You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to rooftop bars in the Melbourne CBD, so to help narrow down the field, we tried a few in the name of research.

All of these bars had something special about them, ranging from the views to great food, reasonable prices and perfect ambiance. One thing that they all had in common, was great service that will ensure they are never short of customers.

Rooftop at QT Melbourne – (QT Hotel, 133 Russell Street)

This rooftop bar is located on the 11^th floor of the five star QT hotel and when you step outdoors you’re met with skyline views of the city, visible for the entire length of the deck.

There’s a variety of seating to choose from ranging from couches and low tables to dining tables or higher bar tables. The menu has a feed me option with Italian inspired dishes or you can choose an extensive range of small plates and snacks, through to larger plates and dessert.

On the drinks menu you’ll find a range of cocktails, spritzes, wine, beers and spirits and a selection of no alcohol drinks.

The dress code is smart casual and the vibe was casual and friendly. It looked like a good venue for drinks with a group of friends or after work crowd, and this rooftop bar has a retractable ceiling so it is suited to all seasons.

Blossom (Pullman Hotel, 265 Little Bourke Street)

Blossom is the highest rooftop bar in Melbourne, located on the 14^th floor of the Pullman Hotel in Little Bourke Street. When you enter the lobby of the hotel, look for the neon Blossom sign and follow the arrow to the lift that will take you to the 14th floor bar.

This one was a pleasant surprise with a huge dining room to one side and the al fresco rooftop bar in the other direction. There a lots of comfortable places to sit in the space that wraps around two sides of the building, ranging from high bar tables and benches, dining tables and chairs, and cosy nooks to find. There are plenty of portable gas heaters to keep you warm enough as the evening chill sets in, and glass panelling around the rooftop protects from breezier weather too.

The blossom theme is obvious from the ground floor and it only improves as you step out on the 14^th floor. Faux flowers line the ceiling indoors and other greenery in pots indoors and out add to the theme. There are also beautiful floral artworks adorning various walls indoors and out.

This bar has some of the best city views thanks to its 270 degree outlook over the city. It also has a feed me menu or you can choose from fabulous wood oven pizzas or a range of other large and small plates, at very good prices. The drinks menu has something for everyone, including mocktails and no alcohol beers.

Blossom Rooftop Bar has a great easy going comfortable vibe that would suit many different occasions.

Her Rooftop (4^th floor, 270 Lonsdale Street)

This venue has different features on each floor starting with Her Bar, a restaurant and cocktail bar on the ground floor. The next floor is the Music Room which is dedicated to the love of sound and features different DJs. On level three there is BKK, a Thai BBQ canteen, and then finally on the fourth floor you’ll find, Her Rooftop. It would just be our luck that on the afternoon we visited, the lift was out of order so we had to walk all the flights of stairs to reach the rooftop bar, but was it worth it? Absolutely yes.

Arriving in the late afternoon we were greeted with a bright sunshiny sky as we walked out of the stairwell and into the European inspired parapet with its tiled floor, bright and breezy décor and relaxed vibe.

Cocktails are the main focus of the drinks menu but they also have a huge range of wines, beers and spirits to choose from and the food menu is Bangkok inspired street food which is from the BKK restaurant downstairs.

The rooftop bar has a variety of seating options including a really comfortable banquette seating area which is bordered with European style picture tiles.

Her Bar is a very classy spot with its muted décor shades and the variety of seating options that suit a date night for two or some catch up drinks with a group of friends.

Goldilocks (Level 5, Denyers Building 264 Swanston Street)

Just as in the story, we got ourselves completely lost trying to find this bar because it is tucked away on top of a building that doesn’t promote itself in an obvious way. After a little help from locals though we did find the lift which would take us to the spot that was just right.

You exit the lift on the 4^th floor and then make your way past a Chinese restaurant and up to the next level via a stairway lined with some funky art, which tells you you’re heading in the right direction. Finally you reach the bar which has a removable covered roof which makes it suitable for any weather.

The staff were really welcoming and advised us to sit anywhere we liked and they would provide table service as soon as we were ready to order drinks or food. The views were good when we were there during daylight hours, and I think this bar is best for those looking for a cosy afternoon spot with great drinks and tasty Asian fusion food to accompany them.

Mid Air (Level 12, 130 Russell Street)

I’ve saved the most impressive and newest rooftop bar for last, with the stunning architecturally designed Mid Air bar in Melbourne Place. The service was absolutely first class from the moment we arrived and the staff were super friendly and obliging in helping us find the perfect spot to take in the ambiance of this incredible venue. Somehow we scored the best seats in the house right below the main feature round windows framing the city views.

The views were stunning when we arrived on sunset, but they only got better as the night sky and city lights took over. The windows frame the scene perfectly and beg to be photographed which I think every patron did at one stage or another.

The restaurant and bar area was designed by architects Kennedy Nolan and it was deliberately designed for the 12^th floor to gain the most of panoramic city views while still remaining in touch with the city sights and sounds. Features of the outdoor space include dining areas and comfortable couches with low tables to enjoy drinks and there’s a stunning double sided brick fireplace for the cooler weather. The patterned tiled floor leads your eyes to the brick features of the building and the unmissable massive twin oculi which are a knockout.  

In architecture Oculi are circular openings in the centre of a wall, which are a feature of Byzantine and Neoclassical architecture, and these ‘eyes’ of the hotel, frame the view beautifully, becoming even more of a feature as darkness falls, when the lighting inside produces a soft glow at night.

The restaurant was completely booked out on the night we were there and the menu which features mainly small tasting plates, has a Mediterranean influence with inspiration taken from Greece, Turkey, Italy and Spain.

As you’d expect, the drinks list was extensive but if you were to buy a bottle, the prices are pretty expensive. It is definitely still worth dropping in for a drink or two by the glass as the sun goes down and there was nothing pretentious at all about the feel of the space. The best part is that Mid Air has a retractable roof, so you can enjoy this stunning spot all year round.

Cin-Cin, Cheers, Enjoy

Glenys