A few weekends ago, I joined a few of my friends for an evening at River and Post, a restaurant and rooftop bar overlooking St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. Because we went on a Saturday, dinner reservations on the ground floor were fully booked, so we resorted to going up the elevator to enjoy the stunning views of the city.

The rooftop bar not only offers amazing cocktails but also has a great menu of light bites and small meals to share (or enjoy on your own). I ordered one of their flatbreads called Brooklyn’s Finest, a flatbread with burrata, basil, olive oil and balsamic reduction.

For drinks, we all tried something different. I ordered a gin drink called Assertive Lady with gin, crème de mure, raspberry and lemon and enjoyed every sip of it. My friends ordered Manifest Destiny, a vodka-based cocktail with Giffard peach, Champagne and lemon and lavender syrup, and Mocking Bird, a tequila cocktail with Ancho Reyes Orgeat, blackberry, lime and a blackberry-dusted rim. The rooftop bar also serves a variety of beers and wines.

Coming at sunset was the right choice, as we watched the sun descend behind us, lighting up the river and tall buildings in a golden glow. Saturdays are also a great time to catch some live music at the rooftop bar. Although the music was a little too loud for my liking, as it made it hard to hear and talk with one another, the overall experience was great, and I expect to return soon before the weather warms up too much.

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor