A former church residence in Melbourne is one of three Australian venues to have been voted into the top 50 bars in the world.
The World’s 50 Best Bars were on Tuesday announced in Madrid, as judged by 680 international bartenders, drinks writers and cocktail specialists.
Caretaker’s Cottage, which opened in Melbourne in 2022, was placed 21st on the list and was named best bar in Australasia 2024.
“Beneath the skyscrapers in the middle of the Melbourne CBD, there’s a small, humble-looking place that was once the residence of the caretaker of the church next door. It’s here you’ll find a small team taking care of the thirsty, the tired and those in need of a good time,” the awards’ website states of the “neighbourhood joint”.
The bar’s “super-cold signature martini, and Guinness so good it causes envy in the local Irish pubs”, plus its “above and beyond service” also earned it the Best Bars’ Art of Hospitality Award. It rose from 23rd place last year.
“We’re pretty blown away by the awards. To take out the highest ranked spot in Australiasia was a huge surprise,” said one of the owners, Rob Libecans. “Our little pub is still young, so to even make the list was more than we could ever imagine.”
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Sydney’s Maybe Sammy, last year’s Australasian winner, came in 26th place – down from 15th position last year. The bar in the Rocks is known for its pastel-pink-jacketed, bubble-gun-wielding bar staff as much as it is for its Instagram-ready cocktails.
A second Melbourne bar, Byrdi, was placed 35th and was a newcomer to the top 50.
“Byrdi might very well be the most Australian bar in existence. The Aussie-ness of it is everywhere: in the selection of ingredients and the focus on hyperlocal produce, taking advantage of the bounty that comes from Victoria’s farms,” states the website.
“Things can be quite technical – there is foraging and fermenting and vacuum distilling – and the drinks are high-concept creations.”
Leading the global list was Handshake Speakeasy, a “hip Mexico City establishment” with its own laboratory and decor inspired by the Prohibition era.
