[category]
[title]
It’s been a while between drinks at Garden State Hotel, but the Flinders Lane fave has just unveiled a two-tiered rooftop garden, right in time for the warmer months. Ten years after first opening its doors, the multi-level venue has had a pretty hefty refresh – scoring a new all-season rooftop and a revamped cocktail bar for after-dark drinks. Here’s what we know so far.
Open now at the CBD institution, the Rooftop Garden sits above the venue’s existing beer garden – taking Garden State’s signature shrub-shrouded drinking zone skywards. The two-level, 300-person space includes an open-air lower terrace and a raised mezzanine with seating for up to 40 guests, connected by mosaic sage-green tiled stairs.
“Melburnians love a good rooftop, so we’re excited to bring this new elevated space to Garden State in time for spring warming up,” says venue manager Katie Saxton. “It’s a unique setting on Flinders Lane, with its own personality, while still feeling completely at home within Garden State.”
Aesthetic-wise, it's gloriously garden-coded: all wicker chairs, leaf-patterned umbrellas, layered plants and patterned flooring. And because Melbourne weather doesn’t like to make things easy, a retractable roof and heating mean the rooftop can be used throughout the year, not just when the sunshine decides to show.
The refresh also brings a new mood to The Observatory, Garden State’s cocktail bar, which has been reborn as a more intimate, after-dark hideaway. Expect plush booths, bespoke cocktails, bar snacks and vinyl DJs spinning disco, funk and soul (this one’s open Wednesday to Saturday from 4pm until late, with walk-ins only).
As you’d expect, food is a major focus. Head chef James Wilkinson has built a menu around locally sourced ingredients, Victorian beef and seasonal produce, with dishes designed for sharing. Our top picks? Prawn rolls with dill mayo and lemon, stracciatella with cucumber and honey, and plates of Sydney Rock oysters topped with caviar and limoncello vinaigrette. On the drinks front, the spring cocktail list features a Rhubarb and Pomegranate Spritz, Matcha Martini and Pineapple and Mint Mule – with new additions expected every season.
The new rooftop and refreshed Observatory join Garden State’s existing main bar, beer garden, Rose Garden basement bar, Tippy Tay and private function spaces, giving the decade-old venue a few more ways to keep the party going. You can find out more and book over here.