What does it take for a bar to be one of the very best in the world? It is a tough competition considering some of the famous places in London, New York and Paris, designed for high expectations, boast extensive wine lists, a stupendous amount of spirit bottles on show, maybe some molecular technologies and rare liqueurs with fancy ingredients.

You’d imagine it would have to be pricey and elaborate. Well, what if simplicity and a good old sense of hospitality with expert execution, and great value were the constituents of supremacy? Yes, please!

Recently ranked 60th best bar in the World’s 50 Best, Caretaker’s Cottage was one of only four in Australia to make it to the first top 100 list. We went in to take a closer look at what could be Melbourne’s smallest pub.

Amid CBD skyscrapers, the 1914-built cottage sits adjacent to an olive tree dating to 1875 – a feature of the Wesley Place precinct. The hostess, sporting a colourful headband with cartoon earrings, is busy organising the people coming into the 40 pax venue. We are promptly directed to the bar, where we get to authenticate the true nature of a multi-tasker.

One of the owner-bartenders is stirring classics, shaking contemporaries, flipping records, running food, recommending wines – all while fully engaging with punters. We could not fail to notice the Australian-made Pitt & Giblin speakers reverberating rich sounds in an all-encompassing surround groove, almost like a sound bath. Cast from bronze, and hand finished with soft smooth lustre, it feels as though these speakers give texture to sound. The vibe is palpable!

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The cocktail selection is accurate with only three classics and three contemporaries, each celebrating different spirits and changed every two weeks. The list is complemented by the martini as the go-to aperitif, with a milk punch to finish. There are seven wines by the glass, mostly championing Victorian producers, along with a decent choice of craft beers (plus Guinness on tap).

The skillset in cocktail-making is often revealed in a simple purist drink like the martini. I go with gin and olives, slightly dirty. Served at sub-freezing temperature, it is immaculate! The 19th Century is stirred and served in a martini glass using Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Lillet rouge, cocoa and lemon – a gratifying variant of the Manhattan.

The house-made sweet vermouth finds grace in a Monte Burns, playing with a 10-year Highland Park whisky and Amaro Montenegro. An ideal sequel to bourbon and whisky would be cognac, we thought. In no time, a Sazerac is readily stirred, and we are grateful!

The Espresso Martini Milk Punch sounds like a frothy concoction but is rather a clarified cocktail that looks like an Old Fashioned and tastes like cold, single-origin French-pressed coffee, washed in a nutty liqueur. Served in a tumbler with a sizeable block of ice, its velvety mouth coating finish is totally worth the faff!

Warm Falco Bakery sourdough is served with hand-churned butter. The wild boar bresaola comes before the Welsh rarebit, and with the addition of a simple cheese and pickles platter, the small snacks quickly turn into enough fare to make this our night out!

To our delight, (and definitely for another night) we discover there’s a wine list available on request. Well-priced bottles of diverse origins prove Caretaker’s Cottage is not only a cocktail venue but a cleverly curated watering hole designed by well-seasoned hospitality veterans. Four owner operators have one common denominator – they all worked at Fitzroy’s acclaimed Black Pearl at some point.

What pushes this bar to the echelon of distinction to make it to the World’s 50 Best Bars is the combination of their expertise coupled with warm service and authenticity. Caretaker’s Cottage couldn’t be more suited to its name and approach. It is modern hospitality with a touch of Victorian-era cachet. Take someone or go solo, either way you will be taken care of, and you’ll be glad you did!

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