Caretaker's Cottage

Visited in Nov 2025 A visit to Caretaker’s Cottage has been on my list for a long time and it finally happened during my recent trip to MEL. Caretaker’s Cottage has been on the world’s best bars list for the last few years and hence I went in with a certain level of expectation and wasn’t disappointed. It very much lived up to its hype. The cocktail menu here changes every month - therefore I got to try the Nov 2025 menu which had 8 cocktails on the list. My friends and I tried every single one of them. I must say that almost every drink was a banger. Our favs were the Bitter Mai Tai, the Nightbird and the Miami Vice Milk Punch. It’s a testament to the mixologist team that they are churning out a new menu every month with such good cocktails. Overall, this was a great experience. So if you wanna have some amazing cocktails in a nice setting in MEL, it is a no brainer to visit Caretaker’s Cottage. In my view, its place in the world bar rankings is well earned and justified.

This cosy and vibey bar near the CBD area is a true gem! It’s a hidden gem within Wesley’s place, offering top-notch staff service and cocktails. We had a great time with four drinks and were thoroughly impressed by the seasonal menu. Bitter Mai Tai and Spiders from Mars are my top 2 favourites

Cannot recommend enough. Best bar I've been to in Melbourne by miles. We went once and were back 4pm on the dot the next day. Staff are lovely, drinks are amazing, the vibe is brillant. Inside seating is limited, but worth being there at open for.

A unique and casual bar fitted in a heritage listed bluestone cottage in the heart on Melbourne CBD! Staff are professional yet friendly. The drink menu rotates monthly and offers a range of cocktails from modern blends to classics with a slight twist. The vibe is very casual and there are seats both inside the cottage as well as some tables outside in the common area. It's rare to have a bar of this calibre in a convenient location and is for walk in customer only. Highly recommend 👍👍🍸🍹

Where do I start??? This is probably going to sound like a fake paid AI review… but this is me speaking (drunk) from my heart. Chantal and Izzy were the first people I met from here. 20/10 vibes. The boys here that I met over the FOUR DAYS OF REPEATEDLY COMING HERE BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST BAR IN MELBOURNE are also all cool. But Chantal is the greatest. The music is always different and banging. Even when they are busy they will find a way to make your visit happen. Their momento cocktail is probably the best from the menu. But I am a fernet lover and once they told me they had a secret bottle of fernet in the freezer, I was hooked. They don’t have coke. They have Fever tree cola. Probably better. If I come back to Melbourne from the USA, this bar will be a huge reason why. 3 minutes from my Marriott hotel. Immaculate vibes. Usually when I leave the bar, some random dude I never met says “bye Kenny” (how do you know my name????) It’s the little things. Chantal is the best but everyone else is right there too lol (maybe I fell in love IDK). Be nice to the people here and they will be nice back. This is one of my favorite bars in almost 40 countries I have been to. CC: I LOVE YOU M8S

Caretaker’s Cottage feels secret even when it’s packed. Hidden near Parliament, the small bar hums with quiet confidence. You walk in, the light’s low, the room smells of good spirits and wood smoke. The drinks are thoughtful, not fussy. Every cocktail tastes deliberate. The menu changes, but the execution stays sharp. The staff know their craft. They talk when needed, then step back and let the drink speak. There’s no noise, no attitude, just precision. The whisky list runs deep, and the sound of vinyl sets the pace for the night. Caretaker’s Cottage is one of Melbourne’s few bars that gets everything right. Simple space, great drinks, calm energy. You leave feeling like someone actually cared about what you drank.

I think this was the best service I’ve ever had. From the very beginning my partner and I felt like we were being welcomed into someone’s home. The staff were so attentive, genuinely invested in your experience and so kind. They even brought out a couple of champagnes on the house for my boyfriend’s birthday. Everything was so intentional and top end — 10/10 loved.

Absolutely banging bar… we got there at 3.30 on a Thursday arvo to ensure we could get in at 4pm opening time. It was packed at 4.01 !!! Staff were wonderful , the drinks list was a delight and we loved our time there. Will go again and would highly recommend

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