The Aylesbury Rooftop Bar Melbourne is a small rooftop bar atop the building that houses the Aylesbury Restaurant (located on the ground floor).
It’s one of my favourite spots to grab a drink and a quick bite when in the CBD. The bar is stocked with a very impressive range of spirits, and the staff are very knowledgable when it comes to explaining what differentiates the many varieties of a given spirit that they have. My friend, for example, was drinking rum that night and the characteristics of each rum was explained to us.
The space is quite dark, and I only had my phone on me, hence the lower than usual quality of the photos.
The cocktails at the Aylesbury Rooftop Bar are exceptional. There is a small selection of cleverly named house creations, and the classics are done just right. Earlier that night, I had a Negroni (the Aylesbury Rooftop has a reputation for doing one of the best in Melbourne), followed by an Old Fashioned.
The classic Old Fashioned at the Aylesbury Rooftop Bar is one of the best I’ve had in Melbourne. You can thank Don Draper for getting me hooked on this drink, and I’ve been steadily working my way through the Old Fashioned offerings in Melbourne ever since the new season of Mad Men started. The staff are more than happy to change up the classic recipe with a modern twist if that’s what you like.
The wine list is decent, and there is a small selection of very good craft beers on offer too.
Moving onto the food, the Aylesbury Rooftop Bar has a small selection of small dishes available. What’s different than many places, is that the food isn’t prepared in the same kitchen as the restaurant food downstairs. Rather there’s a small kitchen to the side of the bar that takes care of the rooftop food duties.
Smoked Eel Croquette ($4.00)
I really enjoyed the croquette. It had a nice texture to it and was quite light.
Patatas Bravas ($10.00)
The patatas bravas were very tasty, but ultimately not worth $10 for what is, when it comes down to it, a plate of thick chips.
Fried Peppers ($7.50)
I enjoyed the peppers. They had a nice kick to them without being too spicy.
Queso Manchego with Quince Paste ($4.00)
The cheese was tasty, and I quite liked the more solid than usual texture of the quince paste.
Prawn Slider ($9.00)
The prawn slider was really tasty. Simple, cooked well, and with a really nice sauce. All of the flavours were really balanced well. My favourite dish of the night.
The bar opens up to an outdoor terrace, where you can get a view of the world below passing by. A retractable roof and heating are part of the terrace, which means it’s an option all year ’round.
I haven’t eaten at the Aylesbury restaurant downstairs yet, but I can certainly vouch for the rooftop bar. It’s a sophisticated yet laid back space, the staff are knowledgeable skilled and friendly, the drinks are excellent, and the food is decent. The drinks are quite well priced, however the food is definitely on the expensive side. What isn’t in doubt is that everything on offer is of the highest quality, and that I’ll be back there on a Friday night sooner rather than later.
The Aylesbury Rooftop Bar
103 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9077 0451
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://theaylesbury.com.au/
Open
Mon – Fri: 12:00pm to late
Sat – Sun: 3:00pm to late
