Melbourne is showing no signs of hibernating for winter, with new bars opening thick and fast, including rooftop bars – weather be damned. There’s Beverly in South Yarra, tiny but mighty Bar Bellamy in Carlton and the culturally minded Young Hearts in Windsor.

California dreaming at Beverly

Melbourne and Los Angeles are far from being sister cities, but perhaps that’s why the southern California-inspired Beverly feels so enticing. Crowning a 24-storey commercial tower on Chapel Street, the rooftop bar-restaurant is a collage of Palm Springs curves, preppy stripes and muted desert colours, with sweeping views of Port Phillip Bay, the MCG and the Dandenong Ranges.

Owner Cam Northway (Loti, Rocker in Bondi) spends a lot of time in LA for business and wanted to bring that city’s rooftop dining culture to Melbourne, along with more than a few nods to its 20th-century heyday of design. In a concession to Melbourne’s weather, half the 200-seat venue can be covered by retractable glass.

The menu ticks many boxes, with lobster cannoli for drinkers and wood-fired chicken from Heidy’s Pastured Poultry in the Yarra Valley for dinner guests. It also covers lots of ground, from prawn ceviche to Cobb salad to tiramisu, a reflection, Northway says, of LA’s diverse food scene.

Those stopping by for drinks can choose from leading Australian wines, such as Quealy; Australian and international beers; and a cocktail list that’s skewed towards tequila and rum drinks, such as the El Penicillin (with tequila, apricot brand, honey, lemon and ginger).

Open Tue 4pm-midnight, Wed to Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-10pm

627 Chapel Street, South Yarra, beverlyrooftop.com.au

Bellamy rings in good times

Smaller in size, the 35-seat Bar Bellamy isn’t short on ambition, despite being the first rodeo of owners Dani and Oska Whitehart.

Combining Dani’s front-of-house flair (honed at Archie’s All Day and other cafes) and Oska’s bar skills (thanks to The Everleigh and Gimlet), the venue champions time-worn design and culinary touchstones. The idea, the Whiteharts say, was to create a comforting package built for locals first and foremost.

Chef Barney Cohen (ex Anada, Nomada) is serving devilled eggs, mussel croquettes served in the shell and schnitzel Holstein until late, with the venue licensed until 1am. “[Late-night dining] feels like something we’ve missed out on lately,” says Oska.

Cocktails are seasonal twists on classics, such as the Plum Collins, featuring the late-summer fruit in four different guises. There’s also a rotating picon (a French aperitif combining amaro and beer). Right now, it’s fig-infused Picon Amer and Philter red ale.

Original pressed-tin ceilings are enhanced by clever lighting, while joinery, offset by green tiles, large mirrors and stained glass, lends a bistro feel. Nestled among a ragtag assortment of eateries, the couple hope Bellamy will be a welcome pitstop between Carlton North and the city.

Open Wed to Sat 5pm-1am, Sun noon-8pm (or sold out)

164 Rathdowne Street, Carlton, barbellamy.com

Young Hearts on fire

Windsor is also being treated to the fresh ideas of a next-gen operator with Young Hearts, which just opened on the former Galah Bar site. Nic Coulter runs neighbouring Neptune Food and Wine and wanted to ensure the street didn’t lose the energy a high-quality bar can bring.

The music and art-friendly Young Hearts is the result. Coulter has plans for regular exhibitions at the bar, beginning with Cassidy Jackson, who also painted the mural on one wall. There are DJs programmed throughout the week plus live acts each Thursday (starting on May 4), and Sunday day parties are in the works.

Things are kept fresh on the food front by running six-month kitchen residencies, starting with neighbour Freddy’s Pizza, which is doing a snack-focused menu. Currently on offer: cacio e pepe croquettes, mini chicken cotoletta sandwiches, crumbed olives with ’nduja, and lamb arrosticini.

The Freddy’s crew have also brought their own limoncello with them, available in a slushy cocktail or on tap. Also on the drinks menu: lo-fi wines (such as Jumping Juice); Bodriggy beers; and six signature cocktails, ranging from the Matryoshka with smoked thyme and celery bitters on a vodka base, to the smoky-spicy El Santo featuring habanero oil and tequila.

Open Thu to Sun 5pm-1am

216 High Street, Windsor, younghearts.melbourne