Turn Down For Brunch: Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel svadore travel blogger lifestyle manhattan midtown best rooftop brunch spot nyc new york SVADORE

Turn Down For Brunch: Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel

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Brunch: a staple of New York culture, along with bagels, pizza, burgers…and the list goes on. So to what heights, literally, would I go to show my friend from Italy what a New York brunch was all about on her last day in Manhattan? Head Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel with me to find out.

Photography property of SVADORE

On Elisa’s last day in New York I decided to check one last thing off of her New York bucket list—brunch. Typically held anywhere between 11AM and 4PM, brunch is the wonderful tradition of combining breakfast and lunch with coffee and boozy beverages. It’s both for the chic and the laid back; it is one for all. Elisa had no idea what brunch was and was appalled at the idea of eating eggs for breakfast. She was in for a BIG surprise. For some reason, brunch has become increasingly popular in the last 10 years. Why? I don’t know, but leaving New York without a proper brunch should be considered a sin for tourists and non-tourists alike. On this gloriously sunny Sunday, I decided to take her to an open-air rooftop with views of the iconic Chrysler building in Midtown, Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel.

Take an elevator to the 30th floor and you’ve reached Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel. The elevator doors slide open to reveal elegant round tables backed with striped curtains, a glass enclosed dining area with a flower wall back drop, and a bar center stage. The primary attraction is the view of the Chrysler building, which stands bright and tall in front of you while brunching. We take a seat at an outdoor table and take a look at the menu. Within 5 minutes we are all hot and sweaty. Quick tip: It was Spring, but since the area is high up and protected by other buildings, there is no wind making it a very heated rooftop. We asked to be seated at a table within the glass enclosed dining area, still giving us views of our surrounding cityscape, but without the scorching sun on our shoulders. As much as sitting outdoors seems like a good idea, I recommend you go for the “still outdoors, but more shaded” glass area when making your reservation. You won’t regret it. And yes, like all brunch places, a reservation is required. Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel also has a more polished dress code so make sure to come dressed a bit more upscale then your typical “post-workout” brunch.

Browsing through the cocktail list, we all ordered a round of mimosas, the official brunch beverage of choice. Half orange juice, half champagne, it was invented by the French but you actually have the Royal Family to thank for putting the exquisite cocktail on our radars and calling it the “mimosa.” The other super appetizing drink that inspired me while there was the bellini, but since it was Elisa’s first brunch and last day in New York, I thought a mimosa was more fitting for the occasion.

After some banter and taking in the views our brunch arrived. I ordered the Eggs Norwegian, poached eggs on top of lemon pepper smoked salmon layered on a rosemary focaccia, drizzled in hollandaise sauce. All orders came with a side of fries and a salad. For the reasonable brunch price of $18, I have to say the proportions were very generous. Pat ordered the Hangover Remedy (even though we were not hungover!), ciabatta bread with a fried egg, smashed avocado, bacon and sun-dried tomatoes. This also came at the affordable price of $17. If you live in New York, you know these prices are excellent, if you are reading this from anywhere but New York, don’t be shocked. This is considered a reasonable price in our area, unfortunately everything in New York is expensive!

Bacon and eggs are what foreigners would call “an American breakfast,” and they are staples to the practice of brunch. The difference between enjoying eggs in the comfort of your own home and enjoying them out for brunch, is that when you brunch out eggs are presented to you in only the classiest of forms, the way the British Royal family would like it done. The eggs are almost always poached, and if not, they are placed and presented in such a manner to make your meal insta-worthy.

Slice into my poached egg and the yolk spills out in such a manner, that I get hungry just writing about it. Breaking the egg open gives me such a high as the yolk spills onto my salmon and focaccia bread blending with my hollandaise sauce. I stick my fork into the focaccia and dip it into the yolk, allowing it to soak up the heavenly mess. The salmon was fresh and tender, the egg cooked perfectly allowing no space for being overcooked, it simply melted in your mouth. Most orders at Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel are made with organic ingredients from local farmers making the meal slightly healthier and that much more satisfying.

After a wonderful 2 hour brunch spent chit chatting and enjoying mimosas and eggs with friends, we called for the check. And FYI, yes, Elisa was highly impressed by how delicious the eggs were. She has since never thought of eggs for breakfast as strange! We didn’t leave without first walking into the opposite side of Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel. To the left of the bar is a entryway that leads to a smaller niche with couches surrounding a mini fountain and tables lined up along the borders. PRO TIP: After walking into this area, THIS is the area I would recommend if you are looking for a completely outdoors shaded brunch. The sun doesn’t hit the back of the building until later on making it the perfect location on the rooftop for brunch. But keep in mind, tables are a bit smaller on this end so you can only take advantage of it if you are only in 2.

Brunch is perfect. Brunch is all about rounding up your friends, enjoying a delightful meal over drinks, indulging in well-presented food, and getting that ‘gram that shows off your elegant experience served with a sophisticated backdrop. So if you’re looking for that perfect iconic ‘gram, with the Chrysler building shining in all its splendor behind you, head to Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel, one of the few hotel rooftops to serve brunch to people outside the hotel in midtown Manhattan.

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16 comments
  1. I’m big fan of brunch places. I didn’t know that is an opportunity eat upstairs ! I’ll be close there on Wednesday. I need to check it out!

  2. Sounds like mouth watering goodness! Daamm you have made me so hungry. Fantastic pictures too. Seems like a lovely place for a couple to enjoy brunch together.

  3. Sounds so yum! That brunch looks like something Bobby Flay would prepare! Would love to go when I next visit with my husband!

  4. What a gorgeous setting! I wish I had know about this place when I wa sin NYC. I am Australian and brunch culture is big here too and is actually my favourite meal. Early enough in the day to have breakfast but late enough to have a cheeky glass of champgane!

  5. My goodness! This looks fabulous. I haven’t been to New York, but it is on the list. Definitely will be checking out this spot! What a gem! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

  6. Brunch is the best!! It’s a big deal here in DC too. This looks like such a beautiful setting to have it in! I’m glad you got to make sure you’re Italian friend could experience what brunch is like. I’ll definitely add this restaurant to my list for the next time I’m in NYC.

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