in Colchester. You can also enjoy a delicious meal on the flagstone terrace above Lake Waramaug at The Hopkins Inn after a stop at Hopkins Vineyard in New Preston.

Don’t forget the city views. Elm City Social in New Haven is home to artisanal cocktails and New American faire served on an urban-style rooftop patio above bustling New Haven, along with High George located at The Blake Hotel. The Elbow Room is an award-winning restaurant and bar offering over 50 beers on tap, handcrafted drinks, delicious comfort food and a hip rooftop dining experience overlooking West Hartford Center. If you’re looking for something really different up top, The Russian Lady in Hartford has a cigar bar on the roof.

Find more restaurants, bars and eateries all over Connecticut, here.