The best sort of bar is a sun-soaked rooftop… and of course, Melbourne has all the best ones.
From old favourites like Loop Roof to up-and-comers such as Fitzroy’s Provincial, get around high altitude drinking with Skyscanner Australia‘s guide to the top ten rooftop bars in Melbourne!
1. Loop Roof
Where: 23 Meyers Pl, Melbourne CBD
A succulent garden in the sky strung with fairy lights and colourful spheres, Loop Roof is the epitome of summer drinking. It occupies prime real estate looking out on Bourke Street, with enough lower buildings nearby to give way to uninterrupted CBD views!
The bar has a bit of a tiki theme going on, so any and all rum cocktails come highly recommended.
2. Madame Brussels
Where: 59 Bourke St, Melbourne CBD
Looming three stories above Bourke Street, Madame Brussels is basically the eclectic, alcoholic aunt of Melbourne rooftop bars.
It's a perpetual Mad Hatter's tea party up here, complete with a fake lawn, pastel sun loungers and flouncy parasols (or blankets, depending on the season). Order a jug of party punch - Love Juice being the standing favourite - and if you're feelin' fancy, a cheese plate.
3. Naked in the Sky
Where: 285 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
You'll come for the for the flavoured vodkas and devilishly irresistible $1 pintxos, but you'll stay for the panoramas. Naked for Satan's rooftop extension offers sweeping views across Fitzroy and the CBD and is arguably one of Melbourne's favourite sunset watering holes.
Settle in at sunset with a granitas cocktail in one hand and baked Hervey Bay scallops in the other - after all, booze with a view is what Instagram was made for!
LISTEN: Mamamia's This Glorious Mess podcast asks, should you have alcohol at kids parties? Post continues after.
4. Easey's
Where: 3/48 Easey St, Collingwood
If you like your bars quirky and well, a little bit different, it's all happening on Easey Street. We're talking graffiti-covered train carriages plonked on the roof of a building. And yes, beers and burgers are on the menu!
5. The Provincial Hotel
Where: 299 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
The newest of the lot, The Provincial Hotel just launched their brand new rooftop bar this September. Just in time for Melbourne's warm spring weather...or so we hope!
Punters can now lord over Brunswick Street pedestrians with a boozy punch in hand, lounging on their patio on high, all kitted out as per the Fitzroy aesthetic - with the prerequisite plants and kitschy outdoor furniture.
6. Cabinet Bar & Balcony
Where: 11 Rainbow Alley, Melbourne CBD
A cosy rooftop bar with more than just a little parisian flair, Cabinet Bar and Balcony is a welcome respite from the bustling CBD.
Arrive early to nab a coveted balcony seat - it'll grant you the perfect vantage point perched just above Swanston Street. People watching is always on the menu, along with tapas and wine.
7. The Wolf's Lair
Where: 333 Lygon St, Carlton
Tucked behind Jimmy Watson on Lygon Street is the bar's smaller, lesser known premises, The Wolf's Lair.
Decked out with a myriad of potted plants and curious decor (think miniature rabbit sculptures), it is the perfect afternoon hangout. Tuck into delicious, house-made pizzas and wash it all down with a cocktail...or two!
8. Rooftop at QT
Where: 11/133 Russell St, Melbourne CBD
Like most things with the QT touch, the new Rooftop at QT bar is design-savvy and ultra trendy, a favourite with the after work crowd.
Its spacious garden terrace boasts impressive city views and creative cocktails - try their Tom Kha Gai Margarita, a spicy twist on a classic.
9. Imperial Hotel
Where: 2-8 Bourke St, Melbourne CBD
While the focus on the ground floor may be sports, sports and more sports, Imperial Hotel's uber-chic rooftop bar is carving out a reputation of its own.
The relaxed outdoor space features stylish decor and stunning views of Parliament House... not to mention a generous selection of drinks!
10. The Rooftop Bar
Where: 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne CBD
Welcome to the real O.G. of rooftop bars. The Rooftop Bar (clearly conceived when there were few competitors) is an old favourite.
It's a creaky elevator ride or lengthy stair climb up to the top floor of the Curtin House, where jugs of beer, burgers and astroturf await. In the warmer months, it doubles as an outdoor cinema but for now, the space is closed for renovation in the lead up to summer!