Shri Rooftop Bar and Restaurant, Saigon

Rooftop bars are all the rage in Saigon right now. Shri was an early player when it opened around five years ago and its views continue to rank well. 

Shri tends to be on the mellow side - somewhere for a quiet drink rather than a wild party. The design is contemporary and the space is large. It feels a little like a 5 star hotel bar.

A generous happy hour that runs till 6.30pm is the best time to be here. Good value refreshments are topped off with a uniquely historic late afternoon vista that includes the now empty green patch on which the pre-1975 US Embassy stood and the former Presidential Palace - now known as the Reunification Hall. There are also glimpses of the leafy grounds of the vast colonial era French Consulate. 

These low-rise pockets of history are overwhelmed by the city’s fast evolving and fast ascending skyline.

After happy hour, prices are on the high side but reasonable for the setting.

Shri’s also an impressive vantage point for a summer afternoon storm. Don’t forget the camera. And if you feel like hanging around, there’s an extensive dinner menu.