Sydney Pubs: Rooftop Joints You Might Enjoy

When the weather is awesome in the summer, spring and fall in Sydney, who would really want to drink indoors? Australia is a land where the outdoors need to be appreciated, and that’s why rooftop bars in the city are so fantastic. Not looking for a stuffy pub to waste the glorious weather in? Look no further than this list of Sydney rooftop joints:

Glenmore Rooftop – I’m not alone when I say that the Glenmore Rooftop Bar is one of my favorite places in Sydney. Located down in the Rocks, just near the Sydney Harbour YHA, you get awesome views of the Sydney Opera House and harbour itself. The rooftop is rather spacious with plenty of tables and umbrellas to make it comfortable, but you can also choose the end section to partake in some standing space. It’s worth it!

>> Check out the official Glenmore Rooftop Hotel website.

Sweeny’s Rooftop – Sweeny’s Rooftop is a little known joint near Town Hall station. However, the rooftop is small, and there isn’t really a great view. Still, the drinks are nicely priced and the Thai food on the bottom level is tasty. It’s worth a stop if you are in the area.

>> Sweeny’s Rooftop is located at 236 Clarence St., Sydney.

Darlo Bar – The Darlo Bar offers a trendy little patio area up top, fresh with AstroTurf for carpet. There’s a little bit of everything at Darlo Bar, but the rooftop will have you seeing green (literally). This is a place to hang out for the atmosphere and not so much the view.

>> Check out the official Darlo Bar website.

Local Taphouse – The Local Taphouse blew me away with their 20 beers on tap, delicious selection of grub, nice surroundings and their nice and new open-air rooftop. The only unfortunate part of this rooftop pub is that there are walls, so you can’t get a view of anything except the stars in the sky.

>> Check out the official Local Taphouse website.

Gaslight Inn – The Gaslight Inn is just around the corner from Oxford Street on Crown in Darlinghurst and usually draws a pretty mixed crowd. But, they do offer a no-frills rooftop section where you can get some fresh air.

>> Gaslight Inn can be found at 278 Crown Street, Darlinghurst.

Ching-a-lings – Ching-a-lings is a small bar just on Oxford Street, topped off with a deck area to enjoy. This is a place where you’ll want to be out on the deck; the interior is quite compact.

>> Check out the official Ching-a-lings website.

Zeta Bar – Zeta Bar classifies itself as “Sydney’s sexiest nightspot”, one that even draws in the celebrity types. This bar features a rooftop terrace with views of the Queen Victoria Building.

>> Check out the official Zeta Bar website.

Zanzibar – This Newtown bar is located right on King Street in the heart of the action, and it features a pretty awesome rooftop section where you can get some amazing food and watch the sunset in the evening.

>> Check out the official Zanzibar website.