Australia is famous for its melting pot of cuisines, and our bar scene is just as diverse. From New York-style speakeasies and Parisian wine bars to Japanese izakayas and Mexican cantinas, you can explore the world of cocktails without leaving our major cities. And it’s not just variety on offer – Australia’s bars are world-class, with two beloved drinking dens recently making the prestigious World’s 50 Best Bars list for 2025.
Now in its 17th year, this annual event is regarded as one of the world’s most influential bar awards, celebrating the top bartenders and drink enthusiasts on an international scale. The winners are voted on by an esteemed global academy made up of drink experts, bartenders and other top dogs, and were recognised at a live ceremony in Hong Kong earlier this October.
Bars from 29 cities across the globe were featured in this year’s top 50, including Bar Leone in Hong Kong – the 2025 winner and the first Asian bar to ever claim the top gong. But who are our local heroes?
The title of Australia’s best bar goes to Caretaker's Cottage – a tiny, highly lauded CBD venue that landed 19th on the global charts. The news comes after we crowned it our Bar of the Year at the Time Out Melbourne Food & Drink Awards in March, proving once again we can spot a good bar when we see one.
Caretaker's Cottage climbed two spots from 21st in 2024 to 19th this year, and honestly, we're not surprised. Our reviewer called it “quintessentially Melbourne: cool without being pretentious, creative but not overwrought, and intimate without being isolating". And, having visited it more than a few times, Time Out’s Melbourne Editor, Leah Glynn, can confirm it's home to one of the best Martinis in the city.
The only other Aussie bar recognised in the World's 50 Best Bars list 2025 is Sydney's Maybe Sammy, coming in at number 42. This swish cocktail bar has featured on the list for seven years running, and despite slipping from 26th place last year, it’s a testament to the power of consistency. Plus, in a bonus win for Australia's hospo scene, the special Best Bar Design Award was presented to Sydney bars Tigra and Disco Pantera, both located in the CBD.
You can check out the full ranking of the World's 50 Best Bars for 2025 here.