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.

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

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