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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
How do you follow up Caretaker’s Cottage, Melbourne’s most awarded cocktail bar, and the 19th best bar in the world? As it turns out, with sherry.
It’s about time sherry received a PR refresh. Long associated with grannies, murder-solving or otherwise, the fortified wine has struggled to shake its dated reputation. But if anyone can rewrite the sherry story, it’s the team behind Caretaker’s.
Owners Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks and Matt Stirling have done it again. Just a short canter from the bar that made their name, Three Horses waits patiently. Across from Pepe’s Italian and Liquor on Little Lonsdale Street, its soft blue façade and simple window lettering stand out against the industrial cityscape, quietly beckoning passers-by inside.
The vibe
When we arrive just after four on a Wednesday, it’s almost silent. We take seats at the L-shaped bar and are immediately welcomed by the team, sparkling water arriving in stainless steel cups.
Three Horses is noticeably larger and more open than its sibling, especially when you’re the only patrons in the room. Walnut timber detailing, low amber lighting and pairs of stools lining the bar and perimeter make its intentions clear. My partner and I exchange a look. Date spot.
The fitout was led by architect Thandi Stirling, sister of owner Matt Stirling. Above the bar hangs a large painting of three galloping horses rendered in saturated, electric hues by artist Liz Stirling. Creative talent clearly runs in the family.
The calm doesn’t last long. By 5.30pm, groups of office workers spill in for post-work drinks. The record flips from croony ballads to upbeat ska and the room lifts with it. Watching them pore over the menu feels like witnessing adults at an after-school milk bar, animatedly debating their selections.
The staff shift gears instantly. What first appeared to be an abundance of bartenders soon proves necessary as the bar fills four deep. Shakers move in rhythm. Glasses clink. Bottles tilt and pour with choreographed precision. They mix, stir and serve in seamless succession, the once-quiet room turning kinetic without ever tipping into chaos.
My earlier assumption proves premature. Three Horses isn’t solely a date spot; it flexes with the crowd. Intimate corners for romance, yes, but equally a lively perch for colleagues easing into the evening.
The food
Drinks are firmly the focus here. No surprises.
The food offering is currently limited to corn nuts, but they’re executed with care. Generous in portion and under $10, they’re flavoured in-house with mountain pepper and wattleseed, delivering the perfect salty crunch alongside a cold glass.
It’s also a reminder of how well sherry pairs with food. A bartender presses a plump gordal olive into my hand and suggests I nibble it while sipping a Constance Fino from Pennyweight in Beechworth. The olive’s salinity sharpens the fino’s crisp, appley edge, the two amplifying each other in quiet harmony.
It’s no small task, but a modest expansion of the food offering would feel like a natural evolution. If a single olive can transform a glass of fino, imagine what a proper gilda could do.
The drinks
And now, the part we’ve all come for: the drinks.
The menu is colourful and organised under subheadings like ‘Whipped’, ‘Rich’ and ‘Cobbler’. It changes every three months; on my visit, the team were one month into their latest rotation.
The Sherry Bakewell blends oloroso sherry, cherry wine, smoked amaretto and lime. The smokiness is subtle but compelling, the cherry flavour bold and unmistakable. It may divide a room, but if you’re partial to maraschino cherries, as I am, this is your drink.
The Sisquo Sour combines pisco, bianco vermouth, jasmine, strawberry and lemon. It’s fruity and bright, with that moreish snap of acidity that defines a well-built sour.
Two drinks steal the show. The Mango G and T – made with Caretaker’s and Four Pillars house gin, mango sorbet, Fever Tree tonic and a shaving of lime – is whipped to order, resulting in a texture so smooth there isn’t a single shard of ice in sight. It’s pure mango, lifted by the aromatic hit of lime zest with each sip. Refreshing, polished and understandably a mainstay since opening.
The other is the Ir(ish) Coffee, a blend of Pedro Ximénez, blueberry coffee and Baba’s macadamia Irish cream. It arrives looking like a miniature Guinness but drinks far lighter. Dessert-style cocktails can overwhelm, but this one is restrained. The coffee note is pronounced, while the macadamia cream lends a nutty richness without the cloying heaviness of dairy.
The drinks at Three Horses carry the same finesse as Caretaker’s. This isn’t a smoke-and-mirrors cocktail bar; it doesn’t need to be. The magic lies in the quality of the ingredients and the precision of their execution. There are no gratuitous garnishes. Every element is considered, each drink constructed to engage sight, aroma and palate.
While the cocktails draw the crowd, the apera and sherry list deserves equal attention. Offered by the glass, it provides an accessible entry point for the curious, showcasing styles from around the world and making a compelling case for the category’s revival.
Time Out tip:
Arrive just after opening and take a bar seat – the team’s sherry knowledge is worth the early start.
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