If Aussies love a stiff drink, then our nation’s capital should be packed to the brim with all kinds of different places to grab one. Lucky for us, that may be an understatement. Canberra’s bar scene is innovative, and a patron of the locally produced beer, wine, and spirits produced all over the territory.
For a whole new vantage point of Canberra’s skyline, check out one of the rooftop bars. The Howling Moon is a sixth-floor bar with panoramic city views, Australian wine, cocktails crafted with Australian spirits, and lots of different snacks. Watching the sunset from here while sipping a cocktail is one of the best ways to spend an evening in Canberra. A little closer to the city centre is Leyla Bar, on the roof of the Burbury Hotel. Parliament House and Lake Burley Griffin are the main features of this bar’s spectacular views, but the enjoyment doesn’t stop at the scenery. Martinis are the specialty at Leyla Bar, ranging from classic mixes to non-traditional flavours. The bottomless deal is great value for weekend happy hour. Every Saturday, the Italian style menu flows freely with spritzes, rosé and prosecco for two hours at $80 a head. Highball is another option, although not technically on a rooftop, for a tropical-themed bar specialising in Central and South American flavours. This bar is found at the top of the heritage Melbourne building, overlooking London Circuit right in the city centre.
If you’re after something more lowkey, Canberra has some top-notch hidden bars, including one a couple floors down from Highball. Bar Rochford is award-winning, found upstairs in the Melbourne building. Their food and wine list are fluid, so don’t go expecting a particular meal, simply rock up and enjoy their local wines and vinyl records. Another upstairs hidden bar is Hippo Co. Their balcony looks onto busy Garema place, but the interior finds itself trending toward an American West aesthetic, while sitting atop Canberra’s first Chinese restaurant. They have more than 250 whiskys to try, so their tastings are a good way to experience the bar.
There are some great bars that are more traditionally hidden, like High Jinks and Fun Time Pony. High Jinks is found behind Parlour restaurant in the New Acton precinct, and has won ACT Cocktail Bar of the Year multiple times off the back of their extensive menu and cocktail-making classes. Fun Time Pony is grungier, focused on live gigs, late nights, and New York-style pizza by the slice. Perhaps its opposite is Molly, a speakeasy whose address is identified only by coordinates by its website. Molly is established in an old bank vault, with an unmarked entrance in Hobart Place. The atmosphere is classy and cosy, lit by candles with soft, 1920s jazz backgrounding your night.