Melbourne's best winter rooftop bars

Head for the skies and land on Melbourne's highest rooftop bar, 14 storeys up. Feast on Mediterranean-style share plates while you enjoy the sweeping city views. The retractable awning and heaters make the bar weatherproof and perfectly cosy in winter. The bespoke cocktail list is inspired by fables and stories throughout history. Try the fiery ‘Hephaestus craft’. Named for the Greek god of fire, it blends whisky, cognac and chocolate bitters. 

Farmer's Daughter is a three-storey culinary wonderland dedicated to all things local and delicious. The sleek rooftop bar is a warm and weatherproof oasis. Decked out with gorgeous greenery, it's also where the team grows all their garnishes. Heat things up with a spicy margarita. Then head downstairs for a rustic flame-cooked dinner from the campfire kitchen.

This eleventh-floor gem in Russell Street is almost an old-fave by Melbourne standards. Settle in under QT Rooftop’s winter awnings and choose from a curated selection of wines and cocktails. You’ll be snuggly warm under the heaters, surrounded by the soft glow of neon lights. Hungry? Fuel up with some munchies or a stone baked pizza. 

Escape the winter chill with a mini vacay on the tropical Palmz rooftop. This urban oasis topping The Carlton Club is open for walk-ins. Take a chance on a spontaneous post-dinner sesh and enter a tropical hideaway overlooking Bourke Street. Complete with overgrown bougainvillea, palm trees and a thatched hut bar. Once those heaters are fired up, you’ll forget you’re in Melbourne. 

Host a pasta-fueled dinner party on the hidden rooftop terrace at Marameo. The space is relaxed and minimalistic, with artwork giving a playful nod to Marameo’s Italian roots. Tucked in amongst city buildings and protected by a retractable awning, you're hidden from view and left to concentrate on which spritz to try next. Indulge in squid ink spaghetti and cacio e pepe with black truffle. And stay on-theme with a glass of Italian red or pet nat. 

Bomba is all cosy vibes downstairs, lush retreat upstairs. Completely covered and protected from the elements, you get that alfresco feeling with none of the chill. The cocktails up here are super fresh and the tapas on point. Ward off winter sniffles with a ‘mezcacillin’. This nourishing cocktail is loaded with mezcal, honey and ginger. The views are as epic as ever and DJs bring the vibes on weekends. 

It’s always summer on the Palm Springs–inspired Good Heavens rooftop. Think Hawaiian shirts, neon signs and all-American snacks. The majority of the bar is undercover so it's easy to seek shelter from the rain. The ‘80s-style cocktails up here are heaven-sent. Why not try a twist on a classic? The burnt orange old fashioned is made with smoked orange bitters and maple syrup.

This Chinatown bar ticks all the Melbourne boxes. It’s down a laneway and has a rooftop – with a retractable roof so tipples go down nicely in any weather. Think of Union Electric’s rooftop garden as a modern tiki bar, serving cocktails with bright, punchy flavours. Our pick is the warming ‘after school special’. It’s got all your seasonal staples – spiced gin, gingerbread and a dollop of fig jam.

Melbourne’s oldest pub boasts an eye-popping panorama of Fed Square and the Forum from the rooftop. Up here, you’d never know this joint goes back to 1853, courtesy of the bar’s sleek modern fit-out. Especially when you slide into one of the undercover leather booths, which are bookable. Settle in with a glass of wine or a cocktail. Then ponder The Duke Of Wellington’s menu, from charcuterie to pork belly with crackle.