Just when you thought Melbourne couldn’t possibly have any vacant rooftops left to spare, along comes Harlow. Formerly the Great Britain Hotel, after a handy 1.3 million-dollar refurb this new space is ready to go, and believe us when we say, she’s a real beauty.
With a capacity for 200 people (without restrictions, of course), there are plenty of spots to perch and either sip a Rockstar – an exclusive rooftop-only cocktail of watermelon-infused tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, watermelon simple syrup and chilli salt or knock back a parma or burger. They also do a boozy bottomless lunch, which we all know is the cool thing to do right now. But it’s the sweeping, uninterrupted city views that will have you returning time and time again.
The 80s are back, baby, but this time they’re cool! Neon Palms is a Miami Vice-inspired, pastel coloured fever dream serving up frozen slushies, a synth-heavy soundtrack and guaranteed good times. Located in the trendy Perth suburb of Northbridge, it’s the brainchild of hospitality pals Hayden Carter and Sasha Fagan, who met bartending at the Ritz-Carlton Perth and share a love of the whole Miami-in-the-80s aesthetic.
There are private booths to cosy up in, an outdoor courtyard lined with AstroTurf and custom neon signs adorning the walls, while the lurid-looking (and no doubt, tequila heavy) cocktails match the décor perfectly. If hunger strikes, Brazilian chef Marcelo Kretzer is dishing out mean Cubano sandwiches, and his signature homemade empanadas are an absolute must-eat.
As if you needed another excuse to visit Songbird – the outdoor terrace bar at The Ritz-Carlton in Perth – it has just launched a brand-new cocktail menu inspired by iconic Australian birds.
There are ten signature cocktails and six non-alcoholic options to choose from, and each has been expertly crafted using a blend of the finest native ingredients. Our favourites include Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo – a delightful pink-hued beverage made from Belvedere, river mint and spiced rum, and the Rainbow Bee-eater – a potent mix of Johnnie Walker Black, mountain pepper leaf and Giffard Apricot Du Rousillon.
Best enjoyed with a couple of share plates from Songbird’s new grazing menu, there’s no better spot in the city to watch as the sun goes down over the Swan River and Perth skyline than this exclusive rooftop location.
There are pubs, and then there are London pubs. They number in their thousands in this historical city, and the euphoria one gets from an afternoon of sipping a brown ale on a cobblestoned corner is unmatched.
And there is no pub more iconic than The Churchill Arms, where a love of the great wartime prime minister is as colourful as the flowers dripping from its eye-catching facade. Originally built in 1750, and located just a few streets from Kensington Palace, its walls are covered in Churchill memorabilia – and although Sir Winston never made his wartime broadcasts from the pub (as the legend goes), his grandparents did drink here regularly in the 1800s, which is cool enough for us.
The Churchill Arms was also the very first pub in London to serve Thai food, and the annual flower bill is believed to be more than AU$45,000.
The Stag’s Head is a Dublin landmark with a mood to suit every personality. The main bar is a tribute to tradition: polished mahogany, walnut and ebony, leather chairs, stained glass windows, chandeliers, and dark oak whiskey casks sunk into the walls – from where the eponymous stuffed beast keeps watch.
Barristers, journalists and brokers lunch in the old smoking lounge. While upstairs, students and assorted blow-ins turn it bookish, rowdy and random. This bolthole was the first pub in Ireland with electricity and featured in Educating Rita.
James Joyce, Michael Collins and Quentin Tarantino have all frequented. The latter was turned away for trying to score a sneaky after-hours tipple, but did return the next day for soup.
The iconic Parisian nightclub and bar, Silencio has just this month opened a chic, impressive and very inviting waterfront beach house in Europe’s party capital of Ibiza.
Its new partner club, El Silencio is nestled in a serene and dreamy cove in the east of the island, set against the backdrop of the famous Cala Moli.
Featuring four main spaces including a main restaurant by the company ToShare (managed by Pharrell Williams and Jean Imbert) is set to be the hottest new day club this year as the Spanish party island starts to welcome back visitors after a dismal 2020.
Complete with movie screenings, music festivals and private parties, El Silencio will no doubt follow in the footsteps of it’s much sought-after and popular Parisian cousin.
Now please pass us an icy cocktail, all this European party talk is making us thirsty.
Get around this new spot on Brunswick Street brought to Melburnians by Shayne Dixon – he’s a co-owner of Beermash over on Smith Street – and brewer Adam Betts.
They opened this dark and moody spot just before the pando hit, which is not great, especially when the concept is this solid. There are 27 beer taps, but only a dozen are pouring froffs (interesting crafts brews from around the world in case you were wondering).
On the others you’ll find beer-focused cocktails, natural wines and cold-brewed coffee. When we went to press, Ides chef Peter Gunn was rustling up the food – pickled oysters, fried chicken wings, wagyu pies – but the kitchen will be taken over by someone new every three months.
One of the great things about discovering a speakeasy, is searching for it. Don’t expect to find a sign for Floreria Atlantico but if you enter a flower store (thankfully open till the wee hours) then head through a door the basement, you will be find this hip Buenos Aires speakeasy.
The cocktail menu takes its inspiration from the European countries from where people immigrated to Argentina including American bartenders and their cocktail culture, the English and the Dutch who brought their gin, the wines Amaris of the Italians, Spanish, French and Portuguese. There’s also sumptuous tapas and parilla (grill) for visitors who need a bite to eat.
Rather than being a generic speakeasy or a facsimile of the USA-style speakeasy, Floreria Atlantico located near the docks celebrates Argentina’s own country’s rich and varied treasures and pays homage to its rich culture products and people.
If you’re still not over your Euro summer plans being ruined, drown your sorrows at this light, bright and welcoming bar bringing a touch of the Mediterranean to Adelaide’s CBD.
Expect to see all your favourite aperitivo snacks on the curated menu, which features a mouth-watering sample of pickled and preserved goodies, alongside cheese and charcuterie boards and yummy small plates.
Drinks-wise, Paloma offers its take on an Aperol spritz using fino and mandarin, while the wine list pays homage to local and southern European varietals. It may be a teeny bit different to sunning yourself in a Spanish plaza, cocktail in hand, but when the vibe is this good, we promise you won’t notice the difference!
Like all great ideas, Dirty Sultan – Brisbane’s first Turkish shisha lounge – was concocted during a backpacking trip around Europe.
Drawing inspo from bars in Greece, Turkey and even France, pals Tom D’Arcy and Dilan Ildes have taken all their favourite elements (think Middle Eastern flavours and a super-luxe aesthetic) and brought them to sunny Brisbane. The result is an exotic rooftop establishment loaded with daybeds, lanterns and plenty of greenery.
Shishas come infused with grape, watermelon and strawberry, but for something more substantial, the falafel popcorn or Nutella baklava hit the spot. Wash it all down with one (or many) of the ridiculously good cocktails, like the Leyla, a Turkish mojito made using pomegranate and mint.
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