Sweet view, sweeter cocktails at On Top above the StandardX hotel
Seven floors up, the cherry on top of the StandardX hotel is now open to the public. Take in the view, head to the cocktail vending machine, and roll up your sleeves for fried chicken at On Top.
“I’ve never seen Fitzroy like this,” says my friend, who lives on the seventh floor of the StandardX hotel on Rose Street, a few blocks from the rooftop bar we hit.
Admittedly, this isn’t a title missing from the rooftops: Naked for Satan and Marquis of Lorne are ideal for raucous sunset sessions. But in our rooftop bar-obsessed city, every new perspective is a novelty, especially as rooftop bar season approaches.
But to say that this is “new” is not entirely accurate. The penthouse arrived with the luxury chain hotel crowned in August 2024, but was only accessible to guests. It’s now open to the public with a real name – On Top – and a hugely impressive 180-degree view.
When the clock strikes on a balmy spring Thursday, there’s barely any room left in the 60-seat bar. But the best in the house is free: tufted stools on its right edge provide an uninterrupted view of the CBD and the big, bulbous treetops of Carlton Gardens.
The bar itself is a spectator. You step onto the thickly striped pavement, surrounded by clumps of greenery and copper-coloured surfaces, and there are designer lounges to enter. And, importantly, it’s well protected against the elements, from the corner fireplace to the retractable roof to the blankets available to bar patrons whenever the weather gets a little windy. An east-facing orientation means there will be no direct sun around 5pm and unfortunately no sunset.
But the drinks flow until 22:00. Orders are taken at a small stainless steel bar, where you’ll find a beer and three cocktails for $23, including a crowd-calming Aperol spritz and a syrupy, zing-free yuzu margarita; the same price as some cocktails shaken to order.
Homemade drinks from the kitchen behind the bar are easier to drink, especially if your preference is for something sweet and fruity. The neon-orange Last Dance is like a Passionfruit Fanta grown up, spiked with vodka and Aperol, garnished with a lemon wedge and sipped by every second person in the venue.
Much of the cocktail complexity can be found in the sparkling-topped Nude & Rude, a blend of smoky mezcal, bittersweet amaro, and a hint of bitters. But for canned consistency, head to the self-serve drink vending machine as you exit the elevator; Stocked with a variety of local bulk cocktail brands and prosecco flavored with lemon leaf and lemongrass.
On Top Has Great Pre-Meal-Drink Energy. It was mostly one and done, with the transient crowd popping in and out during my visit, most of whom appeared to be guests, one of whom was an avid knitter, perhaps to dine elsewhere. If only they knew what else it had to offer.
As expected, delicious bar snacks range from oysters to cheese and charcuterie. But eat the whole hog – or choke on it as it is – and be rewarded. Fist-sized pieces of fried chicken may have come straight from a KFC bucket, but they outdo the Colonel with a craggy coating that tastes finger-lickin’ good despite not sticking to the chicken legs overly well, and slides even better in a pool of spicy-sweet homemade hot sauce.
Melbourne doesn’t lack for good hotel bars. But they tend to pull more travel wear than the cap-wearing creators I saw while reviewing StandardX.
Given the international brand’s reputation as a trendy place to stay and play, and On Top’s sought-after vibe, it has the potential to become a bar you’ll want to hang out in even if you don’t spend the night there. But it’s still early days. For this to happen, word needs to spread beyond the guests to the good people of Fitzroy. And they need to be willing to settle in long enough so that everyone doesn’t feel like they have a better place to stay.
Three more rooftop bars that flew under the radar
Uday
Recently opened modern Asian café Odette House has a restaurant above it and a rooftop bar above that, flattening its southwestern space. Main cocktails range from fun and passion fruit to the Phuket-inspired pina colada.
Floor 3, 43 McLister Street, Spotswood, odettehouse.com.au
Gigi
On the street there is little sign of Umberto Espresso Bar’s summer-only rooftop bar. But head upstairs to watch the sun set over the suburbs, with a spritz in one hand and a slice of pinsa in the other. Happy hour operates on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Floor 2, 917 High Street, Thornbury, gigirooftop.com.au
Olympic
Locals don’t need a reminder, but for the rest of you, here’s a timely one: Tucked away in a former car park above Oakleigh Market is a two-storey ode to the Greek islands. Opt for saganaki croquettes and Greek coffee espresso martinis.
16/18 Portman Street, Oakleigh, olympia.wine
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and independently paid. A restaurant cannot pay for a review or inclusion on a list. Good Food Guide.
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