Caretaker's Cottage

The most delightful thing about “care” is that they change their drink menu every month. Even if some of the sweeter options might not suit my personal taste, this commitment to constant innovation keeps me coming back. Their house martini also has a unique flavor. Anyway, it truly lives up to its reputation as one of Melbourne's best spots for drinks.

Such a cool little spot in what appears to be a converted church house into a little speakeasy/lounge. The place was really cool, amazing decor and music, and the cocktails were phenomenal. I went with two other people and between the three of is we tried nearly all the main drinks on the menu: Champagne Piña Colada, Nod to Nothing, Midori Splice, Champ Stamp, Bolo Tie, and the Mulholland Drive. No complaints about any of them, there were all fantastic! My oersonal favorites were the Midori Splice which had a nice cool melon tang, and the Champ Stamp which was a very smokey, mezcal-forward, strawberry drink that paired together much better than I expected. However the Champagne Piña Colada seemed to be a big hit for a lot of other folks there. Beyond the drinks, the service staff and bartenders were amazing, so friendly, welcoming, and even happy to chat a bit! I would definitely recommend checking this place out, my only note I’d make is just be aware that it is a very small and busy spot. I’ve heard generally there is a long line to get in and though the wait time for us was fairly minimal, the first bit of it was standing and were shuffled around a but until we could be seated at a table. Be prepared for the space to be very small and crowded, but with that in mind, that is sort of part of the experience and to be expected when it’s such a clearly loved and highly coveted local watering hole with very limited space.

I’ve been to my fair share of incredible cocktail bars around the world, and I know Melbourne has a really solid cocktail scene (and has for many years), so I was curious what made Caretaker’s Cottage so unique. Then I visited, and I get it. Yes, the drinks are inventive, clever and delicious. But it’s everything else. They’ve got hospitality DOWN PAT. Friendly, welcoming, polished (but not stuffy). CONSISTENCY (across both Caretakers Cottage and Three Horses). Inclusiveness. The MUSIC! It’s all just SPOT. ON. Little touches that just show you they really get hospitality, and know the difference between “a nice bar with good drinks” and a memorable experience. I get it. These venues are deserving of the praise they get. (and the carafe of sparkling water provided to each guest as soon as you sit down? YES. More bars should do this. Do I want water beside my cocktail? YES, every single time. It’s not even a question.)

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

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