The StandardX, Melbourne has opened its rooftop to the public, bringing the buzz with cocktails on tap, DJ sets and skyline views.
Fitzroy just scored a new perch for golden hour. Boutique hotel The StandardX, Melbourne has flung open the doors to On Top, a rooftop space previously reserved for hotel guests. And it’s bringing a sun-drenched hit of LA cool to Melbourne just in time for summer.
All-day dining with a side of city views. (Image: Pete Dillon)
The vibe is decidedly playful: Aperol spritzes and yuzu margaritas flow on tap, while a Japan-style vending machine adds a dose of novelty. On Top’s suggestive name is equally on brand with The StandardX’s cheeky and charming tone.
Come Friday and Saturday evenings – and languid Sunday afternoons – DJ rotations set the tone, drifting from ‘90s Brooklyn to Lago beaches. It’s a relaxed social space that knows exactly when to turn up the energy and captures Fitzroy’s social spirit.
The design
The StandardX’s new rooftop overlooks Melbourne’s stunning skyline. (Image: Supplied)
With architecture by Woods Bagot and interiors by Hecker Guthrie, On Top brims with a summer-ready edge reminiscent of the sunset bars of downtown LA. Plush lounge seating, bistro tables and bar stools overlooking Melbourne’s captivating cityscape shape the space, while warm terracotta tones and arid plants create a lived-in elegance.
Designed with Melbourne’s mood swings in mind, the space is fully weatherproof thanks to a retractable roof and heating system that includes a Corten fireplace. While there are endless chic bars in Melbourne, this one holds year-round allure.
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The dining and drinks
Expect American-inspired bites at On Top. (Image: Supplied)
The StandardX, Melbourne’s all-day menu riffs on the hotel brand’s American heritage, spanning Wagyu sliders and hot-sauce-slathered fried chicken to oyster mushroom skewers marinated in shio koji and topped with chilli crumb. And for those who can’t refuse a sweet treat, fret not; cinnamon doughnuts served with warm chocolate sauce and mascarpone tart with salted caramel ensure you’ll end on a (sugar) high.
But what’s a great meal without flowing drinks to accompany? On Top serves Aperol spritz, yuzu margaritas and lager on tap, alongside a suite of signature cocktails. Nude & Rude is Mexican inspired (Mezcal, amaro, lemon, agave and bitters), while Cloud Cover is a heady mix of apricot brandy, Aperol, Lillet Blanc, ginger and lemon.
On Top offers some cocktails on tap. (Image: Supplied)
Vino lovers won’t be disappointed either. Designed collaboratively by The StandardX, Melbourne and Australian-based wine importer Lo-Fi, the wine list heroes local Victorian producers that focus on sustainable wines. To keep the fun rolling, the space even has a Japan-inspired vending machine stocked with pre-batched cocktails, wines and non-alcoholic drinks.
Opening hours
Monday to Wednesday: Exclusive access for hotel guests, no service (self-service from vending machine, The Box)
Thursday to Friday: Exclusive to hotel guests until 5pm, open to the public from 5pm to 10pm
Saturday: Exclusive to hotel guests until 12pm, open to the public from 12pm to 10pm
Sunday: Exclusive to hotel guests until 12pm, open to the public from 12pm to 8pm
Walk-ins are welcome, but the hotel recommends booking for groups of six or more.
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Where is The StandardX’s rooftop bar?
On Top rooftop is located within The StandardX, Melbourne at 62 Rose St, Fitzroy VIC 3065.
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or hunting down Sydney's cosiest cafes.
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.
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
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 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 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.
Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels
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
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
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.
