Sneak Peek: View Boston’s Rooftop Bar, Stratus, Is Decked out for the Holidays
Glittering winter decorations and special holiday cocktails await 51 stories up.
Candy Cane Forest (pistachio liqueur, mint, and cherry), a 2024 holiday season cocktail special at Stratus at View Boston. / Photo by Derrick Zellman
High above the Back Bay, rooftop bar Stratus—part of the View Boston observatory, perched 51 stories up at the Prudential Center—provides a stunning look at the city. For the holiday season, the interior is as eye-catching as the exterior with the November 27 debut of Stratus’ transformation into a winter wonderland.
In addition to its usual 360-degree views of the city, the cocktail bar is temporarily decked out in shimmering whites and silvers, including towering white Christmas trees and glittering lights galore. The color scheme lets the vibrance of Stratus’ special holiday cocktail list pop against the sleek backdrop. (The seasonal décor will remain in place through the end of January, giving customers plenty of time to soak in the festive ambiance.)
Stratus at View Boston, decorated for the 2024 holiday season. / Photo by Derrick Zellmann
About those cocktails: Six nostalgia-infused specials will be showcased, inspired by holiday memories. Ring in the season with cozy cups of spiced, mulled wine, served warm and based on a traditional German recipe, or the Snow Miser, a mix of gin, lemon, blueberry, and soda, “leaning into everything frosty and blue, just like its namesake,” as the Stratus team puts it. There’s also a coquito-like drink called Yuletide Snack that nods to the beloved tradition of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa. Try that one with actual chocolate chip cookies and milk, one of several options on a dessert menu that plays to the classics, from crème brûlée to cheesecake with caramel and pecan.
2024 holiday cocktail specials at Stratus at View Boston: Papa Noel on the left (rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud’s, lemon, and smoke); Snow Miser on the right (gin, lemon, blueberry, and soda). / Photo by Derrick Zellmann
There are a handful of savory snacks, too, before you dig into those desserts—baked brie with jam and other accoutrements; candied bacon with cracked pepper; prosciutto-wrapped scallops with green goddess aioli; and more.
A couple events punctuate the holiday season at Stratus. Look for a pop-up holiday market on December 7, featuring women-owned businesses offering handmade crafts, delicious treats, and more. On December 11, the bar is hosting a multi-course wine dinner highlighting flavors of the season.
2024 holiday cocktail specials at Stratus at View Boston, including Yuletide Snack (in the foreground)—rum, milk, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. / Photo by Derrick Zellmann
While Stratus won’t be the only bar decked out in holiday décor this year, it’ll probably be the only one with panoramic skyline views. We’ll raise a glass of Jack’s Abby’s Toy Soldier Christmas Lager to that.
Stratus at View Boston, the Shops at the Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston, viewboston.com/stratus.
Stratus at View Boston, decorated for the 2024 holiday season. / Photo by Derrick Zellmann
Stratus at View Boston, decorated for the 2024 holiday season. / Photo by Derrick Zellmann
