Low light, good drinks and somewhere to talk: the Canberra bars we would pick for a night for two.
Last checked 14 November 2026. No bar paid to be included.
Swipe to see all 8 bars →
Cocktail and jazz bar
Above Canberra's first Chinese restaurant, one of Australia's longest-running cocktail and jazz venues, lit by candles, with more than 280 whiskies, guided tastings and a balcony for warm nights.
📍 1/17 Garema Place, Canberra ACT 2601
Wine and cocktail bar
ACT Bar of the Year (VisitCanberra)
Up a flight of stairs in the heritage-listed Melbourne Building, with huge arched windows, wine-bottle candles, a fireplace and an ever-changing food menu.
📍 65 London Circuit, Canberra ACT 2601
Basement cocktail bar
A moody basement cocktail den beneath New Acton, in the space that was High Jinks, from the team behind Volstead Repeal and Peacemaker Saloon.
📍 Basement, 2/15 Edinburgh Avenue, Canberra ACT 2601
Cocktail bar
A first-floor bar over Garema Place inspired by old Hollywood glamour, pouring classic cocktails.
📍 Level 1, 5 Garema Place, Canberra ACT 2601
Wine bar
One of Canberra's most intimate wine bars, at New Acton, with vintage furniture, marble-topped tables and share plates such as oysters and chorizo.
📍 New Acton, Canberra ACT 2601
Rooftop bar
A rooftop bar on level seven in Barton with big windows that open to the outdoors, views over Canberra and a weekly sunset hour.
📍 Level 7, 1 Burbury Close, Barton ACT 2600
Wine bar
Tucked behind the Branx building on Lonsdale Street, pouring wines from the ACT and its surrounds alongside some of Australia's finest vintages.
📍 105/16 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT 2612
Cocktail lounge
A loft-style cocktail bar in the Dairy Road precinct, with marble tables, green velvet chairs and marble statues.
📍 Building 2, 2/1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick ACT 2609
Tap a pin for the bar. Numbers match the list.
Start with Hippo Co, Bar Rochford, Devil You Don't, Blue Eyes and Parlour. Our full list has 8 bars.
This guide is written by the team at M.AD Agency. We run Cocktail Week, the ten-day cocktail festival held town by town across the UK and Ireland. Now we're bringing it to Australia. Since 2022 we have taken it to more than 20 towns and cities and worked with hundreds of bars. We put this guide together from our own research and trusted local guides, including VisitCanberra, HerCanberra, Region Canberra and Sitchu.
No bar paid to be included and nobody can buy a place. We check the guide regularly as bars open, change and close.
Cocktail Week in Australia
Run a bar in Canberra that should be here? Get in touch at hello@cocktail-week.com and tell us about it.
We use cookies to see how people use the site and to show you relevant ads. Nothing is set unless you say yes. Cookie policy