The first grand slam of the calendar year is upon us, and the Australian Open’s home at Melbourne Park, right by the city centre, makes post-match festivities especially convenient. We’ve rounded up four spots close to the action where you can have a beer and a bite, and soak up the sunshine on your way to or from a match. Italian lagers are having a moment – why not head to a rooftop, grab a pint and speculate on which players will etch their name into championship history?

Pure South

From Melbourne Park, it’s just a short walk along Birrarung Marr to this elegant Southbank institution. It’s known for its focus on Tasmanian produce, which is sourced direct each week from fishers and farmers ranging from King Island to the Tasmanian highlands. The menu changes regularly, but you might get plates of St Helens oysters, Hardy family octopus, Tasmanian wallaby or King Island Scotch fillet. The casual riverside bistro is the perfect spot for a pre- or post-tennis bite and beer, with huge windows that open right onto Southbank Promenade. And during the Open, Pure South is offering a special dining package: a two- or three-course meal plus a premium draught beer or glass of wine, followed by water-taxi transfer straight to the tennis.

The Osborne Rooftop & Bar

The Osborne Rooftop & Bar is within easy distance of the tennis. At this South Yarra spot, you’ll find a downstairs bar, courtyard and restaurant doing classy pub fare including panko-crumbed schnitzel, Wagyu burgers and snacky share plates like salmon crudo and pork-and-crab rolls. But the main draw is the expansive rooftop space, fitted out with decking, greenery and plenty of shade, plus views of the South Yarra skyline. It’s a scenic spot to see the grand slam on the big screen with a Peroni in hand – grab your mates and watch in style.

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Bossley Rooftop

Ringed by highrises in the CBD’s east, Rydges’s Bossley Bar & Restaurant is a sophisticated offering not far from Rod Laver. Its summer rooftop pop-up is screening all the action from Melbourne Park, and it’s an ideal place to settle in with a beer and catch an all-star match. There’s a classic range of beers – lagers, cervesas and pale ales – on pour, plus summery cocktails and a thoughtful, Aussie-focused wine list to accompany the tight bar menu of stone-baked pizza, charcuterie and small plates like kingfish ceviche.

Royal Saxon

Richmond’s Royal Saxon is housed in an elegant double-storey building that’s partly obscured by the original Church Street facade. The design by Six Degrees Architects incorporates a shady courtyard around a stunning Port Jackson fig – a tranquil spot to wind down with a beer after a day spent courtside. Inside, you’ll find the tennis on-screen and a wide selection of local and international beers on tap. Sample some of the Mediterranean-leaning small plates – like salt-and-pepper calamari, prawn ceviche and truffled arancini – and watch the players battle it out on the big screen.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Peroni.