Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage is Australia’s only bar in The 50 Best Bars 2026, while Hong Kong’s Bar Leone has taken No.1 for a second consecutive year.
Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage has retained the title of The Best Bar in Australasia at The 50 Best Bars 2026, landing at No.45 on the list revealed at a live ceremony in Milan overnight.
Caretaker’s co-owner Ryan Noreiks told BAR the couldn’t be happier with the result.
“We are incredibly proud of our CC team and are thrilled to be recognised among the world’s best,” Noreiks said.
It was a double win for the Fancy Free Hospitality group and Melbourne, with Three Horses receiving the Campari One to Watch Award. The award is chosen by The 50 team and goes to the bar it considers most likely to break into the top 50 in future. Three Horses ranked No.84 on the extended 51-100 list released a fortnight ago.
“It’s crazy to receive this, as we were already ecstatic about our placing at 84. I feel like there is still a lot of work for us to do with Three Horses, being only a year old.
“If I had to put a finger on it, it would be our unique focus on apera and sherry, genuinely trying to be a little bit different, and always backing that up with a strong sense of service.
“Both bars sit on the same street in the Melbourne CBD, so there is a fun little neighbourhood growing here,” he said.
Caretaker’s Cottage, housed in the former caretaker’s residence beside Wesley Church in the CBD, is the only Australian venue in this year’s top 50. It has now held the Australasia title for three consecutive years but dropped 26 places from No.19 last year. It placed No.21 in 2024.
Noreiks said both venues are gearing up for the summer months.
“The Caretaker’s Cottage menu changes monthly, so we are always in a state of flux with production, and it definitely keeps everyone on their toes! Three Horses has also just released its spring menu, so it’s all hands on deck right now.
“We are just about to move into summer trade, so both venues are gearing up for the busy months ahead, which we are all excited about. Melbourne is a great place to be in the winter months; however, spring and summer have an electricity that is contagious.”
The Best Bar in Australasia award is sponsored by Australian-founded coffee liqueur brand Mr Black.
Bar Leone goes back-to-back
Hong Kong’s Bar Leone has been named The World’s Best Bar for the second year running and retains The Best Bar in Asia title. Co-founded by Italian bartender Lorenzo Antinori and opened in 2023, it became the first bar from Asia to take No.1 in 2025.
The bar’s concept, Cocktail Popolari, or cocktails for the people, draws on the neighbourhood bars of Rome’s Trastevere district. The list is built on classics with Italian influences, served alongside snacks such as smoked olives and a mortadella sandwich.
The 50 Best Bars Director of Community, Faye Huggett, said, “To be the first ever No.1 from Asia was already an outstanding achievement, of which Lorenzo and his team are hugely deserving, but to retain the title for a second consecutive year shows the true impact of Cocktail Popolari.”
The 2026 list spans 26 cities and includes 14 new entries. For the first time, Paris tied with Hong Kong and New York as the most represented city, with four bars each, and overtook London as Europe’s most represented city. London, Athens and Bangkok each have three bars.
The list is voted on by The 50 Best Bars Academy of more than 800 drinks experts across 29 regions. Each voter casts eight votes based on bar experiences over the previous 18 months, with voting adjudicated by Deloitte.
Sydney’s Maybe Sammy, which ranked No.42 in 2025 and had appeared in the top 50 every year since opening in 2019, didn’t make the top 50 this year but came in at No.75.
Milan’s Moebius Milano is No.2 and takes The Best Bar in Europe title.
Cartagena’s Alquímico is No.3 and The Best Bar in South America, having already won the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award ahead of the ceremony.
Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy, No.2 last year, slips to No.6 but holds The Best Bar in North America title.
Rounding out the top 10 are Bar Us in Bangkok (No.4), Line in Athens (No.5), Zest in Seoul (No.7), Connaught Bar in London (No.8), Lady Bee in Lima (No.9) and new entry Bar Mauro in Mexico City (No.10).
Barcelona’s Sips and Paradiso, No.3 and No.4 in 2025, fell to No.16 and No.17.
Dubai’s Mimi Kakushi (No.42) retained The Best Bar in the Middle East. Front/Back in Accra, No.80 on the extended list, was named The Best Bar in Africa, marking the city’s first appearance in the ranking.
Special awards
Roku Industry Icon Award: Shingo Gokan, the bartender and operator behind Speak Low in Shanghai, The SG Club in Tokyo and Sip & Guzzle in New York. His Hong Kong bar Gokan entered the list at No.41.
Campari One to Watch Award: Three Horses, Melbourne
Disaronno Highest New Entry Award: Bar Mauro, Mexico City (No.10)
Three Cents Best New Opening Award: Schmuck, New York (No.11)
Nikka Highest Climber Award: The Bar in Front of the Bar, Athens, up 28 places to No.19
Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award: Paradiso, Barcelona, recognising the most consistent performance on the list since its inception
Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award: Line, Athens, adjudicated by the Sustainable Restaurant Association
Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award: Panda & Sons, Edinburgh, for its menu Transcend
SevenRooms Best Bar Design Award: Saikindō, a Japanese-style listening bar at Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi
The 50 Best Bars Scholarship: Isa Mejia, Ecuador, who will complete stages at Line in Athens and Tres Monos in Buenos Aires
Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award: Takuma Watanabe, co-founder and Beverage Director of Martiny’s, New York (announced last month)
Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award: Alquímico, Cartagena (announced ahead of the ceremony)
