The Best Rooftops in Melbourne's Outer Suburbs for Knock-Off Drinks
For when you're wanting to mix it up from the usual CBD crowd, these rooftops in Melbourne's outer suburbs do it just as well.
While many Melburnians regularly make the commute into the CBD for their 9-5's, we know there are a sizeable handful of us who are continuing to work from home or their offices in the ‘burbs.
Just because you don’t mingle with the corporate world in the city doesn’t mean you too don’t deserve a well-earned knock-off drink in the sunshine and/or rain, right?
From unexpected escapes above shopping centres to unassuming pubs with a top-floor oases, here are the best rooftop bars in Melbourne’s outer suburbs for you to uncover and unwind in.
Lulu Bar
The newest addition to the best rooftops in Melbourne’s suburbs comes in the sleek and stylish form of Lulu Bar, sitting pretty at the back of Preston Hotel.
The brand-new Euro-inspired bar has ample space for you to soak up the sunshine outside, or, when the inevitable Melbourne rain makes its appearance, duck inside to the cosy and chic cocktail lounge.
With a curated cocktail menu, tasty share plates and breathtaking city skyline views, this is fast becoming a summer hotspot with locals.
635 High Street, Preston
The Skinny Dog Hotel
A friendly suburban hideout tucked away in Kew, The Skinny Dog Hotel is one of Melbourne's most untapped gems - and boasting a fantastic rooftop bar to boot!
Newly transformed to include a skyward space, upstairs is bold, bougie and breezy; an effortlessly cool rooftop bar in Melbourne’s suburbs that's been inspired by the mid-century modern charm of Palm Springs.
Snack on fresh oysters while enjoying some of the 44 beers on tap, or partaking in a delightful Negroni sour, and embracing the spacious feel of the 400-person atrium bar.
The best part? It has a retractable roof and can be used all year round!
155 High Street, Kew
Cityfields
Head to Cityfields, the classic brasserie-style dining destination housed within Chadstone Shopping Centre, to make a beeline for their Terrace Bar. The Terrace Bar has an attached alfresco garden and is a sophisticated yet casual space offering views across the south-east towards the city.
Reminiscent of a European rooftop, this is a refined, intimate, and inviting location to enjoy a languid long lunch or elegant dinner, away from the hustle and bustle of Chadstone below.
Coffee to cocktails, brunch to bubbles; a Cityfields party purrs all day, every day.
1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone
Suburban Dining & Rooftop
Looking for a place to enjoy a delicious meal, a refreshing drink or a memorable event? One of the only rooftop beer gardens east of the city, look no further than Suburban Rooftop, found in Eastland Town Square.
Set over three floors, you'll climb past a restaurant, a public bar, and a courtyard with private dining spaces, to get to this lush and lovely rooftop bar. Enjoy smaller nibbles, pub classics and plenty of drinks.
A charming spot to enjoy sunny and vibrant alfresco bites and drinks just about anytime, but during summer weekends the Suburban rooftop also offers a fantastic bottomless brunch. Spritz o'clock ahead in 3, 2, 1...
Eastland Shopping Centre, Shop R10/171-173 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood
Harvie
Harvie is a svelte rooftop bar in Armadale and one of our top picks for the summer.
With delicious seasonal cocktails, a thoughtful wine list and well-crafted snacks and share plates, it's a charming spot with equally charming views over Malvern and Armadale.
Perfect for your next date night and for elevated sunset sipping.
109 Wattletree Road, Armadale
Hobsons Bay Hotel
It’s been around 100 years and hopefully, it will be around 100 more. The Hobsons Bay Hotel has undergone a serious refurb thanks to Rustica founder Brenton Lang and his partners Drew Gibbs & Matt Cook.
Spread over three levels, the neighbourhood pub in Williamstown comes complete with a cosy rooftop deck and views of the Melbourne skyline across the water.
It's a magical spot for sundowner spritzes with friends.
28 Ferguson Street, Williamstown
Full Moon Fever
Did you know that the ever-popular Lulie Tavern now comes with a rooftop bar? It's absolutely perfect, all-year-round!
Set above the bustle of Abbotsford's Johnston Street, Full Moon Fever is designed to be an extension of the rock ’n’ roll, saloon-style atmosphere Lulie Tavern is known for.
Think Old Fashioned's, Margaritas, ice cold tins, and peach iced teas served with a smile, all in desert-style surrounds; an Australian outback nod to the ‘Old West’ style bars in California. They really do make some of the best margaritas in town.
All together unique, warm and fun, the rooftop also embraces the quintessential ‘every person’s bar’ that Melbourne truly celebrates. It's one of our favourite outer suburb rooftop bar in Melbourne.
225 Johnston Street, Abbotsford
Easey’s
Beers and burgers in a train carriage hoisted five storeys onto a Collingwood rooftop – Easey’s is just about the most Melbourne thing ever.
Novelty factor aside, this grungy charmer always promises a good time, whether you’re chowing cheeseburgers at a booth inside or knocking back jugs of Melbourne Bitter under the stars.
They do some zany cocktails too, including a jalapeno-spiked Bloody Mary topped with a bacon-wrapped dim sim.
3/48 Easey Street, Collingwood
If you've loved our guide to the outer suburb rooftops in Melbourne and are now itching for your next post-work bevvies sesh, these happy hours and beloved cocktail bars will also have you in good stead. Cheers!
