The best food to order and spot to sit at Carlton’s revamped favourite rooftop bar

For some mysterious reason, rooftop bars are as rare as twinsets and pearls in Melbourne’s inner north, which means that any new watering hole that boasts a view is an instant hit. That rule definitely applies to the always-busy Johnny’s Green Room in Carlton, perched atop King & Godfree grocery store and owned by the same crew.

But it’s set to be an even hotter destination this summer and beyond, thanks to a new star-studded culinary team headlined by Karen Martini and a more polished look befitting its well-heeled crowd.

First things first: how do we find it?

The queue to Pidapipo Gelateria is your visual cue. Locate that and you’ll see a laneway − the entrance to Johnny’s is at the end, on the left.

Haven’t we been to Johnny’s Green Room before?

Yes. Depending on your age, you might know Johnny’s Green Room as either a Faraday Street pool hall notorious in the 1970s, or an earlier iteration of this bar, which opened in 2018 as part of King & Godfree’s overhaul into a hospitality precinct.

So what’s changed?

The look, the food, and the people involved. Karen Martini has created the menu, Matthew Bax (ex-Bar Americano) wrote the cocktail list and Dion Hall (Supernormal, Her Music Room) revamped the design.

What was a minimalist space of steel and concrete is now a more comfortable rooftop bar with earthy tones and weather-proofing. Think more Tuscan terrace, less Italian futurism.

Pantone’s colour of the year, peach fuzz, is there in deep, nearly terracotta tones and lighter shades, offset by sandy neutrals and the dusky green of olive trees, rosemary and cacti in planters.

Did you say Karen Martini’s involved?

That’s right. The legendary Melbourne chef is consulting on the menu, balancing it with her new gig at Saint George, a reboot of St Kilda’s Saint Hotel. Her aim is to maintain a “bouncy, fun, outdoor bar” vibe, while adding “little twists that refresh that classic Italian flavour”.

What’s she cooking?

Vegetables are made luxe on Martini’s first menu, whether it’s a sculptural arrangement of cucumber and melon hunks on snow-white stracciatella cheese, or crumbed zucchini canoes holding whipped cod roe and a plump whole anchovy. Fried calamari skewers, all crunchy edges and tender seafood, come with tartare sauce that practically vibrates with citrus. It’s a perfect snack with the house negroni while you wait for pizza.

Pizza is the heftiest thing on the menu. Always a Johnny’s staple, there are 11 choices but don’t expect merely the usual line-up of margherita, pepperoni and friends.

Martini brings a grown-up touch with ingredients such as milky stracchino cheese, a fresh cow’s milk variety from Italy’s north, and confit garlic on a white base with greens. While toppings are generous and of obvious quality, the 48-hour fermented dough’s texture may vary while the kitchen crew finds its feet.

What’s the pick of the pizza?

Classics like margherita and salami with tomato are proving most popular so far, but the real treat this summer is a chopped prawn, green chilli and fried zucchini number.

What are we drinking?

With Matthew Bax on board, a cocktail, of course. Italian drinks and spirits are the jumping-off point for eye-catching (and highly slurpable) creations such as a vodka and blood orange sour with a cap of citrus foam, a bittersweet way to end your night. Even more fun is the build-your-own sgroppino (vodka, prosecco, sorbet), using lemon sorbet from sibling business Pidapipo downstairs.

Where’s the best seat in the house?

The tables at the farthest end of the venue have uninterrupted city views. The banquette might be more comfortable, but you’ll have your back to the city, so pick your seat accordingly.

Who should I go with?

Anyone visiting from out of town so you can show them that Lygon Street is about more than red-and-white tablecloths. From Thursday to Saturday, there are local DJs playing until late, so come with a crew who don’t mind whether you talk or not. Bear in mind it gets busy on warm days and you can’t reserve tables ... yet.

Pro tip

You have to order at the bar, so it’s wise to combine each round of drinks with a few things from the menu.

Open daily, noon-late.

Level 2, 293-297 Lygon Street, Carlton, johnnysgreenroom.com