Birdie’s Eye View

Cocktails served rail-side at Birdie’s

THE VIEW from Birdie’s Rooftop Bar on the fourth floor of The Bradley hotel in Fort Wayne is dramatic enough to appear fake. But the 270-degree panorama of the Summit City’s skyline is the real deal—a sweep of the domed Allen County courthouse, The Landing, and beyond. In fact, it might be one of the few distractions capable of luring guests out of their rooms at the recently opened boutique hotel. An evening counterpart to the lobby-side restaurant, Arbor, Birdie’s takes its name from the hotel’s co-owner, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, Fort Wayne–based cofounder of the Vera Bradley fashion brand, nicknamed Birdie by her grandchildren. The menu focuses on patio-ready bites like Mac ’n Cini (a Midwestern take on Italian arancini rice balls), which pair nicely with prettily garnished cocktails. Order a Birthplace of the Cool, fortified with grapefruit and mezcal, if you really want to feel like you’re on top of the world. 204 W. Main St., Fort Wayne, 260-800-8686