Why you goThe owners of Caretaker’s Cottage get a thousand bonus points simply for taking on a building more than a hundred years old (the former cottage for the caretaker at adjacent Wesley Place church) and completely nailing the blend of old and new. Rob Libecans, Ryan Noreiks and Matt Stirling, who refer to Caretaker’s as “probably Victoria’s smallest pub”, resisted turning the tiny 50-capacity space into a stuffy museum piece, instead opting for a crisp, clean-lined but cosy approach. It’s all elegant statement wallpaper, bespoke joinery and leather banquettes with an all-vinyl soundtrack played through handcrafted speakers, their sound as warm as the hospitality. Further points for the menu that, like the space, is compact without feeling cramped and pays careful attention to details and quality, whether you’re talking beer, wine, cocktails or snacks. Given the size of the place – it’s just two rooms and a standing room-only hallway where ledges provide somewhere to put your drink or lean on – you may have to wait for a place to come free inside, but there are worse places to queue than the pleasantly landscaped surrounds of a heritage Gothic Revival-style church. It’s one of the most singular venues in Melbourne’s CBD and one of the most civilised. And having recently snapped up spot number 60 on the World's 50 Best Bars list for 2022, people are noticing.
