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

Rachael ThompsonBy 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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Your first look at Australia’s brand-new luxury camp

    Kate BettesBy Kate Bettes
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    The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.

    Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.

    Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.

    Bathed in warm light, a couple watches the sun dip beyond the horizon.
    Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.

    Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.

    Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.

    Aerial view of Wilderluxe.
    Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms

    Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.

    On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.

    A couple gazes up at a sky ablaze with stars at Wilderluxe.
    Sleep beneath the stars.

    Style and character

    When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.

    Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.

    The dreamy sunset at Wilderluxe.
    Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining

    ‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.

    Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.

    Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities

    While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.

    The Gilay Lounge with the view of the lake.
    Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.

    Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences

    No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.

    Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.

    Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.

    Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.

    A person kayaking through serene waters.
    Paddle into peace.

    The details

    A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.

    The interiors of the glamping tent.
    Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.

    Start planning your outback glamping adventure at wilderluxe.com.au.