Roof or Dare
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Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge
169 West St.,
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 280-5160
www.metropolitanannapolis.com
Rookies may refer to the current time of year as beach, BBQ, or even – ug – jorts season. They're only partially right. As a professional going-outer, you know there's really only one correct way to describe this lovely grace period of glorious weather: rooftop season. With three years under its belt, the rooftop of Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge has already firmly established its place in hallowed sky-high territory as a stunner of an outdoor dining spot, offering unobstructed views of West Street from its perch above Annapolis.
Recently re-opened for the season, the roof deck is accessed via a quick walk up three flights of stairs, worth the sore hamstrings once you take in the kaleidoscope of a sunset or catch a set of live music. Once you've scaled the heights, you may notice al-fresco-appropriate details like strings of oversized light bulbs, heavily cushioned wicker chairs, cabana-like bench seating, and heat lamps (for use in the unlikely chance it gets a bit chilly in the heat of summer). It's got "post-work drinking with a carefully selected group of coworkers" written all over it.
More: Best Rooftop Bars in Maryland
Be careful, though; reveling in the sunshine makes it easy to overdo it on MK&L's craft beers (like Full Sail Session Lager, Lagunitas Daytime IPA and Flying Fish Exit 1 Oyster Stout) or have one too many Stonewall Jacksons (bourbon, aperol, organic gingersnap liqueur, orange and honey) or Murray Devils (jalapeno tequila, lime and agave with a honey-salt rim).
More: Eat. See. Play. Baltimore
So before you attempt to pick up Sharon from accounting (or if you just remembered you have a 9am conference call), grab one of the high-top tables to line your stomach with a proper meal of locally sourced, seasonally inspired small plates like beef satay with honey-thai-chili sauce, miso-sesame tuna tartare tacos with wasabi-avocado sauce, or buttermilk-fried calamari with tomato aioli and roasted jalapeno remoulade.
'Tis the season, after all.
