Through the Roof
Photo credit: Maryashley from Facebook
Spring in Tennessee is a season for renewal, new blossoms, and, yes, rooftop bars. From Bristol to Memphis, rooftops just beckon outdoor hangouts in Nashville chic to Chattanooga charm.
L.A. Jackson
Nashville
Perched atop the Thompson Nashville hotel in the trendy Gulch neighborhood, L.A. Jackson offers panoramic views of the city’s skyline. Guests can enjoy an array of craft cocktails, local craft beers, and a menu featuring Southern-inspired small plates. The indoor-outdoor space ensures a comfortable experience no matter the weather. But don’t just take our word for it. L.A. Jackson has been voted Nashville Scene’s Best Rooftop Bar multiple times.
Credit: Peabody Hotel
Peabody Hotel
Memphis
April begins one of the biggest, ongoing rooftops parties
In Memphis. Memphians know there’s a party every single Thursday night atop the historic Peabody Hotel Downtown.
Great views, craft beverages, and live entertainment have placed the Peabody Rooftop parties around the top of the Memphis Flyer’s best rooftop bars list for ages now. (It’s also ranked high in the newspaper’s “best pick-up joint” category.) It’s also an amazing place to watch the sun set over the Mississippi River.
Pickle Barrel
Chattanooga
Whatever The Pickle Barrel may lack in high-rise chic, it overcomes in comfort, reliably amazing food and drink, and a kind of antique charisma.
Credit: The Pickle Barrel
The classic, flatiron building (under a different name) was a Jimmy Hoffa hangout during his 60s-era trial. But the Pickle Barrel opened in the building in 1982 and has been an iconic neighborhood bar on Market Street ever since.
A great drink menu is matched by a deep food menu featuring a line of burgers, dogs, and chicken tenders. For a true Tennessee treat, save room for the Moonpie Sundae.
The Pickle Barrel’s small but mighty second-story patio offers a one-of-a-kind respite to enjoy it all. (The Pickle Barrel is always 21 and over.)
LUMAC
Bristol
Credit: Bristol Hotel
The best and only rooftop bar in Bristol is on the Virginia side of State Street. But sharing great stuff with Old Dominion is nothing new to the Birthplace of Country Music.
LUMAC is the rooftop bar atop the 65-room, boutique Bristol Hotel, which calls itself a “Virginia remix of a Tennessee classic.” LUMAC was the first rooftop bar in Bristol and keeps folks coming back with hand-poured libations, live music, and stunning 360-degree views of the Appalachian Mountains. A local beer with a bluegrass band in those beautiful mountains? Sign. Me. Up. (LUMAC is always 21 and over.)
