Caretaker's Cottage

Caretaker’s Cottage is one of those hidden gems that absolutely lives up to the hype. We waited about 10 minutes in line for a seat inside, but it was well worth it. The space is warm, intimate, and full of character — like stepping into a cozy, dimly lit home with great music and even better drinks. I ordered the Melonade cocktail and it was fantastic — light, refreshing, and perfectly balanced with just the right hit of melon without being too sweet. You can really tell the bartenders here care about quality and creativity in every pour. The service was smooth and professional despite the busy night, and once we were seated, everything felt relaxed and well-paced. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay for one more round. Highly recommend if you're into quality cocktails and a unique atmosphere. Just be prepared to queue, A DJ was inside playing music and spinning tunes. The menu was on a little gift bag with hard rock candy and lollies

Excellent service and yummy drinks. Small place, but we were able to get seats quickly. They change drinks monthly, which is fun. I had the Ash Wednesday, and hubby had a non-alcoholic spritzer. Both were tasty. The server came by and talked to us often and even offered up places nearby to eat. It's definitely a place to see when in Melbourne.

A fantastic little bar, a must for anyone visiting Melbourne!! Easily one of the coolest bars we’ve ever been to in Melbourne, if not anywhere in the world we’ve travelled to. There’s a reason this bar was ranked 21 in the world’s best bars, and why there’s a line up, awesome cocktails, unique venue, but what sets this bar apart is the incredible staff. We’ve never been anywhere, Australia or overseas, a bar, restaurant, hotel, anywhere, where the staff have been this amazing. The bar was so busy, yet Eddie and Gracie were so welcoming, friendly & attentive, they make you feel like you’re the most important customers in there. All the staff are a credit to Caretakers Cottage, they seem to genuinely love their job, even when it’s so busy…we will be back every time we visit Melbourne, usually 2-3 times a footy season.

A Hidden Gem with an Unbeatable Vibe! Caretaker’s Cottage is an absolute must-visit for anyone who loves a cozy, intimate bar with a great atmosphere. Despite its small size, the dim lighting and in-house DJ create the perfect mood for a night out. The music selection is spot-on, setting a laid-back yet lively tone. The drinks here are top-notch! Their punch, martinis, and margaritas are a definite highlight—expertly crafted and full of flavor. While they don’t serve food, they offer chips to snack on, which pairs well with the drinks. The service is where this place truly shines. The team is incredibly friendly and welcoming, making the whole experience even better. If you’re looking for a cool spot with great drinks, music, and an intimate setting, Caretaker’s Cottage is the place to be!

The cocktails were amazing (I had the martini and the Taipan, both were beautiful), but the real magic of Caretaker’s Cottage is the staff. They all sneakily colluded to get me a seat at the bar and trick me into staying two drinks longer than intended by introducing themselves, asking my name, and introducing me to the two solo drinkers next to me, who became my newest friends (I ended up getting dinner afterward with one and making climbing plans with the other). Well played!

All I can say is wow! The vibes were immaculate, the cocktails fantastic, and the service was exceptional. Bartenders Tom and Tom were a treat to talk to (I was sitting at the bar) and the other staff were also lovely. Definitely worth a visit ✅

Pretty busy! The cocktails were all very nice with interesting textures. I liked the glitter in the stripper one ✨ the Martini was pretty hard but that's a Martini for you I guess 🍸 Barely any tables for a group of 5 so we had to wait quite a while and ended up just standing against the wall with a chair as a table when we made it inside, but you can order drinks and drink them outside: ideally when it's not super windy (which is often in this wind-tunnel part of Melbourne).

The 30 minute wait to get in was totally worth it! The host was friendly and gave us menus to choose our drinks while waiting, and kept us updated with wait times. The cocktails were delicious and the staff engaging and attentive. I loved the vibe of this small, intimate and cool bar. Sparkling water is served as of course. So happy we found this place!

The perfect blend of new and old, Caretaker's Cottage is undoubtably the best bar in Melbourne. Don't take my word for it, take the word of the 3 other bartenders around town that unanimously answered "Caretaker's Cottage!" when I asked what do they think the best bar in town was. CC is also on the Top 50 bars list! At Caretaker's Cottage you get high end, modern cocktails wrapped in an old-pub feel atmosphere with interesting decor. Aptly named, the place is a converted old cottage behind the Wesley Place church. Step inside, and it's a mix of old and modern, maintaining the heritage and namesake of the place while having fun and modernizing it a bit to make it more suitable for a casual and fun bar. The drinks menu changes constantly and the bartenders avoid to make any modifications as they work tirelessly to perfectly blend the right amount of ingredients with each concoction. Don't worry, the drinks are that good that you wouldn't want to change a thing anyway. The team gets really creative, too, including ingredients such as ube, yuzu, kiwi, green melon, and charcoal. Both the bartenders and the rest of the staff are friendly, efficient, and happy to help when needed. The place is small but they make it work and on nice days, you can stay outside and enjoy the small yard. Overall, if you like creative cocktails, visiting Caretaker's Cottage is an absolute must!

- super friendly staff - free wifi - delicious drinks - lively scene - came generously recommended by the city's top bartenders