The 43 Best Alfresco Spots to Visit in Australia

The Med-style refresh of The Bristol’s rooftop in Sydney’s CBD breathes new life into the heritage bones of this 126-year-old venue. There are three terraces that crown the five-level hotel, adorned with pastel-hued umbrellas that shade the crowds as they spill into the sunshine, Cherry Bomb (a gin, sour cherry and aquafaba confection) in hand. The Euro-chic overhaul also extends to the menu, with chilli and green onion-marinated baby octopus and feta-spiked prawn saganaki; both delicious matches for any one of the 20 (mostly Aussie) by-the-glass wines on offer.

Can’t score a reservation at one of the hottest tickets in the Derwent Valley, west of Hobart? A recently added weekends-only kiosk means you can commandeer a picnic table or bring your own blanket for a casual feast of savoury and sweet treats made with top local produce.

Are you perched above south Melbourne’s Oakleigh Market or on the terrace of a taverna in the Greek Islands? It’s hard to tell at Olympia.Wine Bar, which lures sun-seekers with its balcony of Hellenic-style whitewashed walls and mature olive trees. Although the retractable roof makes it a dependable year-round drinking spot, the space and menu lends itself perfectly to warmer weather. Greek-inspired share plates of taramasalata with Yarra Valley caviar and golden saganaki croquettes are offset by gin and watermelon cocktails that nod to the fresh flavours of the Aegean.

Sydney sunsets are optimised at the eastern suburbs waterfront Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel with the city’s famous skyline silhouetted across the harbour. Grab a table and up the seasonal ante with a generous seafood platter of WA lobster and scallop ceviche.

There are few better spots to take in views of the Brisbane River than the terrace at WET Bar, and no better accompaniment to sunset than a margarita (or two) and snacks such as spicy lobster buns and chipotle chicken tacos.

Captivating 270-degree vistas from the hills to the coast at this ninth-floor city hangout are mirrored in the cocktail list (witness the Million Dollar View, a sloe gin and Grand Marnier sour). The glam rooftop bar adjacent to the indoor fine-dining restaurant also sports a proudly South Australian-focused wine list.

Five floors up on the 1903 Pacific House building on buzzy Lonsdale Street, Her Rooftop delivers sweeping views alongside tart Green Apple Gimlets and a smoky Charred Pineapple Margarita topped off with palm sugar and lime. Watch the sunset over the city while knocking back chilli-spiked oysters – if you’re there till late, don’t miss the fried chicken cart sandwich with som tum and sweet chilli.

A lofty terrace above the Eagle Street Pier precinct, overlooking the Story Bridge and the boats moored below, brings the waterfront razzle to Madame Wu’s dining dazzle. The glamorous pan-Asian restaurant is a high achiever, with standout dishes including Wagyu beef dumplings and the signature violet-hued cocktail.

Nestled in Sydney’s north, 300-seater Rafi features a range of options from intimate dining rooms to an outdoor area peppered with peach umbrellas, lush greenery and timber furnishings. Expect plates such as grilled king prawns with miso butter and braised lamb shoulder with pistachios, dried apricots & anchovy salsa, as well as fun cocktails like the signature Fragola Fizz, featuring vodka, yuzu sake, Aperol, strawberry, agave and citrus – served short & carbonated.

Unhurried brunches on the elevated deck or picnics on the lawn are best followed by a visit to the resident alpacas and Lizzie the Highland cow at this easygoing and elegant restaurant in the coastal playground of Eagle Bay, near Dunsborough. Later, take the bush track from the backyard to the beach.

With its cascading water feature, the palm-shaded open-air dining area at Fino is a vision of Alhambra, while the locavore menu grounds you in the heart of Barossa wine country. Linger over a long lunch after a tasting at the estate’s cellar door.

Enveloped by tropical gardens, open-air dining pavilions ring a waterlily-filled lagoon that will whisk you straight to Thailand – so, too, the fire-and-spice menu of this Sunshine Coast hinterland favourite, just 20 minutes from Noosa. After dinner, retire to the moodily beautiful Hong Sa bar for an Asian-themed cocktail.

Come to gaze at the glittering expanse of yacht-dotted harbour 26 floors below Crown Sydney’s rooftop bar. Stay for the sophisticated mix of on-trend cocktails, extravagant bubbles and luxe nibbles, including caviar service (be sure to arrive early to grab a table on the outdoor terrace).

Across the road from Cottlesloe Beach, an outdoor table here puts you ringside for people-watching at Perth’s famous stretch of sand. The pasta-focused Italian menu is simpatico with the vast blue of the Indian Ocean, while lazy afternoons were made for another glass of wine from the list you judged Australia’s best.

Spend balmy weekend afternoons on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin at this pop-up bar which opens from late October. Each year, the team at The Boat House create a seasonal space in Grevillea Park where the award-winning restaurant's chefs plate up dishes designed to be shared, including miso eggplant with puffed rice, pork katsu sandwiches and cheeseburger spring rolls. 

Dining in the tropics should always be like this: fans twirling lazily overhead, waves lapping just metres away and a menu that channels the location with fresh seafood and bold flavours. Time your visit to Darwin’s premier specialoccasion restaurant to see the sun setting over Fannie Bay.

The lake distracts at this modern gastropub in the Kingston precinct, where glass walls fold open for those who don’t snag a seat on the terrace. It ticks all the warm-weather boxes with a nightly seafood heavy “foreshore feast” and a picnic hamper complete with DIY cocktail kit to enjoy on a grassy spot even closer to the water.

You’ll find a fusion of Catalonian cuisine and local produce at The Black-footed Pig’s new harbourside digs at Hobart’s MACq 01 Hotel. Settle in at a table on the deck and choose from tapas that include house-salted cod croquetas and Gallicianstyle octopus. Just don’t skip the burnt Basque cheesecake.

Dedicate a whole day to this food and drink empire in inner-city Sydney where historic industrial buildings sit among beautiful organic gardens. Covering all bases, from coffee to cocktails and baked goods to barbecue, it’s a food-lover’s fantasyland complete with live music and friendly farm animals.

The views over Carlton’s rooftops to city skyscrapers are pure Melbourne but there’s an infectious Amalfi Coast atmosphere to the crowning glory of this Lygon Street institution. Olive trees and orange umbrellas ensure the King and Godfree precinct’s high-level bar is on-theme for spritzes and Italian-accented snacks.

Balmy afternoons are made for the rooftop bar at this old-school pub in The Rocks, with the Opera House and Circular Quay as a backdrop. Live it up with DJ sets, crisp rosé and mod-Oz riffs on pub classics.

You’ll feel enveloped by the bright lights of the big city at this fifth-floor Lonsdale Street haunt with some of the best views in town. The rooftop party version of the Bomba restaurant downstairs delivers the same Spanish mindset with a tapas menu, Catalan toasties and free-flowing sangria.

Built over the Brisbane River, this indoor-outdoor bar is the jewel in the crown of the Howard Smith Wharves precinct. Rub shoulders on the deck and enjoy sunset vibes and vistas with a side of bug rolls and blush-coloured drinks.

Characterful outdoor spaces and a pups-welcome policy have sent this venue on St Kilda Road to the top of the alfresco pops. From the exclusive Rosé Garden (book ahead to commandeer a wicker lounge suite) to the easygoing garden party of the Conservatory Café, it’s a sprawling vision of European style.

A seat on the terrace with the water lapping below is a winning move at this newcomer in Sydney’s east. The maritime décor – hundreds of glass buoys suspended in fishing nets from the ceiling and an unabashed use of shell art – matches seafood-focused menus at the lowerfloor kiosk and its crowning restaurant.

Brunch takes a bucolic turn at the café offshoot of Daylesford’s luxurious Lake House. Nestled in the town’s glorious Botanic Gardens, the café’s outdoor seating is surrounded by the kitchen garden and heritage-listed trees and the regionally minded menu features treats from the artisanal bakery at the owners’ nearby Dairy Flat Farm.

Turn the dial up by booking a private cabana at this chic rooftop bar – there’s room for you and 11 friends and a dedicated waitstaff adds to the A-list vibes. DJs play as views of Government House and the Adelaide Oval dissolve into the night.

The Three Blue Ducks café crew hit its locally sourced and seasonal stride on this 32-hectare working farm in Byron Bay. Wander the grounds and visit the animals before taking a seat on the patio or terrace to sample from the menu of dishes such as a roots-and-all slaw or flamegrilled seafood.

With a beer garden, outdoor terraces and a dog-friendly front bar, this three-level oasis in Perth’s Highgate is reinventing the traditional pub. Explore the venue with a tequila-based Mango Grapefruit Paloma in hand and soak up views of the city from the rooftop over a chicken parmigiana and beer.

It’s as essential to the Gold Coast as the theme parks and beaches, where sriracha-spiked fried bug rolls and Chilli Margaritas are ferried on loop to the crowds taking in sea-level views of surfers and sunbakers on Burleigh Beach. Those in the know take a towel.

Perched above the green swathe of the Lebrina Valley outside Launceston, Clover Hill winery’s spectacular terrace is decked out with beanbags and picnic tables; all you have to do is book ahead for a tasting of the sparkling specialist’s acclaimed wines matched with seasonal nibbles.

This vision of Palm Springs sitting on a platform in the middle of the Yarra all but demands you wear white linen. The chic stylings of terrazzo-topped tables and olive-green banquettes are matched by fun-loving cocktails and a snacky menu of pizzas and more. Get there via the hidden staircase halfway across the Evan Walker Bridge.

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