A popular lunch spot atop the two-story remnant of Willis Polk's 1908 Crocker Bank Building. It features a bird's-eye perspective on the Palace Hotel and its neon sign. The stairs are inside the Crocker Galleria arcade to the west, with the elevator in the small lobby alongside the entrance to Polk's banking hall.

On this second-floor rooftop of a parking garage alongside a 1988 office tower you can say hello to the Transbay Transit Center — you can almost touch the perforated metal screen above Minna Street. Easy access via stairway from sidewalk; once inside, take the elevator to the second floor and walk through the doors. The mature trees and real grass offer a green feel.

Check out the three-story “sky garden” on the 11th through 13th floors of an 18-story government high-rise. You'll be treated to a framed open-air portrait of South of Market and points beyond, with nothing in the way. But note: Getting into this federal structure is like passing through airport security, except you don't take off your shoes. You'll find loads of seating, little wind, and navigating the tower's interior gets you up close with architect Thom Mayne's flair.

It's not your average public space on the ninth-floor rooftop of a shopping mall, next to the restored glass Emporium dome, with Potrero Hill beckoning in the distance. Note that photo ID may be required at the security desk of the office lobby.

The public can access fourth- and sixth-floor terraces on the side of 31-story slab. As for the view, you'll see a glass wall of a dental school smack to your north and the backside of the Moscone West convention center to your east. At least you can wave to Sutro Tower in the distance to your west. It can be a getaway, but not the best vista in the list.

Atop a 15-story hotel, you'll get a panoramic view, including such local landmarks as the trees of Lafayette Park and the shipping cranes on the southern shoreline. It can be a hassle: Instead of showing ID, you must sign an “indemnity agreement.” The view can be worth it. The decor is stark — the only seating is benches that also screen mechanical equipment — but it's a wide-open feel.

Make the trek to this fifth-floor rooftop above the Financial District to find a sunny lunch spot with picturesque views of the city’s existing and developing skyscrapers. Grab a chair and marvel at the looming Salesforce Tower, and take some time to watch people below rushing to and from the Transbay Transit Center.