Coming Soon: The Preston Hotel Is Opening a New Rooftop Cocktail Bar with Pizza, Tapas and Uninterrupted City Views

A slew of new Melbourne rooftop bars opened or underwent major refurbs this summer (including but not limited to Mirror Mirror, Skinny Dog Hotel and Johnny's Green Room). But there's still stacks of sky-high real estate out there just waiting to be transformed into a new bar or restaurant.

The Preston Hotel is Melbourne's latest spot to put its rooftop space to good use as it prepares to launch its new sun-soaked cocktail haunt, Lulu Bar, on Friday, February 9.

Compared to the old-school boozer and sports betting space downstairs, the new bar is significantly more flash and set to draw in a younger crowd. The two spaces are a perfect representation of how Preston is changing.

But while Lulu Bar is more refined than The Preston Hotel proper, it is still leaning into distinctly laidback rooftop vibes. Local artist Sebastian Fransz has designed a colourful mural as a backdrop for the casual sofas and short timber tables on which to rest your drinks. The setup's pretty minimal, although you really don't need to overdo it when you've got such banging city views.

Those wanting more intimate, cool cocktail bar energy will likely be pleased by the indoor space, fitted out with plenty of artwork, matte rouge walls and leather couches. A bit more love has gone into this part of Lulu Bar.

Same goes for the food. Chef Pras is running the kitchen, serving up tapas-style share plates like chicken and corn croquettes with peri peri mayo and sticky pork ribs. House-made pizzas will also feature for those after something more substantial.

Pair the crowd-pleasing eats with bespoke seasonal cocktails (leaning into the spritzes and boozy slushies this summer), local wines and craft beers.

The Lulu Bar team also plans to host DJs, rooftop cinema events and wine tastings throughout the year, so do keep an eye out on its Instagram page for updates. The crew isn't reinventing the wheel here, just giving Preston a chill rooftop bar where the drinks will be flowing.

Find Lulu Bar at 635 High Street, Preston. It will open on Friday, February 9, operating 3pm–late on Thursdays and 12pm–late from Friday to Sunday.