The Roof at Hotel Salem

The Roof is Salem’s only open-air rooftop bar and restaurant, set atop The Hotel Salem on the Essex Street pedestrian mall. It focuses on the essentials: strong, well-crafted cocktails and simple food from an outdoor kitchen, with a mostly Mexican-inspired menu of tacos, tortas, rice bowls and shareable plates, along with oysters. Expansive views take in Salem’s cobblestone streets and harbor, making it a laid-back spot for locals and visitors alike.

The Roof is a seasonal venue, reopening each year with returning favorites and new dishes. The Hotel Salem below is a 44-room boutique hotel in a former high-end clothing store, decorated with mid-century modern design and retail-inspired details that nod to New England’s old downtown department stores. Boston Magazine has named The Roof one of Salem’s best restaurants, and the hotel describes the atmosphere as laid-back yet sophisticated.

What to Know

• Northshore Magazine named it Best Hotel Bar and Best Bar for City Views in its Best of the North Shore Awards.
• Gift cards can be bought online or at The Hotel Salem.
• The bar sits four floors above Essex Street.