Overview
Yeah, most people go to the Australian Open to watch the tennis greats fight it out on the court. But plenty more simply love to get a ground pass and enjoy the festival vibes at Melbourne Park.
You can nab eats from food stalls run by some of Melbourne's top restaurants, catch live performances by international music acts, and drink the day away at some of the many impressive pop-up bars — from the likes of Aperol, Grey Goose, Piper-Heidsieck, Canadian Club and Peroni.
Prefer to spend game day sitting in the sun sipping spritzes? Head on over to Grand Slam Oval to find Terazza Aperol, which has been decked out with a 15-metre-long bar, plush lounges and an elevated cabana experience. Plenty of striped umbrellas are also on hand for those seeking shade during long days watching the tennis. Aperitivo snacks, including meat and cheese boards, are also up for grabs here.
Next door, you'll find Canadian Club's own bar space, decked out with umbrellas and a heap of table tennis tables. These tables are free to use — just make sure you get in before they're all shotgunned. In Grand Slam Oval, you'll also find the Peroni bar, featuring more brollies, plus comfy lounges and makeshift showers spraying cool mists of water. And if you're feeling a bit more glam, you can take a short walk up to the Piper-Heidsieck bar right by Rod Laver Arena for glasses of premium champagne paired with desserts from the Madeleine de Proust crew.
And while you can watch matches from these spots via the big screen, Grey Goose's pop-up rooftop bar has uninterrupted views of court six — dubbed the party court by many. Here, you can order a slew of vodka-based tipples, including its signature Lemon Ace made with vodka, passionfruit syrup and sparkling lemonade — served over ice and garnished with a lemon ball and fresh mint. We also recommend you get in early to nab seats upstairs on the bar overlooking the court — you'll want to park it here all day while you watch the matches up close.
These bars are all open to anyone carrying a ground pass, showing how you don't need to fork out the big bucks on AO Reserve tickets — which give you access to the most premium drinking and dining experiences — to enjoy a day out at the tennis. Leave that for corporate folks entertaining in the boxes.
