Best places to have an after-work drink in Melbourne over summer

With warmer weather, longer days and plenty of festive cheer on the horizon, these are the best bars to visit for an after-work drink.

These are the hottest bars to visit for an after-work drink this summer.

The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up and our appetite for socialising and festive cheer is at an all-time high.

Here are the best Melbourne bars and watering holes to visit this summer after work, or on a sunny weekend.

Arbory Afloat’s Viva Mexico has set sail.

Arbory Afloat

Summer has landed at Yarra River bar Arbory Afloat, with the launch of its Viva Mexico theme and Tulum-inspired agave bar, taco hut and pool area.

Lean into the fiesta with corn tortilla tacos served poolside, such as slow cooked pork shoulder and pineapple — or for more adventurous eaters — tender beef with avocado, cactus and crickets.

More than 60-odd agave products, from tequila, mescal, sotol and raicilla, will also be on pour as well as 10-tequilla based cocktails including the classic margarita. And for those hot days, Boozy Paleta Popsicles will be at the ready.

Afloat Pool Club, 2 Flinders Walk, Melbourne. afloat.melbourne

Petanque Social at Crown Melbourne.

Petanque Social

Crown Melbourne’s summer pop-up bar has returned for another season. Didn’t get to Europe this year? Don’t sweat, you can find a raft of European eats and cocktail treats to quench your thirst. 400 Gradi’s Johnny Di Francesco is on pizza patrol, slinging wood-fired hits including the margherita, diavola and mushroom and olive, alongside small bites such as arancini, meatballs and fries. Drinks include jugs of the French inspired, passionfruity-led Passion in Paris and the tropical St Tropez. There are also plenty wines, Peroni on tap and mocktails available.

Crown Riverwalk, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank, open Wed-Sun.

The Commons at Ormond Collective makes the perfect spot for drinking in the sun. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Commons at the Ormond Collective

Bruce and Chyka Keebaugh’s St Kilda Rd stayer is home to a sizeable warm weather courtyard and Happy Hour menu. On Thursdays and Fridays, guests can indulge in $6 beer and wine and a $12 bartender’s choice cocktail. The please-all-tastes food offering includes small bites such as fried calamari, poached prawns, burgers, steak sandwiches, pastas and a chicken schnitzel.

17 Moubray St, Melbourne

Yarra Botanica is ready for summer.

Yarra Botanica

The Yarra River’s permanent floating bar is known for its all-weather appeal, but in the warmer months the two-level space comes into its own. The Australian Venue Co bar is behind smart snacks such as crispy tempura mushrooms, rainbow trout doughnuts, smoked barramundi tartare and the popular kangaroo and pork sausage rolls. On the drinks front, knock back frozen spiked slushies, spritzes and classic cocktails, as well as beer, wine and the usual non-alch suspects.

Southbank Promenade, Southbank

The Ugly Duckling’s strawberry fields cocktail. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Ugly Duckling

The light-drenched atrium of this Swan St favourite has made the perfect perch for workers post 5pm for many years. Melbourne weather proof and timelessly chic, The Ugly Duckling is known for its classic and new-age cocktails, solid Aussie and Euro-inspired wine list and grazing menu load with serious snackery: oysters, gnoccho fritto, cold cuts and cheese. Untitled offers a larger feed, with chef Matt Woodhouse at the helm. Want to take the festive vibes home? Pre-batch Christmas cocktails The Gingerbread Man and the Candy Cane are available to buy on-premise and online until the end of December.

238 Swan St, Cremorne

Caretakers Cottage is one of the world’s best bars.

Caretakers Cottage

This humble bar inside an old Gothic church has been popular on the global awards circuit, (namely the World’s 50 Best Bars) — and for very good reason. Run by mates Matthew Sterling, Rob Libecans and Ryan Noreiks, Caretaker’s Cottage shakes up classic and contemporary cocktails, some of which have been inspired by techniques and flavours from world-renowned bars. Plus they have Guinness on tap and we can get around that.

139-141 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne