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The Best Bars in Melbourne

Melbourne's best bars run from CBD laneways to the northside. The best bars in Melbourne start behind Wesley Church at Caretaker's Cottage on Little Lonsdale Street, a public bar in an old cottage that opened in 2022, keeps a freezer martini, a pint of Guinness and a house punch on a menu that otherwise changes every month, ranks 45th in the world for 2026 and is The Best Bar in Australasia 2026. Its owners also run Three Horses down the street, where sherry reigns, apera and sherry come by the glass, and the bar is No. 84 on The 50 Best Bars 51-100 list for 2026. Eau de Vie hides in Malthouse Lane in the CBD. North of the river, Black Pearl on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy is walk-in only, with bookings for its upstairs Attic, and Above Board in Collingwood sits up a flight of stairs. Caretaker's and Three Horses take no bookings, so arrive early. These are the bars we would start with.

Browse every Melbourne barBest cocktail bars in Melbourne
  1. Caretaker's Cottage
    50 BESTCocktail Bar

    Caretaker's Cottage

    A public bar in the church caretaker's old cottage: opened 2022 behind Wesley Church by Matt Stirling, Ryan Nordics and Rob Libecans, Caretaker's Cottage does 'smart drinks, top tunes & fun times', freezer-cold martinis on a custom gin, well-poured Guinness (the martini-and-Guinness boilermaker is the move), and a monthly-rotating list. No. 45 on The 50 Best Bars 2026 (No. 19 in 2025) and The Best Bar in Australasia 2026. It was a Top 4 finalist for Best International Cocktail Bar at the 2026 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards.

    139-141 Little Lonsdale Street (behind Wesley Church), Melbourne VIC 3000Mon-Thu 4pm-12am, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am (walk-ins only)
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  2. Three Horses
    50 BESTWine Bar

    Three Horses

    Three Horses is the Caretaker's Cottage team's second room, on Little Lonsdale Street in the CBD, and it puts its idea in three words: where sherry reigns. No bookings, walk-ins only, and the bar says it will always do its best to seat guests on arrival. Open Monday to Saturday from four in the afternoon until one.

    106 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000Mon-Sat 4pm-1am
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  3. Above Board
    50 BESTCocktail Bar

    Above Board

    Twelve seats around a shared American-walnut table, and Hayden Lambert serving you personally: Above Board is 'more dinner party than cocktail bar', hidden up a laneway behind Beermash on Smith Street. Classics and originals, no bookings, groups kept small. No.44 on the World's 50 Best Bars 2021 and back on the extended list at No.100 in 2024.

    Level 1, 306 Smith Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066Daily 6pm-1am (walk-ins only)
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  4. Black Pearl
    50 BESTCocktail Bar

    Black Pearl

    A Fitzroy institution since 2002, Black Pearl is the neighborhood bar with global reach, credited with fostering some of the best talent the Australian bar scene has produced, named Best Bar in Australasia 2018 and No.30 on the World's 50 Best that year. Downstairs stays inclusive and unbookable until 3am; The Attic upstairs takes the private functions.

    304 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065Wed-Sun 5pm-3am (walk-ins only)
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  5. Eau de Vie
    Cocktail Bar

    Eau de Vie

    Melbourne's 1920s Prohibition den hides down Malthouse Lane: theatrical serves, owner Sven Almenning's Smokey Rob Roy arrives under a cloud of wood smoke, a hidden Whisky Room behind a bookcase with rare bottles and lockers, and late-night dining from the Speakeasy Group (Mjølner, Nick & Nora's, Pearl Diver).

    Order thisSmokey Rob RoyTalisker & Highland whiskies, Ron Zacapa 23, house sweet vermouth, orange bitters, wood smoke
    1 Malthouse Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000Tue-Thu 5pm-late, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am, closed Sun-Mon
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