Newcastle was recently hailed NSW’s ‘Top Tourism Town’ and it’s easy to see why as you sip a spritz at Rooftop at QT.
Located on the top floor of QT Newcastle, the Rooftop offers spectacular city and harbour views alongside a delicious cocktail menu.
Newcastle’s city’s centre is midway through a remarkable revitalisation. The light rail has created a green corridor between the CBD and the harbour, fancy apartment blocks are rising on every street corner and international hotel brands such as QT are opening impressive five-star hotels.
We travelled to Newcastle to visit the Rooftop and enjoy its Summer of Spritz, which it is hosting in collaboration with Aperol.
Available daily, the curated spritz selection features Aperol Spritz, Campari Spritz, SKYY Spritz, and non-alcoholic Crodino Spritz. Bar bites have also been expertly crafted by QT Executive Chef Shayne Mansfield, with signature dishes including confit duck hotdogs on brioche buns with Campari jam, pickles and comte cheese, alongside mushroom tarts with parmesan custard, porcini soil and shitake marmalade. The menu also includes Jana restaurant’s fish wing with chilli tamarind and spiced peanuts.
Rooftop at QT has appointed Dave Watkins (above) as its Venue Manager. Watkins is a Novocastrian with over a decade of experience including managing the famed speakeasy cocktail bar Coal & Cedar.
We enjoyed a delicious selection of spritzes and bar bites while drinking in the harbour views. It was a spectacularly sunny day and we were dazzled by the mix of working harbour cargo vessels and yachts that were gliding past as we sipped.
We were lucky enough to be there on a Sunday, which is when a heavy rotation of Newcastle’s best DJs adds to an unforgettable edge to your summer spritz session.
We also recommend upgrading your Newcastle experience with a night at the QT. The hotel is is housed within the heritage-listed, 113-year-old David Jones building on Hunter Mall. It features 104 guest rooms and suites, with lashings of QT quirk and seriously covetable bathrooms.
While QT Newcastle is a destination in itself, it’s also surrounded by an impressive array of vibrant bars, restaurants and beautiful beaches.
Among other highlights during our Newcastle getaway were wandering around the corner from QT for cups of gelato at Popolo. We tried two sublime flavours – hazelnut and passionfruit & white chocolate.
We also walked to Newcastle Beach for a dip, followed by a glass of Prosecco at Newcastle SLSC, which features casual tables on the edge of the sand.
And make a booking at Light Years restaurant in Darby Street. Located in a beautiful high ceilinged Art Deco building just a few minutes walk from the hotel it serves delicious Asian dishes in a vibrant, tropical setting.
The restaurant was packed with happy diners during our visit, who were seated at curved booths surrounded by giant palm trees. We scored seats at the bar, ordered Pineapple Margaritas and tucked into mud crab, prawn and scallop dumplings, followed by Mongolian lamb and fish curry.
We’re already dreaming about our next visit to Newcastle, or Newie as the locals like to call it.
Summer of Spritz is available seven days a week at both Rooftop at QT and Jana Bar, from now until 29 February 2024.