With the world’s greatest harbour at the feet of millions of Sydneysiders, is it any surprise that this iconic Aussie city boasts some of the most spectacular rooftop bars in the country to sink a sip from. 

From dazzling sunrises over the east’s best beaches, to the bright bold colours of a setting sun over the Blue Mountains, you’re never short of a view or two when it comes to life in Sydney. But of course, everyone knows that the greatest views are always well above ground level.  

From stories up, rooftop bars litter the city like starlight, each clambering for a glittering glimpse of the world’s largest natural harbour. Or perhaps it’s the bridge that rises over Sydney like a beacon or the stark white sails of the Opera House that draw crowds to the top of buildings.  

It seems that wherever you turn in this unique city, sky-high drinking holes have popped up to quench the thirst of locals and visitors alike, for who could ever ignore the striking skies over one of the country’s prettiest cities.  

So, we’ve done the runaround for you and gathered up some of the lushest rooftop bars to wet your whistles. Because with sunset ticking, you don’t have time to waste. 

1. Wentworth Bar

Best For: Escaping the city beat 

If Sydney’s iconic, then so too is Wentworth Bar with its infamous curved design in line with the Sofitel below. Offering respite from any weather, the 495-square metre outdoor terrace (which can fit 250 guests) isn’t just an escape from the hustle and bustle below. It’s got a life of its own.  

With weekly DJ line ups, all the hors d’oeuvres you could want, and a global cocktail menu worth climbing five floors for (featuring the hotspot’s Fifth Floor Fizz for $23), you can’t go wrong at Wentworth Bar.  

Address: Level 5, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, 61-101 Phillip Street

2. Martinez

Best for: Post-work summer drinks

If you work in the CBD and are looking for a post-work spot, Martinez is a relaxed oasis in the sky with bridge views. This rooftop bar embodies the relaxed, easy-going dining culture of southern France and the Mediterranean coast with light bites of food and seafood-driven dishes such as prawn and scallop hashbrown “toast", burrata with plums, and barramundi with mussels. These are to be washed down with summery spritzes and a selection of classic Provence and Australian rosés.

Address: Opposite Hinchcliff House, Quay Quarter Tower, Express lift entrance off Young Street, Ground Lobby/50 Bridge St, Sydney NSW 2000

3. Aster

Best For: A sparkling view over Sydney Harbour 

There’s just something about drinking on top of an exclusive harbour-side hotel with unrestricted views across to Sydney Harbour Bridge that leaves you feeling like an international traveller.  

For a five-star experience, head to the highest floor of the InterContinental Hotel Sydney and capture the city from 32 floors up at Aster. While if breathtaking views aren’t enough, a cocktail menu designed by expert mixologists and a food menu boasting Sydney rock oysters and Hervey Bay Scallop Crudo is certainly going to win you over.  

Address: Level 32, 117 Macquarie Street

4. The Bristol

Best For: An urban rooftop hideaway 

Think old soul, new vibe because the heritage listed, five-storey CBD pub boasts the perfect mix of a 120-year-old history with a modern twist and Euro summer feels.  Featuring a 180-degree view of the city, The Bristol’s sunset deck offers up a Greek meze menu, a DJ through the weekend, and a Golden Hour happy hour from 430pm to 630pm Monday to Friday.  

While creative cocktails, a handpicked selection of local and international beers, and a curated wine list are enough to keep visitors long after dark.  

Address: 81 Sussex Street, Sydney 

5. The Sussex Hotel

Best For: Getting up and out of Barangaroo  

Hidden away behind a red-brick facade in Sydney’s business hub, lies one of the city’s most surprising rooftop bars at the foot of skyscrapers. The Sussex Hotel’s rooftop bar offers stunning sunset views alongside a Mediterranean mezze complete with orange and white umbrellas and an olive tree at the centre.  It’s like being on holiday, if only for your lunch break.  

Address: 20 Sussex Street, Sydney

6. Harper Rooftop Bar

Best For: A classy dip and sip 

There is nothing that excites us more than a rooftop bar with a pool and Harper might just be everything we’ve been dreaming of. Sitting on top of a boutique Art Deco hotel, the Kimpton Margot, this literal watering hole not only features a sky-high pool, but a gorgeously colourful decor you just want to get lost in while you sip on playfully crafted cocktails and let the good times flow.  

Perched high above the CBD, Harper Rooftop Bar promises an escape from the daily grind and doesn’t just deliver with a drinks menu to die for, but also offers Vino & Vinyasa evenings (because #balance), Puppy & Pino Sundays (when all doggo parents get a free glass), Burger Fridays for $20, Golden Hours, and weekend DJs. 

Address: Level 7 Kimpton Margot, 339 Pitt Street, Sydney 

7. The Library Bar 

Best For: Preppy chic vibes but make them “bookish" 

When you’re told that the entry to one of the city’s best-kept secrets is “at the back of the State Library of NSW and through the loading dock", you know that you’ve stumbled across Sydney’s greatest hidden bar.  

Worth its weight in books that date back to the 12th century, The Library Bar is as magic as the pages below it. With an eclectic and electric decor, designed by the talented library staff themselves, and sweeping views across The Domain to the city and beyond, this rooftop should be at the top of every Sydneysider’s list. Throw in a monthly trivia night, “themed for bookish people", and you’re going to be doing more than just reading at this library.  

Address: 1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney 

8. Old Mate’s Place 

Best For: A cosy night out

Give us a rooftop garden with cocktails any day of the week, and Old Mate’s Place does not disappoint.  

Nestled in the birdcage of Sydney’s CBD, this bar is a literal breath of fresh air among its lush greenery and speakeasy vibes. It’s a scenery that just demands a strong drink, and lucky this multi-level venue has plenty. It’s intimate, it’s cosy, and it’s exactly where you want a nightcap after a great first date.  

Address: Level 4, 199 Clarence Street, Sydney 

9. Joji

Best For: The place to be seen 

This sophisticated rooftop is almost too trendy for words. Literally. Because I’ve just discovered that Joji means George in Japanese which makes perfect sense when the Japanese bar sits five levels above George Street.   

Located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, at the back of the Cartier building as the website points out, guests are treated to skyline views and an “elevated and stylish experience". For those feeling hungry, the menu offers a range of raw and not-raw meals including Sydney rock oysters, kingfish, sashimi, and Shio Koji chicken karaage, while DJs will have you up on your feet all night.  

Address: Level 5, 388 George Street, Sydney 

10. The Rook

Best For: Truffle fries (enough said)  

Promising killer cocktails, top-notch bar food and stunning city views, The Rook is a great addition to Sydney’s hidden rooftop bars. Sitting above busy CBD streets, escape the hustle and bustle at this unique gem. 

From Sydney rock oysters to charcuterie boards, scallops, roast corn and squid fritti, the bar snack menu delivers more than your average rooftop. And then there are the famous truffle fries sprinkled with parmesan.  

Address: Level 7, 56-58 York Street, Sydney 

11. Henry Deane

Best For: Views no matter which way you look 

Referred to as the crown jewel of Hotel Palisade, Henry Deane doesn’t fall short of a view or two. Split across multiple levels, this cocktail bar and lounge offers up oodles of space, bars and balconies to disappear into.  

In direct eyesight of the magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge, this rooftop provides plenty of eye candy for those looking to take in the sights of the city. While eager to dazzle taste buds, the kitchen offers up caviar tins, scallops, Ortiz salted anchovy fillets, seafood ragu and pork belly to name a few plates. Then finish it off with a tantalising cocktail such as a John Lemon, Hard Road Highball, or Smooth Criminal.  

Address: 35 Bettington Street, Millers Point

12. The Glenmore Hotel 

Best For: Feeling like a reality TV star 

Make like the babes on Made in Bondi and get to the top of The Glenmore Hotel – a Sydney icon since 1921 – for one of the best 180-degree views over Sydney Harbour. With the Opera House in the gazing distance, this open-air rooftop is a no-brainer and packs one of the best breezes in Sydney.   

While it’s been busy hosting reality TV stars, the heritage-listed pub still offers up Aussie pub grub with classics like rump steak, chicken schnitzel, chicken parmigiana and, my personal favourite, wedges with sour cream and sweet chilli. The owners say it’s “where Australian hospitality meets an undeniable Sydney ambience."  

Address: 98 Cumberland Street, The Rocks

13. Kasbah

Best For: Transcending into a Mediterranean oasis  

Hanging out for a holiday but can’t afford the airfare? At the century-old The Strand Hotel in Darlinghurst you can get the next best thing with Kasbah. Boasting city views and decor to die for (think linen couches, textured rugs and leafy greenery), the rooftop bar just sings hot sultry summer nights. 

Then, of course, there’s the food; a dazzling display of French-Moroccan dishes. From baba ghanoush to beetroot hummus, zucchini flowers to yellowfin tuna crude, and octopus to lamb kofta, you can really travel around the world without leaving Sydney.  

Address: 90 William Street, Darlinghurst 

14. East Village Hotel

Best For: A drink at any time of the year 

Finding a 100-year-old Aussie pub with a rooftop bar is like hitting the jackpot and this one’s got a stunning Sydney skyline as its backdrop.  

With signature cocktails and curated wines, the East Village Hotel’s terrace is more than it seems and with a retractable roof it’s available all year round. Just picture a bright Mediterranean setting with yellow umbrellas to keep cool in the summer, and a cosy rooftop garden in the winter with a canopy of fairy lights. It’s the best of both worlds.  

Address: 234 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst 

15. Slims Rooftop 

Best For: Your next Instagram post  

They say Slims is “unlike any other rooftop bar in Australia" and I think they might just be right. The frilly pink umbrella and cactus covered deck offers such magnificent uninterrupted views over the city and setting sun that the only thing to do is to order an Aperol Spritz and drink it all in.  

While adorned with white garden furniture and chic lounges, Slims isn’t just known for its killer decor. The captivating aesthetic extends to the menu too with food so colourful it pops on plates. Imagine Hiramasa Kingfish ceviche, Peking duck pancakes, karaage chicken, pork gyoza and picture-perfect poke bowls. 

Address: 47-49 William Street, Darlinghurst  

16. Sweethearts

Best For: A Mexican fiesta 

Sitting on the top of the Potts Point Hotel and soaring three floors above Darlinghurst Road, Sweethearts is serving cute and cosy with a Mexican twist. This hideaway delivers mouthwatering meals and cocktails that just yell fiesta, while a sneaky tequila tasting always hits the spot.  

Whether it’s kicking back after work or partying it up on the weekends, this Mexican cantina is as known for its taco Thursdays as its Sunday sessions. Get amongst it any day of the week.  

Address: Level 3/33-35 Darlinghurst Road, Potts Point 

17. The White Horse

Best For: Relaxed drinks with a touch of sophistication

While it’s The White Horse’s restaurant that gets all of the attention after the 1930s premise underwent a multimillion-dollar glow-up earlier this year, it’s the rooftop that’s not to be missed.    

Filled with foliage, demure decor and mood lighting to set the vibe, the outdoor terrace and public bar offer a relaxed backdrop for any type of catch-up, or event. Since it opened, brands have been hopping on the hot spot hype and it’s definitely become the place to be seen. 

Address:  31 Crown Street, Surry Hills 

18. Webster’s Bar

Best For: A thirst-quenching drink after a train ride 

Located just a hop, skip and jump from Newtown station, Webster’s Bar is a great spot for an easily accessible drink if you’ve worked up a good thirst on the train to Sydney’s Inner West.  

Spread out across three floors, Webster’s offers a 1950’s 1950s-inspired bar on the ground and a speakeasy lounge on the first floor, but it’s the rooftop on the second that really draws the crowds in. The owners say it’s “where good vibes meet a soundtrack of Sunday music" and with 16 craft beers on tap, they’re not wrong about that.  

Address: Level 2, 323 King Street, Newtown  

19. Hotel Ravesis

Best For: An iconic drink over Australia’s hottest beach  

Located just over the road from the most popular beach in Australia, Hotel Ravesis is really something. Whether it’s for a boogie on the sticky dance floor below, a meal in the elegant dining room, or a sunset drink on the expansive terrace that wraps around the historic building, it’s a classic beachside hotel built for a good night..

Offering sweeping views over Bondi, the building resonates a coastal spirit and draws on Mediterranean cultures to offer up seafood, lamb, chicken, and Middle Eastern salads. And while the house-made cocktail list is short, the sips are more than alluring. 

Address: 118 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach  

20. Miami Rice

Best For: Beachside sunset vibes 

Drink in the very best of Manly with a setting sun and ocean breeze at Miami Rice, the iconic Hotel Steyne’s jaw dropping sunset deck.  

Sitting just a few metres from the sand of Manly beach, this historic building boasts more bars than you can count, but it’s the upper-level terrace that really captures hearts. With a DJ on standby, good vibes floating in, and Asian style share plates on the menu, Miami Rice is the only place to be in Manly this summer.  

Address: 75 The Corso, Manly