Pitchers Of Cocktails And More At Legal Harborside

Living and working in a city, I sometimes start to feel cooped up. There are days when I go from our condo to the car to the office to the car to the condo, barely spending any time outdoors. I often dream about the backyard deck I've promised myself I will someday have -- a place where I can lounge with a good book after work, while I watch Gunner run around the yard and Jeff grill up some dinner.

In the meantime though, I seek out places where I might be able to sit outdoors, soak up some sun, and just relax. When I heard that the roof deck at Legal Harborside was not only open for business but also serving pitchers of my favorite drink -- a St. Germain cocktail -- I made a date with some good friends for after-work roof deck drinks.

One evening after work, I met Meghan and Daisy at South Station, and we strolled down to Legal Harborside, which is part of a collection of new restaurants at Liberty Wharf. Once we got there, we hiked up three flights of stairs to the roof deck. (The first floor of the restaurant is for regular dining, the second floor for private parties and celebratory dining, and the third the more casual roof deck.)

Most of the seats on the roof deck were already occupied, but some friendly patrons advised us to head to the other end, where we found an open table for four and pulled up another chair because we knew Michelle and Meghan's husband would be joining us shortly.

We started with a small St. Germain cocktail pitcher. This was a light, refreshing mixture of St. Germain and rose cava. Most of the St. Germain cocktails I've had are a bit sweeter than this one, but I still enjoyed this more subdued version.

We had all come straight from work and were feeling a bit peckish, so we glanced over the menu. Right now, only spreads and pitas are served on the roof deck, but I think there are supposed to be bar bites eventually too. We ordered a couple of spreads to hold us over.

The hummus with za'atar and olive oil was so flavorful -- I can't wait to dress up some hummus at home with the za'atar I bought at Vervacious.

The kalamata and fig spread had a sweet and briny balance. And I should mention that the pita chips were crisp and well seasoned with salt and pepper.

At this point, we were ready for another pitcher, so we ordered the other one that was intriguing all of us:  the Seaport Spritzer.

The Seaport Spritzer is a mixture of prosecco, Italian aromatized wines, and grapefruit. The glasses that accompanied this pitcher each had a large grapefruit wedge in them. This drink was also very refreshing and fitting for a seaside drink.

We slowly drained this second small pitcher (large pitchers are also available) and made plans to try to grab a table downstairs for something more substantial to eat.

After we paid our tab, we descended the three flights of stairs and found out there was an hour and a half wait for tables, unless we wanted to sit by the windows near the raw bar, in which case, we could be seated right away. None of us minded sitting by the windows, so we opted to sit right away.

At the table, I ordered a glass of white sangria, which can also be ordered as a pitcher on the roof deck. It's made with St. Germain, so I just had to try it. I found it very sweet but pleasant.

Photo courtesy of Daisy

Everyone was in the mood for lobster rolls, but I had just had one in Portland and was drawn to the white clam pizza. I'm so glad I ordered it because I absolutely loved it and would definitely order it again.

Photo courtesy of Daisy

The pizza comes with pancetta and arugula and is flavored with a tasty white sauce. It's on the appetizer menu, but it was more than enough for a meal for me. I hope Legal is thinking about serving this on the roof!

The roof deck at Legal Harborside is a fabulous place to relax and unwind. I'd love to come back when a band I like is playing at the Bank of America Pavilion, sit on the roof deck with a tasty cocktail, and eavesdrop on the show. (Ke$ha, anyone? Just kidding!)

Do you have a favorite outdoor spot for sipping cocktails and unwinding with friends?