Zekkai Lands on Queen Street with Sky-High Views and Late-Night Intentions
Melbourne has no shortage of rooftops, but its newest player isn’t interested in being another leafy perch with fairy lights and frosé. Sitting fifteen floors above Queen Street in the old Blue Diamond space, Zekkai has opened as a hybrid creature: part restaurant, part cocktail bar, part nightclub, and unapologetically built for a late finish.
The venue has been completely reworked with glass walls, balconies and a 270-degree outlook across the CBD, but there are still traces of its former life. The grand piano remains, only now it shares the room with a DJ booth, dining spaces, a cigar terrace and several private rooms with their own balconies. It’s not pretending to be moody or discreet. This is a see-and-be-seen rooftop with a high-gloss crowd in mind.
Behind the food is Lam Kai Fung, former Executive Chef of Nobu and American Club Hong Kong. His menu blends Japanese precision with Melbourne-style flexibility: wagyu steak with truffle paste, mango dragon rolls and a $69 date-night set menu for two sit alongside $1 gyoza happy hour from 5pm to 8pm. For those chasing theatrics, there’s the “Millionaire Margarita” a $115 tequila cocktail crowned with gold leaf and caviar, courtesy of Herradura Selección Suprema.
“Balance, beauty and a touch of surprise,” says Lam, though it’s clear the surprise often comes with sparkle and a photo opportunity.
Venue Manager Warrence Moorghen calls the space “international in feel but Melbourne in character,” positioning it somewhere between New York rooftop bar, Tokyo supper club and Dubai nightclub. The team behind it includes operators from Bond, Ms Collins, Trak, CQ and other late-night institutions, which tells you everything about the intended energy. Zekkai is built for the crossover, the sunset bookings that roll into cocktails and bottle service before the DJ takes over.
The name itself nods to the view. Taken from the Japanese “Zekkei” (beautiful scenery) and paired with the chef’s name, it doubles as branding and a literal description of what people are paying for: height, lights and spectacle.
While Melbourne diners are spoiled for choice when it comes to Japanese food, rooftop venues with proper kitchens are still rare. Zekkai is banking on that gap, offering high-end dining alongside a club floor rather than separating the two. One table might be pairing wagyu and Burgundy while another is polishing off tequila shots before 10pm.
There’s no pretending this is a hidden gem or a chef’s table experience. It’s rooftop dining with nightclub DNA, aimed at people who don’t mind Champagne flutes next to subwoofers. Whether you’re there for the skyline, the sushi or the selfie, Zekkai knows its audience, and it’s fifteen floors up waiting for them.
Melbourne has no shortage of rooftops, but its newest player isn’t interested in being another leafy perch with fairy lights and frosé. Sitting fifteen floors above Queen Street in the old Blue Diamond space, Zekkai has opened as a hybrid creature: part restaurant, part cocktail bar, part nightclub, and unapologetically built for a late finish.
