Rooftop L.O.A., one of the city’s most luxurious rooftop experiences, sits atop The Interlock in West Midtown Atlanta. Boasting 38,000 square feet of space and equipped with state-of-the-art green technology, the rooftop destination offers a range of amenities.
Inside the Oasis of Rooftop L.O.A. in Atlanta
“Rooftop L.O.A. is unlike anything in Atlanta or even the Southeast,” Mandy Slater, Founder/Chief Creative Officer of Slater Hospitality, said of the venue. “No one space encompasses as much as L.O.A. has to offer – a 38,000-square-foot rooftop consisting of an elevated service Restaurant, a 1,200-square-foot resort-style Pool featuring cabanas, an indoor pool bar and lounge, as well as the Grove, a garden-inspired outdoor bar and 150-person covered event pavilion.”
The Design at Rooftop L.O.A.
The combination of restaurant and pool club makes the space a perfect location for any time of the year. The design and aesthetic of Rooftop L.O.A. also takes visitors out of Atlanta and brings them to a paradise in the Mediterranean. “We love so many things about Europe – the culture of food and wine, dining style, architecture, and overall sense of style. Rooftop L.O.A. is our interpretation of what we’ve been able to experience in larger cities and overseas,” Slater explained. “The luxurious approach to enjoying the finer things in life is central to the Rooftop L.O.A. experience. Guests certainly don’t need to have the same passion for Europe to enjoy L.O.A., but we do expect guests to feel supremely taken care of and as though they have left their cares behind, hence the name Leave of Absence.”
“The interior aesthetic and conceptual narrative of Rooftop L.O.A. is traveled, collected, and layered. Not focused on one single overarching design direction, each primary interior space is a unique experience while being part of an overarching journey,” Micah Hall, Associate at ASD|SKY, elaborated. “Inspired by the world-class resorts of Europe, each space is curated to create a sense of discovery to draw the guest in. With slight and inventive callbacks to coastal locales, the materiality, interior architecture, lighting, and furnishings all work together to create an immersive environment that supports and enhances a best-in-class culinary experience. Through interior design, the various spaces range from casual to formal, and intimate to energetic.”
The Menu at Rooftop L.O.A.
The culinary experience at Rooftop L.O.A. varies between the restaurant and the pool. Inside the restaurant, diners have choices from brunch to dinner and even the bar, with selections like the Caviar Bling Box, Strozzapreti Cacio e Pepe and whole branzino. At the pool, guests have choices from the poolside menu of food and drinks and a brunch menu, with options like Churrasco Steak Fries, Octopus Ceviche and a variety of “Whim-Sicles.”
“Rooftop L.O.A. features several menus throughout the 38,000 square-foot rooftop, including at Restaurant L.O.A., the Grove, and the Pool. Each menu is curated based on the experience guests are having in each space,” Slater told us of the menu. “For example, the Pool menu features many handhelds, where guests don’t need a knife and fork, including Whim-Sicles (Mango paleta, watermelon and tajin or Pina colada popsicle with dark chocolate), lobster roll with green goddess mayo or warm sea salt butter and root chips, and shrimp tacos with cucumber, crème fraiche, dill, and tomato on a blue corn shell. The Grove is not intended for a full dining experience. It has a few snackable and shareable options, including garden toast with harissa avocado, squash, carrot, and caramelized onion on sourdough and an Atlantic shrimp cocktail.”
“Restaurant L.O.A. is intended to transport guests and take them on a journey through many different courses. Presented by an incredibly talented culinary team of chefs and bartenders, the menu is curated with simple and elegant vegetable and seafood-forward dishes like crispy, 2-day-cured branzino; green tomato lasagna with cured tomato and burrata cream; and U-10 scallops served with cauliflower artichoke risotto, pinot grigio emulsion, and nasturtium flowers. Choose multiple courses and pair them with curated wines to experience it all, or bookend the evening with a culinary cocktail to start, like the Celery French 75 and finish with a decadent dessert and a digestif. Brunch also recently launched at Restaurant L.O.A. and features offerings like le omelette served with gruyere, fontina, truffled seasonal mushrooms, and potato galette; a brunch burger with egg, thick cut bacon, truffle garlic aioli, taleggio and pommes frites; strozzapreti cacio e Pepe with pecorino crumble, and a pinot grigio emulsion; and Crêpes Mille Feuille Brûlée with chocolate and banana.”
The Perfect Experience at Rooftop L.O.A.
If you’re a first-time visitor at Rooftop L.O.A., you’ll want to make the most of your visit. “The perfect Rooftop L.O.A. experience is a full-day “leave of absence” in all three spaces of the rooftop—the Pool, the Grove, and the Restaurant. Start with lunch by the Pool in a lounger or cabana,” Slater suggested. “Enjoy the mezcal compressed melon with pickled rind, goat cheese aioli, and arugula and then the lobster roll with green goddess mayo or warm sea salt butter plus root chips. After lunch, take a dip in the Pool, sip on a cocktail like Volcano Sauce, a refreshing tequila, lime, grapefruit soda beverage, and just relax. Transition into the evening, making use of L.O.A.’s facilities, including showers and lockers, before heading over to the Grove for a pre-dinner fireside cocktail. End the perfect L.O.A. day at the Restaurant with the five-course “Leave of Absence” tasting menu showcasing the best of coastal European cuisine for a truly lavish dining experience.”
Above all, immerse yourself in the atmosphere and enjoy your mini getaway. “Guests have shared they don’t feel like they are in Atlanta, but rather transported to a European Coast,” Slater said. “They’ve been raving about the food, service from staff, and attention to detail. They’re also in awe of the space and its beauty. Regarding the menu, we’ve taken some dishes people are familiar with and put our own L.O.A. spin on it, such as our lasagna, branzino and tartare, and people have loved the familiarity but also the uniqueness L.O.A. brings to it.”
