When Demetrios Tsiptsis took over New York Deli in 2004, he knew he wanted to open a rooftop deck ... fresh paint and even timeless black-and-white photos of New York he commissioned.

Deep-blue walls, two outdoor terraces, black-and-white tile flooring and plush banquettes ... bringing its breezy backyard vibe to a rooftop on the east side. Outside space is minimal, with ...

New York doesn’t have a rooftop problem—it has a rooftop memory problem. For every decent view, there are a dozen indistinguishable spaces hawking canned spritzes under Edison bulbs.