Chantay Logan rounds up the Gold Coast’s best open-air bars

BAR HELLENIKA

2235 Gold Coast Hwy, Nobby Beach

You’re guaranteed box seats for the sunset at Bar Hellenika.

With hours extended from midday until midnight every day throughout the Commonwealth Games, you’ll also have plenty of time to put one of the Gold Coast’s finest wine lists through its paces.

While the roomy umbrella-shaded rooftop has its own drink selection, owner Simon Gloftis says on-request access to Hellenika’s collection of more than 500 labels is among the perks of the new perch.

“There are some amazing wines from around the world — beautiful Bordeaux from France — but I get excited because we’re the largest Greek wine list in Australia now. We have 58 wines just from Greece and I’d love people to try them. You get beautiful mineraly whites from Santorini. The bonus is Greek wine is really well priced — if it had an Italian or French label it would cost four or five times more.”

Of course, there’s a mezze menu to assist your explorations.

Order up on grilled saganaki with a squeeze of lemon, the signature rough-cut Greek salad starring the juiciest of heirloom tomatoes, SA octopus, zucchini chips and lamb ribs.

NINETEEN AT THE STAR

Level 19, The Darling (enter via the casino floor), 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach

You don’t need a restaurant reservation to enjoy the view everyone’s raving about.

The Gold Coast’s most lofty rooftop bar, Nineteen at The Star surveys our sparkling skyline across its blue-lit infinity pool.

Sip champagne or a signature cocktail on the terrace.

“You can see the city all the way up north and down south, but I really want people to walk around to the side and look around to the hinterland too — it’s just beautiful,” says co-owner Simon Gloftis.

While you can book a booth with classic bottle service, walk-ins are welcome to enjoy a drink at the bar on a first come, first served policy.

In case you were wondering — and keen to rub shoulders with the A-list in town for the Games — Simon says there are still spots available in the restaurant.

“The peak times are pretty full, but we will take earlier and later bookings.”

THE COLLECTIVE PALM BEACH

1128 Gold Coast Hwy Palm Beach,

Overlooking the light-strung alfresco dining room and out to the hinterland, it’s hard to beat balmy evenings at this Palm Beach perch.

There’s a bunch of legends behind the bar and they don’t mind a bit of banter while you narrow down the mind-boggling array of cocktails.

Go for the Frat Boy to sample the local Balter XPA, white rum and Pisco blended with Mt. Tamborine Distillery’s herbal Eau De Vie, or the long, spritzy Forest Plum Fizz fusing Brockman’s gin with native Davidson plum and cabernet syrup.

Munch on pork belly nuggets; sashimi-grade salmon poke piled on crispy wontons; beer-battered snapper tacos with pickled pineapple; and maple-glazed figs with whipped goat’s cheese and crushed walnuts.

Gluten-free or vego? You’ve got a menu all to yourself.

Graduate to dinner downstairs where retractable roofing provides a wet-weather plan.

THE ISLAND ROOFTOP

3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise

If you’re after alfresco atmosphere, head into the heart of Surfers.

In an open-air playground of palms, bench seats, beach umbrellas and fairy lights, The Island Rooftop hosts bands, DJs and special events.

Sip cocktails in the sun or under the stars and choose from a group-friendly menu of share plates, platters and pizzas (just be warned, if you order the lobster roll you’ll want to keep it all to yourself).

Pull up an acapulco chair and savour a sea platter piled with salt and pepper squid, prawns and salmon sashimi, or go for the land option to graze on truffled mushroom arancini, lamb skewers, buffalo chicken wings and more.

The Island Rooftop will be open Monday to Friday from 3pm until late and from noon until late on weekends during the Commonwealth Games.

JUSTIN LANE ROOFTOP

1708-1710, Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads

If you could distil a Gold Coast summer into one crowd-pleasing package, it’d look a lot like the Justin Lane Rooftop.

With year-round good vibes under a blue-sky ceiling and views across the park to the beachfront, it’s the place to be in Burleigh. Grab a chilled Stone & Wood or cool cocktail to enjoy in one of the cushioned window nooks where the breeze sweeps in off the ocean.

If you score one of the sought-after seats the good news is you won’t have to budge, with the full food menu now available on the rooftop.

That means a slice of the cult pizza action (the thin sourdough base is at its best topped with prawn, calamari, garlic confit, mozzarella, chilli, parsley and a lick of lemon) and more-ish modern Italian morsels.

Try the San Danielle prosciutto with buffalo mozzarella, peas, mint and olive oil, or fried eggplant chips to dunk in a spicy arabiata sauce.

MR PP’S DELI & ROOFTOP

43 Nerang Street, Southport

Mr PP’s single-handedly raised our CBD’s cool factor when it opened late last year.

History, character and revitalisation mixed in with the modern, visitors cross original hardware floors — a nod to the building’s former life as the Maternal and Child Welfare centre built in 1967 — to reach the open-air terrace.

Protected by a retractable roof, it’s designed for post-work wind-downs and casual weekend drinks. While the European deli downstairs is dedicated to high-quality cheeses, meats and canned delicacies to nibble while sampling whiskies and wine, upstairs offers pizzas, platters and a handful of mains to match the well-rounded refreshment list.

“I think something like Mr PP’s was lacking in Southport, and the northern end really, for so long,” co-owner Ben Howe says.

GOTHAM GRILL & ROOFTOP BAR

6 Bayview Street, Runaway Bay

The Northern Gold Coast collectively lost its mind when this mystery-shrouded project opened last month, booking out the three-tiered Manhattan-style landmark in record time.

Now the speculation has been satisfied, it’s time to enjoy The Ridgeway Group’s darkly decadent space in a more relaxed fashion.

Start at the top with a well-earned sundowner — an iPad menu loaded with photos makes it easier to choose a cocktail from the likes of Fruit Bat libations and themed tonics.

The rooftop has its own menu, with owner Daniel Ridgeway recommending the Gotham city pizza with its thick base, Napoli, pepperoni and loads of mozzarella, lobster rolls and the southern fried chicken burger with spicy mayo and a brioche bun.

You won’t need a reservation for a spontaneous drink, but the venue does accept rooftop bookings for groups of eight people or more.