These 3 Aussie bars just made The World’s 50 Best Bars list 2024

Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
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Raise a glass to the Australian bars serving seriously good cocktails and outstanding hospitality experiences.

Every year, The World’s 50 Best Bars  celebrates the best of the international drinks industry, highlighting mixology masterminds and hospitality trailblazers. This year’s awards were held in Madrid and bars from 26 cities around the world were featured on the top 50 list. This included an impressive three Aussie bars—and the acclaims are not unfounded. 

Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City took out spot No.1. The Prohibition-era-style bar was celebrated for its wondrous creations that often take over 48 hours for head bartender Eric Van Beek to create.

Caretakers Cottage took out spot No. 21 this year as well as the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award 2024 and Best Bar in Australasia. While it only opened in 2022, this CBD haunt has quickly become a Melbourne favourite and a hallmark of the city’s bar scene. Run by Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks and Matt Stirling, this charming drinking den is housed within a heritage bluestone cottage where the Wesley Place church’s caretaker resided until the 1990s.

The atmosphere here is anything but pretentious, with The World’s 50 Best praising the watering hole for having “the best hospitality in the world." Swing by for Australia’s best Guinness, or get comfortable in the English pub-like space to work your way through the ever-changing menu of expertly crafted cocktails that offer elevated takes on classics.

Maybe Sammy ranked No.26 this year and was praised for its theatrical atmosphere and creations. Since co-owners Stefano Catino and Vince Lombardo opened this Sydney beauty in 2019, it has been a hotspot celebrated for its innovative tipples that blend elegance with modern creativity. This includes cocktails like the ‘Tuxedo’ with Procera Green Dot Gin, Noilly, Prat Dry Vermouth, Maraschino, Bitters, and Absinthe.

Maybe Sammy
1950s Hollywood glamour meets innovative cocktails. (Image: Destination NSW/DS OFICINA)

Most recently, the team unveiled their “The Grand Maybe Sammy Hotel" menu which takes inspiration from the Wes Anderson film and adds an interactive Monopoly board element to the cocktail experience. It’s these types of playful activations that elevate this bar from the usual. As for the setting, the 1950s Hollywood-meets-Vegas glamour space was conceived by hospitality designer George Livissianis, who created an atmosphere that feels like a stylish hotel bar, without the hotel.

Maybe Sammy
Maybe Sammy is billed as a hotel bar without the hotel. (Image: Destination NSW/DS OFICINA)

Another Melbourne venue Byrdi, took out No. 35, marking a significant climb from its debut at No. 80 in 2020. Nestled in the bustling Ella food precinct, this sleek haunt houses both a traditional bar and an experimental laboratory where mixologists showcase groundbreaking techniques and creations in front of guests.

Byrdi Melbourne
Byrdi boasts a sleek yet welcoming design.

Co-owned by Luke Whearty and Aki Nishikura, the team shake inventive, seasonal cocktails that champion local Australian ingredients with a Japanese twist such as the “Snow" with Victorian-grown yuzu, citrus coconut ice, and Geraldton wax pow pow. These are impeccably served in an ultra-modern space swathed in earthy, natural materials that echo the Australian landscape.

Byrdi Melbourne
Byrdi’s ‘Aviary’ experimental lab. (Visit Victoria)

Mezcal-centric Cantina OK ! in Sydney made it to the longlist coming in at No. 96. This tiny bar housed in a small garage in a Sydney laneway claims to make the best margaritas in Sydney—a huge call for a city known for its love of spicy margs—and we can’t argue with it. While there’s only space for ~20 patrons, the vibes and flavours are big.

Cantina OK!
The menu at Cantina OK! highlights the complexity of agave spirits. (Image: Dexter Kim)

The top 10 bars in the world 2024

1. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City (Winner of the Best Bar in North America)

2. Bar Leone, Hong Kong (Winner of the Best Bar in Asia)

3. Sips, Barcelona (Winner of the Best Bar in Europe)

4. Tayēr + Elementary, London

5. Jigger & Pony, Singapore

6. Line, Athens

7. Tres Monos, Buenos Aries (Winner of the Best Bar in South America)

8. Alquímico, Cartagena

9. Zest, Seoul (Winner of the Ketel One Sustainable Award)

10. Paradiso, Barcelona

 

Rachael Thompson
Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and a self-proclaimed cheese and Chablis connoisseur. In her role, she creates and manages online content that remains relevant and valuable over time. With a background in publishing and e-commerce in both interior design and travel, Rachael is dedicated to curating engaging content that informs and inspires. She began her career at Belle magazine, then went on to become Senior Content Producer at Homes to Love focusing on Australian House & Garden and Belle, followed by Editor at Bed Threads. Her work has also appeared in Qantas Travel Insider. When she's not writing, editing, or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars, and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list are Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and Lord Howe Island.
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Unforgettable First Peoples tours and experiences in Victoria

    Angela Saurine Angela Saurine
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    From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet. 

    Victoria’s sweeping landscapes hold stories far older than any road map can trace – stories etched into stone, sung through generations and woven into every bend of river and rise of hill. From the lava flows of Budj Bim to the ancient middens of Moyjil/Point Ritchie and the volcanic crater of Tower Hill, the state is home to some of the most significant First Peoples cultural sites in Australia. These places, along with other immersive experiences, offer not only a window into a 60,000-year legacy, but a profound way of understanding Country itself. As more travellers seek connection over checklists, guided tours by Traditional Owners offer respectful, unforgettable insights into a living culture that continues to shape the land and the people who walk it. 

    Budj Bim cultural landscape  

    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape
    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is on Gunditjmara Country. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Venture beyond the surf and sand of the Great Ocean Road to discover a deeper story etched into the volcanic landscape. At Budj Bim , ancient aquaculture channels built by the Gunditjmara people to trap, store and harvest kooyang (short-finned eel) reveal one of the world’s oldest living cultures. While you’re in the area, head over to the state-of-the-art Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where you can observe the eels in a special tank, wander the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah), and enjoy a bite at the Bush Tucker Cafe. Also nearby is Tower Hill, a dormant volcano reborn as a wildlife reserve, offering trails through bushland teeming with emus and koalas. 

    eel tank
    The kooyang (eel) tank at Tae Rak. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour 

    Dumawul walkingtour
    Guests are guided through Kooyoora State Park on the Dumawul walking tour. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Step into a timeless landscape with Dumawul’s guided tour through Kooyoora State Park, around an hour’s drive west of Bendigo in north-central Victoria. Led by Djaara guides, this immersive half-day journey breathes life into Country, weaving together stories, bush tucker and ancient rock art. Known to the Dja Dja Wurrung people as Guyura – the ‘mountain of light’ – this dramatic granite range is rich with cultural and spiritual significance.  The adventure begins with a meet-up at the Bridgewater Hotel on the banks of the Loddon River, before guests are welcomed onto Country with a traditional Smoking Ceremony – a powerful ritual that honours ancestors and cleanses those who walk the land. From there, it’s a gentle wander through rugged outcrops and open bushland, with sweeping vistas unfolding at every turn. Along the way, guides share their knowledge of how the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples have cared for and adapted with this land for generations, offering a rare and moving window into an ancient way of life that continues to thrive today.  

    Kooyoora walking tour
    Knowledge of the Dja Dja Wurrung is shared on the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Kingfisher Cruises  

    Kingfisher Cruises
    Cruising the Murray with Kingfisher Cruises. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Glide quietly through the Barmah-Millewa forest – the nation’s largest river red gum ecosystem – on a scenic journey along the Murray River and into the Barmah Lakes with Kingfisher Cruises . Led by passionate guides who share stories of the cultural significance of this ancient landscape, these cruises reveal the stories, totems and traditional knowledge of the Yorta Yorta people. As you navigate narrow waterways and spot native birds, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how First Peoples have lived in harmony with this floodplain for tens of thousands of years. It’s a gentle, immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression – one where every bend in the river carries echoes of culture, connection and Country.  

    wawa biik 

    Taungurung leaders
    Exploring Nagambie with Taungurung leaders. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Translating to ‘hello, Country’ in the language of the First Nations People and Custodians of the rivers and mountains of Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, wawa biik guides a range of authentic and deeply immersive experiences. Leaving from either Nagambie or Euroa, the tours are woven with ancient stories of the Taungurung, telling how a sustained connection and responsibility ensures the continued health of biik – benefitting the people, animals and plants that live in and around the Goulburn River. During the wawa Nagambie experience, guests participate in a Welcome Smoking Ceremony, and enjoy lunch and conversation with two Taungurung leaders as they cruise through the wetlands of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes). The 4.5-hour tour begins at Tahbilk Winery, which is set in the wetlands of Nagambie on Taungurung Country and collaborates with Taungurung Elders to share knowledge of biik. 

    Bataluk Cultural Trail  

    Bataluk Trail
    Cape Conran on the Bataluk Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    The Bataluk Cultural Trail winds through East Gippsland like a thread stitching past to present, tracing the deep connection between the Gunaikurnai people and their land. Starting at the Knob Reserve in Stratford, visitors walk among scarred trees and ancient stone tools once used for survival and ceremony. At the Den of Nargun near Mitchell River, the earth holds stories of women’s sacred spaces, cloaked in myth and legend. Further along, Legend Rock at Metung tells of greed and consequence, its surface etched with ancient lore. At Cape Conran, shell middens lie scattered like breadcrumbs of history – 10,000 years of gatherings, stories and saltwater songs still echoing in the wind.  

    Healesville Sanctuary  

    echidna at Healesville Sanctuary
    Get up close with a resident echidna at Healesville Sanctuary. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Set on the historic grounds of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Healesville Sanctuary honours the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation through immersive storytelling and connection to Country. Along Wurundjeri Walk, visitors are invited to reflect on the land’s rich First Peoples history, with native plants revealing their traditional uses. Wurundjeri Elder and educator Murrundindi shares culture in-person with the Wominjeka Aboriginal Cultural Experience every Sunday, and most days during Victorian school holidays. Murrundindi’s smoking ceremonies, storytelling and bush tucker knowledge reveal the sacred relationship between people, animals and the environment. Bird-lovers can’t miss the incredible Spirits of the Sky show featuring native birds daily at 12pm and 3pm. 

    The Grampians 

    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians
    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Known as Gariwerd to Traditional Owners, the Grampians is a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. This rugged landscape holds more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s known First Peoples rock art, offering a powerful window into the region’s deep heritage. Visitors can respectfully explore five remarkable rock art sites: Billimina and Ngamadjidj in the Wartook Valley, Manja Shelter near Hamilton, Gulgurn Manja shelter near Laharum, and the Bunjil Shelter near Stawell, where the creator spirit is depicted. Each site tells a unique story of connection to Country, shared through ancient handprints, dancing figures and Dreaming narratives etched into stone.