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.
77 12 · 2025-12-10
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.
Avijeet Sen · 2025-11-07
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
Y T · 2025-11-06
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.
Seric Burns · 2025-12-02
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.
R O · 2025-10-14