Discover the best all-weather rooftop bars in Sydney with our ultimate guide. From stunning views to distinctive atmospheres, our top picks include covered areas, heated spaces, and indoor spots for year-round enjoyment.
Rooftop bars have become an essential part of the Sydney social scene, offering sweeping views of the Harbour City while you get to take it easy with a bevvy in hand. If you’re after a swoon-worthy date spot, want to let loose with friends after work, or spoil your clients with an indelible night on the town, Sydney’s got something for everyone.
We’ve compiled our top eight all-weather rooftop bars for even those chilly winter nights – complete with retractable roofs, heaters, blankets, and hot drinks to warm your body while expertly mixed cocktails warm your soul.
To compile this list, we consulted Westpac Concierge travel specialists. Our on-the-ground team has extensive knowledge of the country’s travel scene, helping members with hotel and flight bookings, top places to grab a bite in the city, and more exclusive insight. What’s more, this service is completely complimentary to eligible Westpac cardholders – you might even already have access.
The Rook
Best for: secret garden parties
Pavlova, I hardly know her – not just an eternally hilarious joke (you can admit it, this is a safe space), but also the name of one of the famous cocktails served at The Rook rooftop bar. You can sip on puntastic concoctions here all year round thanks to a retractable glass roof that lets the light in and keeps the weather out, and soft blankets ready to swaddle up in. Colourful flowers hang from the ceiling and creep up the walls of the dining area like a hothouse, which sets the scene for the Secret Garden bottomless brunch that’s hosted every weekend.
📍 Level 7, 56-58 York Street, Sydney New South Wales 2000
The Glenmore hotel
Best for: classic pub vibes
A stalwart of the Sydney bar scene since 1921, this historical house of libation brings you harbour views; comforting yet elevated pub grub, such as burgers, chicken wings, and salads; and a retractable roof that means they’re open all year – come rain, shine, hail, or apocalypse. This is the place to go on a cold winter evening when you’d rather ditch the clubs and spend time enjoying the friendly staff, outdoor heaters, chats with friends, and immediate access to cheesy polenta chips.
📍 96 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, New South Wales 2000
The Butler Potts Point
Best for: ecltectic old-world charm
Picture a mild winter afternoon, sitting in a wicker chair surrounded by lush greenery, looking out over the city skyline, and savouring exquisite Ibero-American cuisine – now, stop picturing it and go live it at The Butler Potts Point. The heaters hanging from the ceiling of the pillared roof of the terrace will ensure that no frosty feelings keep you away from chef Amber Doig’s artfully engineered menus. Gather around shared plates of scallops, lamb, and chicken tacos, or order a la carte if the food seems too delicious to share.
📍 123 Victoria Street, Potts Point, 2011
Coogee Pavilion Rooftop bar
Best for: ocean views all year round
No inclement weather can keep a true Sydney native away from the coast. Of course, even the ethereal beauty of a stormy sea is best viewed with a warm drink in hand from the safety of the atrium at Coogee Pavilion Rooftop or its covered terrace bar. Styled after the home of some long-gone mad botanist, the four indoor and outdoor rooftop bars are filled with fascinating objects waiting to be discovered. Warm up by tucking into the fragrantly spiced Middle Eastern cuisine from Jimmy’s Chicken, while soaking up the beauty of the waves below.
📍Level 3, 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee, New South Wales 2034
Zephyr
Best for: lovers of spiritfs and creative cocktails
Nothing warms the soul quite like the first sip of your favourite spirit – and Zephyr is sure to have it among its extensive collection. On the 12th floor of the Hyatt Regency, this bar takes inspiration from Darling Harbour, which it overlooks. A nautical-style covered bar – complete with a counter with the curves of a boat – seamlessly yields to outdoor seating, and the indoor-outdoor design makes it perfect for days when you just don’t know what the weather is doing.
📍Hyatt Regency Sydney, Level 12, 161 Sussex Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000
Marrickville Springs
Best for: forgetting the winter blues
This rooftop bar announces its name in true retro fashion with a neon sign depicting two green and blue palm trees behind a bright pink flamingo framed by the name Marrickville Springs. An ode to the camp, Bohemian glory of ‘80s beach resorts, with its retractable roof and sheltered position, this is the place to be when you have the winter blues and need to soak up some sunshiny vibes. So, grab a frozen beer cocktail or a spiked slushie, sit under the palm tree mural with evergreen succulents hanging above your head, and embrace the fact that it’s always sunny in Marrickville Springs.
📍92–98 Sydenham Road, Marrickville, New South Wales 2204
Taylor’s Rooftop
Best for: ‘partying like the roof can’t hold you’
The term ‘oasis’ gets thrown about a lot, but in the case of Taylor’s Rooftop, there’s no other word you could use. A vertical garden covers the walls and a retractable roof keeps the rain out and the party inside. At weekends, the tables are swapped out for a dancefloor. You can catch live music performances or the city’s hottest DJs creating a vibrant soundscape ideal for a raucous night of cocktails, making new connections, and refuelling with a good old-fashioned cheeseburger – and then, to quote Taylor’s itself, you can ‘party like the roof can’t hold you’.
📍69–73 Pitt Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000
Terrace, East Village hotel
Best for: casual vibes, and bottomless brunch
Long sun-drenched brunches don’t have to be a summer event only; combine a sunny winter day with heaters and blankets at Terrace, and voila! You can sip socially acceptable morning bubbly any time of year. Of course, this rooftop restaurant doesn’t only serve brunch, it has a delightful seasonal menu offering everything from deluxe tater tots with truffled sour cream, green sriracha, and furikake, to lamb souvlaki and a range of burger options. The restaurant also has an excellent selection of handpicked local wines to accompany your meal.
📍234 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst, New South Wales 2010
Reading about the world of all-weather rooftop bars is all well and good but now that you know where to go, it’s time to select your favourite from our carefully curated list and brave the chill for as long as it takes to get under a warm blanket, grab a seat near a heater, and order a drink. With Westpac Concierge Services, you can enjoy exclusive offers and benefits at certain restaurants, bars, and hotels.
