Rooftop Dining Melbourne

Ask a well-travelled local to name the best rooftop restaurants Melbourne has to offer, and South Yarra makes the list. The Emerson’s rooftop kitchen turns out share plates good enough to book a table for on their own merits, skyline included at no extra charge. It’s a destination worth planning around, not just passing through.

Book a table on the rooftop Preview the menu

The Rooftop is one of three distinct worlds inside The Emerson in South Yarra, alongside The Lounge and The Club downstairs, but you don’t need the other two to have a good night here. Climate-controlled either way, and just as comfortable at 9pm on a Friday as it is on a Saturday at 3pm.

Hours and Bookings

Open Friday from 7pm, Saturday from 3pm.
Walk-ins are welcome, but bookings are recommended, especially for dinner. Groups of ten or under can book online, anything larger needs a quick enquiry so we can confirm a table, a booth and any minimum spend.

Rooftop Restaurant South Yarra

A Kitchen That Pulls Its Own Weight

Every plate on the rooftop is cooked to order in our own on-site kitchen, not defrosted and hoping nobody notices. Grab a table or settle into one of our booths or tables, then let our chefs run the show with a menu built for sharing and a wine and cocktail list that actually matches the food rather than just sitting next to it.

What’s On The Menu

Bold, street-style flavours with a Mexican lean, built for a table that’s still deciding whether it’s here for a quick bite or the long haul. Highlights currently include:

  • Corn ribs: rubbed in house spices, served with salsa and lime
  • Japanese scallops: pan-seared in a chorizo harissa butter
  • Wagyu smash burger: house sauce, pickles, broché bun
  • Tacos: beef birria, carne asada, baja shrimp, buttermilk fried chicken, or king oyster mushroom for the table’s resident vegetarian
  • Oysters: fresh shucked, with cucumber, lime and jalapeño granita
  • Churros: with boozy scoop sorbet, because the night shouldn’t end on a savoury note

Every other name on the rooftop restaurants in Melbourne list wants you there for golden hour. We want you there for dinner too.

The Menu Changes With the Season

Our chefs rework the menu as produce and seasons shift: lighter share plates and cold seafood through the warmer months, heartier tacos and mains once it cools down. The result is rooftop dining in Melbourne worth coming back for. Check the current menu before you book.

Brunch or Dinner? Pick Your Mood

Same kitchen, same view, genuinely different mood depending on when you show up. Come for a long lunch or a proper dinner, the kitchen treats both like the main event.

Brunch on the Rooftop Dinner on the Rooftop
When Saturday from 3pm (brunch) Friday from 7pm, plus Saturday evenings à la carte
The vibe Long lunches, catch-ups, parents in from interstate, a Saturday that has no fixed end time Golden hour into skyline-at-night, first dates next to fortieth birthdays, dinner before drinks rather than the other way round
Best for Groups who want to start early and see where the afternoon takes them Anyone who wants a proper meal before the night gets loud

Not Just a Stop on the Way Somewhere Else

There’s a version of Melbourne rooftop culture built entirely around what happens after 11pm. That’s not this. Tables fill from early evening with people here specifically to eat well, not to kill time before the doors downstairs open.

The Emerson Rooftop Bar South Yarra Melbourne Chandon Oysters
South Yarra Bars smiling patrons enjoying food and drink in the sun

The Menu Changes With the Season

Our chefs rework the menu as produce and seasons shift: lighter share plates and cold seafood through the warmer months, heartier tacos and mains once it cools down. The result is rooftop dining in Melbourne worth coming back for. Check the current menu before you book.

Brunch or Dinner? Pick Your Mood

Same kitchen, same view, genuinely different mood depending on when you show up. Come for a long lunch or a proper dinner, the kitchen treats both like the main event.

Brunch on the Rooftop Dinner on the Rooftop
When Saturday from 3pm (brunch) Friday from 7pm, plus Saturday evenings à la carte
The vibe Long lunches, catch-ups, parents in from interstate, a Saturday that has no fixed end time Golden hour into skyline-at-night, first dates next to fortieth birthdays, dinner before drinks rather than the other way round
Best for Groups who want to start early and see where the afternoon takes them Anyone who wants a proper meal before the night gets loud

Not Just a Stop on the Way Somewhere Else

There’s a version of Melbourne rooftop culture built entirely around what happens after 11pm. That’s not this. Tables fill from early evening with people here specifically to eat well, not to kill time before the doors downstairs open.

Book Now

Rooftop Dining FAQs

If you don’t see your question here, feel free to reach out to our team for more information.

GET IN TOUCH

Walk-ins are welcome, but bookings guarantee your table, especially for dinner. Groups of 10 or more should enquire directly with our team.

Yes, with gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian and nut-free options across the menu. Let us know in advance if you have allergies, as the kitchen does handle nuts, shellfish and gluten.

Regularly. Whether it’s a milestone birthday, a hens lunch or a bucks dinner, our events team can put together a package to suit the group and the occasion.

Check our lost property page or email the team directly, and we’ll do our best to track it down.