Downtown Rooftop Bar the Nolen Gets Head-to-Toe Makeover

Four years after opening atop the Courtyard San Diego Gaslamp Hotel, downtown rooftop bar The Nolen is back after major refresh from one of San Diego’s most prolific and high-profile design firms. Named after an early San Diego city planner, the 14th floor cocktail bar and lounge has been reincarnated by local firm Basile Studio, which recently won prestigious Orchid Awards from The San Diego Architectural Foundations for its work on Morning Glory and Raised by Wolves,

Run by Azul Hostpitality Group, which operates a number of properties around San Diego, including the nearby Moxy San Diego and recently launched The Guild Hotel Tribute Portfolio, the 2,100-square-foot space now has a new layout and even more seating that capitalizes on the rooftop perch’s views of the city skyline and San Diego waterfront. Basile Studio has amped up the bar’s Art Deco vibe, with custom furniture and a central fire table that been redone using brass and soap stone, two of founder Paul Basile’s favorite materials.

With the makeover comes a revamp of The Nolen’s cocktail and small bites menu; new drinks include the fall-appropriate Sweater Weather with vodka, pumpkin spice simple, Borghetti and almond milk and the Masaya made with reposado teqila, habanaro honey, yellow chartreuse, and pamplemousse liqueur while new plates range from crab cakes made with fresh blue lump crab served with harissa coulis to heirloom tomato and burrata and poke cups with avocado and seaweed salad.

Haley Hill

Haley Hill Photography