NEW YORK—Hyatt Times Square will debut the highest rooftop lounge in New York with the opening of Bar 54 on Feb. 14. The 122-seat indoor-outdoor lounge will serve specialty cocktails, fine wines, and a selection of small plates.
Renowned mixologist Julie Reiner has been signed on to design the Bar 54 spirits list and cocktail menu, as well as the cocktail menu for the hotel’s recently opened restaurant, T-45 Diner. Reiner is the owner of groundbreaking bars such as Clover Club and Flatiron Lounge. She also heads Mixtress Consulting, creating top-notch beverage programs and cocktails for restaurants, resorts, spirits companies, and bars.
“Hyatt Times Square has truly embraced what’s happening in cocktail culture in a way that is unusual for hotels, and is committed to investing in creating fresh house-made ingredients like syrups and putting systems in place to have an ongoing quality craft cocktail program,” said Reiner. “I’m proud to be part of the Hyatt Times Square team and can’t wait to see the bar and diner in action.”
The cocktail menu will include the Brooklyn-made Dorothy Parker American Gin from the New York Distilling Company and products from The 86 Co., designed for and by bartenders. Reiner’s menu will take advantage of seasonal produce. All cocktails will be made with fresh, locally sourced products and will use house-made syrups ranging from lavender, demerara, and grenadine to raspberry and ginger.
As the highest rooftop lounge in New York, perched atop and in the middle of Times Square, Bar 54 was designed by SPAN Architecture. The bar features cozy outdoor fireplaces and and a variegated wood ‘trunk’ that encompasses the lounge core. Laser cut ceiling panels, with a foliated pattern, create a reflective metal canopy of leaves. The mirror-polished ceiling panels draw natural light into the space.
