Where to Head for a Weekend Sunset Spritz with Your Mates
Spend your summer soaking in golden hour and sipping cocktails with your mates at these must-visit Melbourne bars.
Where to Head for a Weekend Sunset Spritz with Your Mates
in partnership with
Spend your summer soaking in golden hour and sipping cocktails with your mates at these must-visit Melbourne bars.
Days are getting longer, and the nights are getting warmer. And we don't doubt that you've already seen Melbourne's pubs and bars flooded with rounds of the most summery of drinks: the Aperol Spritz.
That's why we curated this list of excellent spots for a sunset spritz in partnership with Aperol. First and foremost, these guys all make a good Aperol Spritz — that's essential. But, beyond that, each spot offers a great way to experience the sunset, whether you're soaking it up from high on a rooftop bar or enjoying a spritz on the waterfront.
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Stretching along the length of what was the Sandridge railway platform at Flinders Street Station, Arbory Bar and Eatery is the perfect place for an Aperol Spritz as the sun sets across the river. Sit at the long counter bench overlooking the Yarra to enjoy a tipple while you take in the riverfront views that are even more enchanting as the sun goes down. Arbory is open from 11am for riverside drinks and eats until late with a concise and well-chosen menu from ex-Trocadero (now Fatto) chef Nicolas Bennett. The offering is somewhat refined but still a little cheeky. It focuses on sandwiches and burgers, such as the lobster roll with shoestring fries and truffle salt and its fan-favourite double cheeseburger.
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There’s something for everyone at The Osborne Rooftop & Bar, from its relaxed restaurant, downstairs bar and courtyard to its cocktail lounge and rooftop garden with impressive views of the South Yarra skyline. On the ground floor, you’ll find a traditional bar kit-out with a fireplace, booth seating and high tables. On the menu are pub classics, pizzas and plates to share. On a hot sunny day, you will be tempted to saunter out to the courtyard to enjoy an Aperol Spritz under the sun. Upstairs, the cocktail lounge features luxe velvet lounges and serves contemporary cocktails and share plates with the likes of calamari, fried chicken and pizzas. The lounge opens to The Rooftop, the biggest draw of the two-storey venue. Enjoy a classic Aperol Spritz while the sun sets and take in the views across South Yarra.
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After a long week at your desk job — or working from home solo — catching up with your mates for sunset drinks is a very welcome opportunity. Iconic St Kilda venue Stokehouse is synonymous with beachside luxury and glamour and a perfect spot for a cheeky Aperol Spritz with your friends. The dining room boasts uninterrupted views of the waves and features mirrors strategically placed throughout the venue so all guests can enjoy the view or head out onto the terrace to enjoy some refreshing sea breeze as you sip on your spritz.
Images: Emily Weaving.
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The multimillion-dollar redevelopment of Sorrento’s historic Continental Hotel saw the 145-year-old heritage building completely overhauled, complete with a multi-faceted hospitality offering headed up by renowned chef Scott Pickett (Estelle, Matilda) and publican Craig Shearer (North Fitzroy’s Terminus, The Plough in South Brisbane). The dramatic transformation includes a slew of food and drink venues, such as the sun-speckled Conti Bar. The menu features reinvented pub classics, traditional woodfired pizzas, and Thai dishes. The greenhouse come sunroom bar is an ideal spot to enjoy a long lunch with an Aperol Spritz as the sunlights dapples in as it sets on a hot summer’s day.
Image: Greg Elms Photography
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Pétanque Social in the Crown’s riverside precinct — perched right by the Yarra on the riverwalk — is inspired by the beach clubs of St Tropez and a favourite spritz spot in the city. As well as sipping an Aperol Spritz and grabbing a bite to eat (including via picnic boxes or tucking into oysters on weekends), you’ll hang out on day beds and lounge chairs beneath parasols. The idea is to make you feel like you’ve been whisked far from home, which is a sensation we could all use this year. And, entertainment-wise, there are live DJs, a big screen playing sports all summer and room for the game that gives the venue its name.
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Much-anticipated all-day rooftop venue Beverly graces the top of the Goldfields House building, soaring 24 storeys above Chapel Street and delivering show-stopping 270-degree views across the city. Beverly is designed as a serene, sky-high retreat that’ll glide easily from a long lunch destination to an after-dinner cocktail pit-stop. Taking cues from the cool-kid rooftop haunts of LA, it boasts a retractable glass roof primed for Melbourne’s erratic weather changes, earthy sunset tones and foliage set against that backdrop of sweeping panoramas. The globe-trotting cocktail lineup reimagines the classics using Aussie spirits and native botanicals but leaves room for the iconic drink of the summer: Aperol Spritz.
Image: Sean McDonald
Celebrate summer sunsets with an Aperol spritz. For more inspiration, head to the website.
