Brisbane’s best outdoor bars include Hope & Anchor, Cru Bar & Cellar and Fitz & Potts

Brisbane’s climate is (almost) perfect for outdoor get-togethers all year round, so why not check out these top spots. SEE THE FULL LIST

In Brisbane, where warm days linger long into mid-year and winters are mild-mannered, ‘outside’ is the default setting when it comes to enjoying a drink.

For all but a week or so each year, when the icy Ekka westerlies rip through the city, the terraces, decks, footpath tables, beer gardens and rooftops of Brisbane’s bars are packed with happy imbibers, knocking back wine or cocktails and grazing on bar snacks.

Alfresco drinking options are not just limited to the city centre either, changes to the liquor laws in 2009 saw the birth of the petite local – personality-filled suburban bars, with gardens, backyards or small open spaces that fast became much-loved neighbourhood hangouts – a place for a pre-dinner drink, Sunday afternoons with friends listening to live music, or even a dog-walk pit-stop.

Here are five of the best bars to raise a glass to Brisbane’s alfresco lifestyle.

Cru Bar & Cellar, Fortitude Valley

Brisbane’s benchmark wine bar, the vivacious Cru Bar has a terrace with elevated tables overlooking leafy, fashion-forward James Street – the perfect perch for beautiful-people spotting.

Protected from the elements, with comfortable seating and an irrepressible “good-to-be-alive, let’s have another glass,” ambience, Cru Bar inspires lingering.

The wine list alone, (recently awarded Australia’s best), requires time to explore, with an astonishing 450 wines, from idiosyncratic low-intervention locals to inky-hued super-Tuscans, with many available by the glass.

While it attracts some serious wine enthusiasts, Cru Bar remains refreshingly unpretentious and it’s worth seeking counsel from the amiable, well-versed staff, particularly if you’re keen to try something a little esoteric or a big-ticket number from the impressive Coravin list.

Fitz & Potts, Nundah

The community vibe is strong at this raffish, Nundah Village bar, where a steady flow of locals, often with kids and dogs, stream up the staircase onto the astro-turfed terrace of the eclectically furnished house-turned-bar.

Fitz & Potts’ wine list champions smaller, all-Australian producers with a focus on sustainability and natural wines, while the cocktail list kicks off with classics and builds to a kitschy finale, with a drink featuring ‘moonshine,’ maraschino cherries and a unicorn swizzle stick. There are also six independently-owned Australian beers on tap, as well as mocktails and alcohol-free beer.

The snacky menu is unapologetically vegan and stays true to the retro vibe, with jaffles, stuffed filo pastries and hot chips.

Maya Mexican Rooftop Bar, Fortitude Valley

Stylish Maya attracts a similarly well-groomed, hip young crowd who come to slide into its padded booths and order a round of margaritas and something from the coastal Mexican–inspired menu.

A ceiling dripping with greenery, club chairs with striped cushions and international guest DJs create an exclusive European beach club atmosphere, uniquely juxtaposed with the 360-degree urban backdrop of Valley rooftops and mirrored city skyscrapers.

Maya’s drinks list runs the gamut from cocktails to craft beer, while, if you’re feeling flush, a bottle of singer Jay-Z’s Armand De Brignac Gold ($1100) may be just the thing to partner with your ceviche.

Hope & Anchor, Paddington

Hope & Anchor is a leading Brisbane outdoor venue.

The wooden bar at this popular local looks like it has been lifted piecemeal from a British pub – albeit a pint-sized one.

Housed in a heritage-listed cottage that once functioned as a bakery, there are plenty of cosy nooks, but it’s the greenery-filled, street-facing garden, with share tables and often live music (and a fireplace for the odd cool evening), that’s the most sought-after spot, the dog-friendly footpath tables running a close second.

Drinks, from a compact but thoughtful list are supplemented by specials (smoked pickle sour beer anyone?) with wine served in quality stemware and a food menu serving up contemporary covers of pubs standards.

Hope & Anchor is popular for locals.

The Terrace at Emporium Hotel, South Bank

Take the elevator (an experience in itself) to the 21st floor for what are arguably the city’s premium views. Certainly, the best place to view Brisbane River, South Bank and beyond with a drink in your hand.

In pictures: The Terrace reopening ladies lunch

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The uber-chic and always buzzing Terrace Bar has tables facing an uninterrupted panorama of the city, beneath a retractable glass ceiling, service as slick as the décor and a comprehensive and creative drinks list– from contemporary signature cocktails to craft beers, rare whiskies and an impressive selection of international and domestic gin and rum.

There’s an equally appealing menu too – from small plates like Moreton Bay bug rolls and kingfish sashimi, to a splash-out Queensland-summer-on-a-plate seafood platter.