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Feature
Global Bar Report 2024: Australasia
Smaller bars in Australasia – whether Australia or New Zealand – are stepping into the spotlight, and their creativity has been met with global acclaim.
When you ask bar operators in Australasia about their experiences over the past 12 months, the responses are mixed. Optimism is tempered by uncertainty as the hospitality industry navigates a complex post-pandemic phase. Despite the challenges, opportunities have emerged to innovate, embrace new trends, and adapt to changing demands.
External economic factors in Australasia, including high inflation, have driven up operating costs and reduced discretionary spending. As a result, consumers have been more selective about where and how often they go out.
“It has undeniably been a hard couple of years in Melbourne, and probably nationwide. But it has allowed some smaller operators like us to get a foot in the door,” says Cara Devine, co-owner of Melbourne’s Goodwater, which opened in early 2024. The bar has quickly built a loyal following in its suburban location, and earned awards. Devine believes neighbourhood bars like Goodwater resonate with price-conscious consumers seeking value and community.
“It’s all about the neighbourhood bar at the moment. People might not feel like they want to spend heaps of money on a big night out, but they still want to get out of the house once or twice a week. Venues that are relaxed but have nailed the offering for their location are winning.”
Another trend in the Australasia region is the rise of health-conscious drinking, with an increasing demand for low- and no-alcohol spirits, beers and wines. “I especially love having a range of delicious non-alcoholic options,” says Devine. “The way our drinks list works, guests can choose the flavour profile they like (melon or strawberry, for example) and whether they would like a booze-forward (Martini or Old Fashioned-style), Highball, or non-alcoholic cocktail. It’s not without its difficulties, but we feel it’s a really inclusive approach to cocktail service.”
In other major cities in Australia, the bar industry is regaining momentum, with numerous venues opening in 2024.
In Sydney, Mucho Group has been a major success story in recent years, with its standout Cantina OK! being a fixture of the World’s 50 Best Bars extended list. Centro 86, its latest Tequila-focused venture, has quickly become one of the year’s most talked-about openings.
“I don’t think there have been many better times to drink in Australia,” says Jeremy Blackmore, Mucho Group’s creative director.
Blackmore’s optimism is well founded, with two Melbourne bars (Caretaker’s Cottage and Byrdi) and one in Sydney (Maybe Sammy) making the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2024.
“There are fantastic bars in every city in Australia,” says Blackmore. “There is a huge diversity in people’s approaches and points of view. There is a whole new generation of hospitality coming through, and I can’t wait to see the ideas they bring to the table.”
Elsewhere in Australasia, in New Zealand, where the after-effects of extended lockdowns still linger, a similar recovery pattern is emerging. “It seems like we are hopefully at a turning point,” says Heather Garland, co-owner of award-winning venues Caretaker, Deadshot, and the newly opened Rocketman in Auckland. “We have seen some changes in how people are spending, most notably on our weekdays in the early evening, when you’d usually have more after-work drinkers. However, we are also seeing lots of new faces.”
Many successful new bars in the region are also diversifying their offerings with spirits and cocktail masterclasses, bar takeovers and live entertainment.
In Melbourne, Devine points out that pop-ups and break-even events are keeping people engaged and entertained.
At Rocketman, Garland says live music and the bar’s karaoke offering have been a huge draw: “The most-loved part of the venue is Ms Kitty’s karaoke parlour. I don’t think I’ve shown Kitty’s to a single person who hasn’t stopped and busted out their favourite tune.”
Blackmore in Sydney echoes a similar sentiment. “We try to always remember to have fun at our venues – that’s why people go out. They want to chat and dance and meet new people. We really try to retain some of that silliness – it keeps everything we do a bit more human.”
Bars to watch in 2025
Goodwater, Melbourne, Australia
This neighbourhood cocktail and whiskey bar is a collaboration between several Melbourne hospitality superstars, and their expertise is present in every detail. Opened in early 2024, and spearheaded by whiskey expert Nathaniel White, Goodwater’s back bar boasts more than 250 American whiskeys, from rare, decades-old bottlings to obscure newcomers. The broader menu is just as carefully considered – cocktails incorporate seasonal fruit, and can be served short, long, or non-alcoholic, while the wine and beer lists highlight quality local producers. The food menu explores regional American flavours, with this summer’s Tennessee-inspired offerings including smoked Memphis-style pork rib sandwiches and Nashville hot chicken.
Centro 86, Sydney, Australia
Centro 86 is the latest addition to Mucho Group’s list of acclaimed venues, following Cantina OK!, Bar Planet, and Tio’s Cerveceria. Like all Mucho bars, the attention to detail is exceptional at Centro. The design team spent almost a year creating every original poster that lines the walls of the underground space, while the staff deliver friendly, upbeat and meticulous service. The Margarita is the main attraction here, with inventive riffs on the classic making up the core list. Four non-Margarita cocktails further explore Tequila, the venue’s focus spirit, in new and unexpected ways. If the crowds are any indication, this is another Mucho success story in the making.
Rocketman, Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland industry veterans Heather Garland and Alastair Walker took a different approach with Rocketman, their third venue, which launched in late 2023. While it’s located next to Caretaker, their renowned cocktail lounge, Rocketman is more of a sophisticated party bar. There’s live music, Ms Kitty’s karaoke parlour, and a retro-futuristic design – the back bar looks like the open fuselage of a plane. The ‘bartender’s choice’ model championed at the duo’s other venues is gone here, too. Rocketman’s seasonal cocktail menu consists of classics and house twists on classics – “people pleasers”, as Garland describes them. A smartly curated list of local wines and beers further showcases Australasia hospitality at its best.
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