Why settle for a drink when you can have a drink with a view? If there's anything we Melburnians are willing to climb plenty of stairs (or squeeze into a rickety lift) for, it's a hot rooftop bar. And now we can lay claim to having some of the best of them, thanks to a brand new ranking of the world's top sky-high drinking spots.
Ten of our beloved rooftop bars nabbed a spot on the list, the result of an intensive study by Mandoe Media. The company analysed 703,289 online customer reviews from 997 bars across 135 global cities to come up with a definitive grading of the 200 best elevated watering holes on the planet. TripAdvisor ratings, drinks prices and Instagram shares were all taken into account, and the results are now in.
The highest Melbourne bar to rank on the list at number 15 was Fitzroy's very own Naked in the Sky, a rooftop haunt that boasts one of the best views of the city skyline and a perennially cracking vibe. Coming in at 41st place, Bomba is a funky Spanish tapas bar in the CBD that's particularly prized for its generous selection of vermouths.
Hot on Bomba's heels was another CBD-situated bar, Rooftop QT, which came in at 53rd place. The hip joint has recently entered a new era, thanks to a fresh new look and Mediterranean-inspired food and cocktails menu.
In 61st place was Rooftop Bar, located on the uppermost floor of Swanston Street's historic Curtin House and a favourite for Melburnians since it opened in 2006. This was followed by Captain Baxter and Palmz Rooftop Bar, which came in at 83rd and 134th, respectively.
Four more Melbourne bars made the cut in the top 200, including The Emerson, Wolf's Lair, Fable Melbourne and Goldilocks.
Perhaps you're wondering which rooftop bar nabbed the world's top spot? It was AkaAza Bar in Bangkok, and we can't deny it – those sunset views look absolutely stunning. But until we next book flights to Thailand, we're pretty damn stoked to have some of the world's best right on our doorstep.
You can check out the full global ranking online here. And here's our very own round-up of Melbourne's best rooftop bars.
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