The Best Rooftop Bars In Canberra For Epic Views And Cocktails

Enjoy the sunshine from one of these sky-high haunts.

You will see the nation’s capital in an entirely new context when you perch yourself at one of the best rooftop bars in Canberra. From sunset vistas over Lake Burley Griffin to lively venues with salsa, live music and luxe lounges, the nation’s capital has a lot to offer.  Here is our guide to the best rooftop bars in Canberra.

1. The Inn at Edgars

diners at Edgar’s Inn, Canberra — Edgar’s Inn is a serene haven for foodies looking for a hearty brunch.

Edgar’s Inn is an institution in Canberra. As well as being one of Canberra’s best places for brunch, it offers the kind of camaraderie that makes it a community hub. By day, the multi-venue destination is a place where families converge for coffee and croissants after Saturday soccer. As day turns to night, the bar transmogrifies into a buzzy night spot for a catch-up with the girls or cosy dinner date under a cloud of giggles and clinking glasses.  Follow the scent of wood smoke upstairs to The Inn where everything from carrots to cauliflower to premium wagyu gets kissed with fire over an asado grill. While the views from the rooftop aren’t sky high, this is prime real estate.

Address: Level 1, 1 Edgar Street, Ainslie

2. Highball

the rooftop bar at Highball, Canberra — Highball sits atop the Melbourne building overlooking London Circuit.

Canberrans know how to al fresco. And Highball feeds into their lofty ambitions. Come spring, you’ll see locals gathering here to admire the trees below with their canopy of feathery, iridescent green leaves. Canberra doesn’t have the towering skyscrapers and soaring views boasted by its big-city counterparts. But it still has some of the best rooftop bars in Australia. Sit – highball in hand, of course – at Highball , which sits atop the Melbourne building overlooking London Circuit. Given its proximity to Parliament House, you’ll find public servants here with all kinds of political persuasions. Sign up for Tuesday night salsa or cocktail-making classes. It’s definitely worth a tipple or two.

Address: Level 1, 75 London Circuit, Canberra City

3. Leyla Bar

the Leyla rooftop bar, Canberra — Leyla Bar features views of the Canberra city skyline.

It’s very easy to lift your spirits when you’re sitting, cocktail in hand, overlooking sweeping views of Canberra’s city skyline, Lake Burley Griffin, and beyond. Watch the sun set and pour liquid amber over some of the city’s most iconic buildings from Leyla Bar so you can contextualise your place in the nation’s capital. The bar is bright and breezy and a top spot for bar bites inflected with a Spanish accent. Canberra’s newest rooftop bar is on the rooftop of the Burbury Hotel in Barton. We recommend the cheese toastie with hot mustard and pickles and a glass of something local and funky.

Address: Level 7, 1 Burbury Close, Barton

4. Howling Moon

the rooftop bar at Howling Moon, Canberra — Head to the Howling Moon for a sundowner.

Looking for a central hotel close to all the action in Canberra? The Rex Hotel is located amid the hustle and bustle of Braddon. And the views are just as vibrant as the cocktails. Do a few laps of Lonsdale St and then retreat to the covered rooftop, which is in action year-round.  Howling Moon is one of the best rooftop bars in Canberra for its location. But there’s also plenty of green corners where you can sit and watch the sun dip over the distant hills. Order the aptly titled ‘Above the Avenue’ and wolf down some wood-fired pizzas. Howling at the moon optional.

Address: Level 6, 150 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon

5. Bar 59

the rooftop bar at Bar 59, Canberra — Sip on local spirits overlooking Lake Ginninderra. (Image: Bar 59)

Bump your way up one of the rutted mountain tracks of Mt Ainslie so you can earn your calories at Bar 59, atop the Mercure Canberra Belconnen . Bar 59 is your absolute go-to for its stunning outlook over Lake Ginninderra.  It’s open from 4pm until late on Thursdays and Fridays, where you can enjoy everything from local spirits and craft beers to wines and classic cocktails. Those who think Canberra remains forged around public servants and roundabouts need a rethink. Invite your cynical mates from Sydney for sunset cocktails using a smug tone (verging on victorious) to Bar 59 for live music on a Friday night. Take that Syd Angeles and Bris Vegas.

Address: 59 Cameron Avenue, Belconnen

6. OHNO!

the entrance to OHNO! rooftop bar in Canberra — Enter this buzzy bar for casual drinks.

OHNO! … is frankly more of a ‘hell yes’. It’s one of Canberra’s newest elevated bars and a standout on the casual drinking and dining scene. You might gather from the almighty Google that OHNO! is your go-to in Griffith. And it’s a civilised experience to be encouraged to wait upstairs for your table with a drink before you dine. Don’t miss out on the house DJs and do ask for the waiter’s advice when it comes to ordering off the menu (which is so extensive it reads like an instructional manual). It is quite likely you will go with the suggestion of mud crab with betel leaf, green papaya, coconut and salmon roe or the Japanese curry donut with apple, carrot, potato and onion. Expect an extensive wine list, too.

Address: 13 & 15 Flinders Way, Griffith

7. The Duxton

diners at The Duxton, Canberra — Enjoy hearty pub grub at The Duxton.

You might find yourself at The Duxton due to the insistence of your local mate, who raves about its Suits & Sips nights. We get it – your vibe is your tribe – but there are plenty of ways you can loosen the necktie at The Duxton.  The recently reimagined pub has DJs and hearty pub grub as well as lighter, healthier meals. Best of all: you can take in the sights of Canberra from an entirely new vantage point when perched at its new rooftop terrace, a leafy extension of The Loft. Let’s face it, enjoying the city views from the dynamic pub is a much better option than staying in at your Canberra accommodation in your PJs. You can also choose your own adventure in The Oak Room or Living Room downstairs.

Address: Corner Sargood and Macpherson Street, O’Connor

8. Yaki Boi

Bounce into Yaki Boi with a bit of swagger so you can feel at home among the rest of the pilgrims converging here for sunshine, pan-Asian snacks and spritzers. Consider your perch to be designed for prime people-watching with the crowd a mix of university students shuffling in after their last tutorial, and some local political pundits engaging in soft chit-chat in the corner. It’s not overstating it to say the Japanese fusion bites are fab. The cocktails are also fun and will get you very excited indeed about the prospect of hunkering down here for the evening. Another round is only an option if you order just one basket of dumplings. Head here for happy hour to beat the #cossylivs crisis.

Address: ORI Building, 72/30 Lonsdale St, Braddon.

9. Public Bar Manuka

the rooftop bar Public Bar Manuka, Canberra — Public Bar Manuka reels you in with its industrial-retro aesthetic.

Make sure you know how to pronounce Mahnika before you start waving your credit card around at Public Bar Manuka . Regardless of how many eye rolls you elicit from the locals if you pronounce the suburb ‘Muhnooka’, it has a ‘visitor’s welcome’ vibe that can’t be manufactured. Public Bar Manuka has a gritty, glam, industrial-retro aesthetic we love, with brass accent lighting, curved wooden tables and velvet chairs. But make no mistake: it’s the locals that hold this place together. Sit upstairs in the dining room and cocktail bar to enjoy a gossip and a giggle while looking out over the neighbourhood.

Address: Manuka Arcade, 1/33 Flinders Way, Griffith.

Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

walking trails in the Yarra Valley — You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy — Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy — A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate , I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate — Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

kangaroos in Yarra Valley — Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

the Yarra Valley vineyards — Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway — The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

Playing there

the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley — Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art . Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

Eating and drinking there

Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station — The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The best rooftop bars in Canberra to enjoy stunning views and cocktails