Head upstairs to Charlie’s, Mermaid Beach’s breezy new rooftop bar

Opening above The Glenelg Public House, Charlie’s brings a 100-seat rooftop bar to one of the suburb’s busiest dining pockets. Behind it are four owners, Charlize Rappa and Sandra Rappa, alongside Lachlan and Rosalind Henningsen, who collectively bring more than 100 years of hospitality experience to the project.

At the heart of Charlie’s is a somewhat old-school idea – good hospitality matters. With backgrounds spanning Australia, Italy, New York and Canada, the four owners have accumulated a lifetime of lessons about what makes a great bar, and Charlie’s is their opportunity to bring the best of those together while passing the baton to a new generation. There’s a little Margarita Cartel DNA in there, too, with members of the ownership group having founded the former Burleigh Heads favourite.

Charlie’s has been almost two years in the making. The opportunity arose while the rooftop was still under construction, with the crew coming on board early enough to help shape the venue from the ground up. Although the team had hoped to open earlier in the year, Lachlan says the timing now feels pretty perfect, with the light rail up and running and the warmer months ahead.

The finished space has an easy, breezy feel, with sage-green seating, white banquettes, marble-topped tables and plenty of greenery, all centred around a long bar. It’s polished without feeling pretentious, which is exactly the point. Charlie’s is envisioned as an easy neighbourhood haunt. Somewhere where you can wander up for a cocktail before dinner downstairs, drop in for a few post-feed frothies or get comfy and stay for the whole evening.

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“We wanted to be approachable,” Lachlan says. “Nothing too pretentious about what we’re doing here. It’s all just really about really good food, really good drinks. And that’ll bring in good people.”

The food follows the same philosophy. Lachlan describes the menu as “coastal casual”, taking cues from the Mediterranean and built largely around sharing. You might start with olives and smoky butter corn ribs, get your hands around the prawn roll, order a round of rooftop wings or keep things gloriously simple with Charlie’s martini and fries (a truly magnificent combination).

“We’re big into sharing here,” Lachlan says. “It’s a little bit of Mediterranean, coastal-inspired vibe. Fantastic for sharing, nibbling amongst friends.”

While the food is designed to hold its own, Charlie’s is very much a bar at heart. The opening drinks list features eight signature cocktails alongside a considered wine selection. The Charlie’s martini naturally takes pride of place, joined by the likes of a cherry-ripe espresso martini and chilli-guava margarita, as well as classics including Aperol spritzes.

This is also where Lachlan’s considerable bar experience comes into play. He’s spent close to 20 years in bars and mixology, with a CV that includes Gold Coast mainstays like YOT Club, QT Gold Coast and Pink Monkey.

“Some of the cocktails on the list have been in my mind for about 15 years,” he says. “And they’ve finally made their way into my own list.”

There’s also a deliberate relationship with the venues downstairs. Rather than trying to compete for dinner patrons, Charlie’s is intended to add another layer to the precinct.

“We’re more about coming for a drink before or after,” Lachlan says. “If you happen to be enjoying it so much you stay through the whole thing, that’s on you,” he says with a laugh.

And who is Charlie? Don’t expect a straight answer. The identity is deliberately ambiguous, with the team happy to let Charlie remain a myth, a mood or perhaps the person sitting next to you at the bar. One thing we do know for sure, is that Charlie has good taste.

Charlie’s Rooftop Bar opens this Thursday October 8. Head to The Directory for opening times.