Australia · best-of list
The 8 Best Bars & Cafés in Australia
All 8 bars & cafés our route editors picked in Australia, across 7 destinations, gathered in one list. 2 come with an insider tip.
Our curated picks
8 bars & cafés in Australia, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Melbourne 2 picks
Caretaker's Cottage
Melbourne · On our Great Ocean Road route
Tiny 1914 bluestone cottage bar behind Wesley Church; World's 50 Best Bars listee known for its freezer martini.
Tip: Walk-in only; expect a short line on weekends.
Photo: Jamie Obrien · Google
Pellegrini's Espresso Bar
Melbourne · On our Great Ocean Road route
Bourke Street espresso bar since 1954.
Photo: Nick-D · CC BY-SA 3.0
Blue Mountains 1 pick
The Carrington Hotel
Blue Mountains · On our Sydney, Blue Mountains & the Reef route
Grand 1880s hotel in Katoomba with a historic bar and a wood fire.
Photo: BriMiDra · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cairns 1 pick
Salt House
Cairns · On our Sydney, Blue Mountains & the Reef route
Marina-side bar and restaurant with DJs and open-air decks.
Photo: Salt House · Google
Port Campbell 1 pick
Sow & Piglets
Port Campbell · On our Great Ocean Road route
Small brewpub in Port Campbell.
Photo: Rouven Grossmann · Google
Port Douglas & Daintree 1 pick
Hemingway's Brewery
Port Douglas & Daintree · On our Sydney, Blue Mountains & the Reef route
Waterfront brewery at the Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina with craft beers and marina views.
Photo: Hemingway's Brewery FNQ · Google
Sydney 1 pick
Opera Bar
Sydney · On our Sydney, Blue Mountains & the Reef route
Outdoor bar under the Opera House with views of the bridge and harbour.
Tip: Arrive before sunset on weekends to get a table.
Photo: Noah Yao · Google
Torquay 1 pick
Blackman's Brewery
Torquay · On our Great Ocean Road route
Local brewery with a taproom.
Photo: Blackman's Brewery Bar and Restaurant · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the bars & cafés in Australia?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 8 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Australia has the most bars & cafés on this list?
Melbourne has the most (2 of 8), followed by Blue Mountains (1) and Cairns (1).
More lists for Australia
Best bars & cafés nearby
Destinations on this list
- Melbourne 2 on this list
- Blue Mountains 1 on this list
- Cairns 1 on this list
- Port Campbell 1 on this list
- Port Douglas & Daintree 1 on this list
- Sydney 1 on this list
- Torquay 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.