From hidden laneway dens to wine bars worth planning a night around, this is the ultimate guide to 31 of the best bars in Canberra that define how the city drinks after dark.

The best Canberra bars have been shaped by the demands of well-travelled locals and visitors. From dinky laneway dens to rooftop hangs and breweries that anchor whole neighbourhoods, the best Canberra bars also cater to a city with many sides. This guide shines a spotlight on the best bars in Canberra right now.

In short

If you only visit one bar in Canberra make it 11e Cave, inspired by small cellar bars found in France. Find 11e Cave hidden behind a red door beneath the street in an old bank vault. The bar below restaurant Onzieme is intimate and dimly lit with a playlist that is spot on. Ideal for a pre-dinner drink.

Best wine bars in Canberra

These are the bars where the wine list matters, from intimate cellars to some of the best wine bars in Canberra right now.

1. Romanée Wine Bar

La Romanée is the smallest appellation in France, known for wines that express the complexity of Burgundy’s pinot noir grape. The dinky little wine bar named after the Côte de Nuits subregion cultivates the notion that owner Chester Mok knows a thing or two about wine. The sommelier-selected list stretches from local bottles to intriguing back vintages, complemented by an in-house range of cocktails. Romanée Wine Bar menu is built to match the drinks with artisan cheese, charcuterie and chocolate.

Address: 16 Lonsdale St, Braddon

2. Rizla Wine Bar

Rizla is one of the best wine bars in Canberra. And it’s designed around the premise that riesling deserves more attention. The wine list at Australia’s only dedicated riesling bar and restaurant changes almost daily. And it champions today’s style of dry, tight, citrus-driven and mineral-forward riesling. Canberra District bottles feature strongly, joined by Australian and international benchmarks, many by the glass. Food is designed to match the wine, not distract from it.

Address: Unit 146, Mode 3/24 Lonsdale St, Braddon

3. Tintino

Tintino is part wine bar, part bottle shop with a food menu designed to enhance every sip. There’s a wall of wines at this little jewel box of a place, which is built around drinking and eating well. The focus at Tintino in Kingston is on global, small-batch wines that are available to browse, take away or drink in. Food is designed to match the wine, not compete with it. The room is intimate with a relaxed grown-up buzz about it that works for a quick bottle run or long night in.

Address: 4/11 Kennedy St, Kingston

4. Paranormal Wines

Paranormal Wines is for drinkers who like their wine bright, fizzy, pink, orange and sour. Well, shang those aromas up our nostrils as we’re as curious as you are about enjoying natural wines sans chemicals and without the usual additives. Owner Max Walker (ex- Movida Aqui) has years of experience in curating lists of wines made to be chilled, poured and enjoyed without ceremony. The mood at this Campbell wine bar is generous and relaxed. Do your Civic duty. Go get it.

Address: G27/6 Provan St, Campbell

5. Kivotos Wine Bar

This intimate wine bar puts Greek wines front and centre, with a focused list that moves from crisp, island whites to structured mainland reds, plus a little ouzo and tsipouro for context. The art of bar-hopping has a lot to do with ambience and the vibe at Kivotos Wine Bar is warm and conversational, the kind of place you drop into and stay put. Food plays a supporting role with classic dips, and dishes like prawn saganaki and Greek lamb chops designed to keep the wine and conversation flowing.

Address: 33 Mort St, Braddon

6. 11e Cave

Hidden underground beneath Onzieme, one of the best restaurants in Canberra, 11e Cave is tucked inside an old bank vault that hums along quietly after dark. Since opening in May 2022, the tiny bar à vin has built a cult following for its sharp wine list, French-leaning snacks and candlelit, low-ceilinged mood. It’s ideal for a pre- or post-dinner glass, yet strong enough to stand alone with its menu of small share plates. The tiny bar punches well above its little footprint.

Address: Corner Eyre and 39 Kennedy St, Kingston

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7. Volstead Repeal

Volstead Repeal takes its name from the moment America got booze back and repealed the Volstead Act that signalled the start of the Prohibition Era. Tucked down an arcade in Braddon, this is one of the best Canberra bars for whisky lovers and cocktail drinkers. Think New York speakeasy energy, with bankers’ lamps, leather booths, a long timber bar and wall stacked with hundreds of whiskies. A small pizza oven doles out pizzas with inventive toppings like truffle and jalapeno drizzled with honey.

Address: Shop 7, 32 Mort St, Braddon

8.  Molly Bar

Molly Bar is a chic, well-designed throwback to the Prohibition era and a fixture on any list of the best Canberra bars. It’s all rhythm and booze when you stop in at the swinging jazz club to listen to live music. The theme is strictly 1920s, so this is the place for you if you like to stick to the classics when it comes to cocktails. Devotees of dive bars will enjoy the speakeasy vibe at the bar, which is tucked behind a doorway in Odgers Lane. The dimly lit bar is more like a private parlour than a party room.

Address: Odgers Lane, Canberra ACT

9. Cicada Bar

Like the winged insect it’s named after, Cicada Bar is loud and buzzy. The Japanese-inspired menu includes bar bites like chips with Mentaiko mayo, duck salami or scallops slicked with XO sauce. There’s also a proper eye fillet if you’re feeling hangry. The seductive space features vintage Tannoy speakers, Brutalist concrete, plum banquettes and modular armchairs. It’s part of the Chairman Group, home to some of the city’s best venues.

Address: 1 Constitution Avenue, Canberra 

10. Joe’s Bar

Joe’s Bar winks back to Canberra’s Brutalist architecture with its custom concrete curtain. This stunning centrepiece, conceptualised by Kelly Ross Design, is perfect for the bar that bills itself as ‘the small bar celebrating big things’. The quirky bar in the lobby of East Hotel is mobbed by locals and guests who want to muse about art, society and politics. The bar is a little bit extra, with vivid velvet furnishings, a back-lit marble bar and striking light fixtures. Head to Joe’s Bar before or after dinner at Agostinis or Azuma Den, two of Canberra’s best restaurants.

Address: 69 Canberra Avenue, Kingston

11. Capitol Bar & Grill

This dark, moody bar at QT Canberra draws everyone from ANU students studying international relations to journalists keen to talk about global goings-on. Capitol Bar & Grill has beautiful banquettes, bar stools and outdoor seating to choose from. Spend the evening swirling your wine while enjoying prime wood-fired steaks. The wine list curated by sommelier Ashleigh Smith is extensive, and includes signature cocktails, spirits, tap beer and ‘drinkable desserts’.

Address: 1 London Circuit, Canberra ACT

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12. Bar Outro

Bar Outro is part wine bar, part listening lounge. It’s the latest concept from the minds behind the popular Terra and Recess cafe. The busy, bustling bar is Lonsdale St’s new see-and-be-seen late-night hang.  Expect the DJs to tap into the vibes adding everything from Japanese disco to Gaelic hip-hop to the night’s soundtrack. An outro is the concluding part of something, like the final section of a song. Got the munchies? See the night out here over double-decker cheeseburgers for supper.

Address: 3/9 Lonsdale St, Braddon

13. Highball Express

If you can’t get to Cuba this year, head to Canberra’s Highball Express instead. With its pops of watermelon pink and mint green, the rum-soaked bar leans hard into the Havana fantasy. Known for its cocktails, punches and exotic rums, Highball Express pays homage to a time when thirsty Americans made their way to Cuba and landed in paradise. Shake it up with a cocktail class or opt in for Golden Hour from 5 pm to 6 pm to enjoy cocktails from the countless varieties of rum on offer.

Address: 75 London Circuit, Canberra ACT

14. Peacemaker Saloon

Dress like you’re an extra in a spaghetti western when you swagger into Peacemaker Saloon to bend the elbow alongside like-minded patrons. Wear a bib so you can keep your plaid shirt free of the BBQ sauce slathered over the 12-hour smoked brisket. Bigger and brighter than its little sister, Volstead Repeal, the Braddon bar is all about Southern-style food, cocktails and cold beer.

Address: 26 Mort St, Braddon

15. Loquita

Loquita is one of the best Canberra bars for mezcal obsessives. Tune into this hotspot to enjoy slow sips of this potent spirit while snacking on tacos grounded in tradition. Loquita is low-key lovely. Feel the pull of Mexico in this pretty pink, pared-down setting which is all mod Mexican minimalist chic: think polished concrete floors, clusters of cacti, alcoves and arches. The sister bar to Wilma and Pearl is a must-visit.

Address: 17 Garema Place, Canberra ACT

16. Bar Beirut

Bar Beirut is a love letter to Lebanon. Owner and bartender Soumi Tannous learned his craft in the underground nightclub scene of war-torn Beirut. And the bar is, says Soumi, like the country’s buzzing capital: welcoming and cosmopolitan. People who like to party describe Beirut as the ‘Paris of the Middle East’. The lighting is enticing, and the bar a dazzle of pink-painted walls. Enjoy big, punchy flavours that marry the Middle East with the Mediterranean and sip on a drink of your choice to match.

Address: 25 Garema Place, Canberra

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17. The Old Canberra Inn

Forget tethering your horse out front of The Old Canberra Inn. These days, there’s a car park out back of the coach house built in 1857. The atmospheric, low-ceilinged pub in Lyneham is a fun flophouse with a leafy beer garden and sophisticated take on pub food. While the bones of the pub might be old, there are always new craft beers on rotation from independent, Australian breweries. There’s also a well-curated wine and spirits list, as well as food the whole family can enjoy.

Address: 195 Mouat Street, Lyneham ACT

18. Wakefield’s

Wakefield’s sits within Edgar’s Inn, a multi-venue space that Ainslie locals have been invested in for decades. Lined with bookcases and anchored by burnished timber bench tops arranged around an array of neat nooks, it’s the kind of place that makes Canberra’s satellite suburbs feel richer, warmer and better connected. The dimly lit bar has a list of more than 100 Australian wines and is a charming spot to stop in for a glass of wine and considered bar bites.

Address: 1 Edgar Street, Ainslie ACT

19. Public Bar

Public is a modern pub in the happening heart of Manuka. In addition to Public Dining Room, one of the most family-friendly restaurants in Canberra, there’s a sprawling pub and modern beer garden overlooking the streetscape. Public has an extensive selection of spirits and liqueurs, killer cocktails and an unrivalled wine list. Pop into the chic bar upstairs to enjoy a drink with a view. Or join the locals who converge downstairs for the happy hour specials from Monday to Thursday – 3 pm to 5 pm.

Address: 1-33 Flinders Way, Griffith ACT

20. Hippo Co.

You can still don a flanno and feel right at home at Hippo Co., which has been going strong since the noughties. The low-lit space has a hunting lodge vibe with warm timbers, well-loved leather sofas, Art Deco fittings and taxidermy creatures. Although the bar had a revamp about a decade ago, the focus on whiskies remains. Like many of Canberra’s bars, there’s also live music, with a tight menu of whisky-forward drinks and inventive cocktails.

Address: 1/17 Garema Place, Canberra ACT

21. Ben Chifley’s Bar & Grill

Raise a glass to Hotel Kurrajong Canberra’s political history at Chifley’s Bar & Grill. The bar nods to the favourite drink of former PM Ben Chifley, who lived at the hotel for 11 years and helped cement its place in Canberra’s political story. A Melbourne-based whisky expert has curated a globe-trotting list of rare and classic pours alongside the signature Benny’s Double. Those who like their history with a nightcap should book the Chifley Experience, which includes a tour of the Museum of Australian Democracy.

Address: 8 National Circuit, Barton

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22. Leyla Rooftop Bar

Leyla Rooftop Bar operates as a sunlit cafe and lounge for guests of the Burbury Hotel. Come nightfall, she puts feathers in her hair and becomes a showgirl, transforming into a sophisticated cocktail bar. Designed by award-winning Sydney firm Luchetti Krelle, Leyla is one of the best rooftop bars in Canberra for its views. The sculptural space is defined by beautiful curves, statement skylights and a retro-futuristic bar. Opt for one of the signature cocktails or one of the many martini options,

Address: 18 National Circuit, Barton ACT

23. Monster Kitchen & Bar

Monster Kitchen & Bar is an antidote to all the stuffy hotel lobbies of old. The hotel is ensconced in Ovolo Nishi, one of the best places to stay in Canberra. It’s kitsch and kaleidoscopic, with everything from pops of Barbiecore pink to sculptural lighting and the studied elegance of mid-century furniture. A sugar rush of joy shot through a canon of cray-cray. The cocktails are fun, the wine list extensive, the menu seasonal.

Address: 25 Edinburgh Avenue, Canberra ACT

24. Capital Brewing Co.

Capital Brewing Co. was the first brewery in Australia to achieve B-Corp certification for its entire organisation, as well as its beers. The brewery was opened by a bunch of active types who like to capitalise on the capital’s proximity to the mountains. That dedication to celebrating the backcountry was what inspired the team to pursue its accreditation by the Federal Government initiative, Climate Active. Let’s drink to that over a Coast Ale or two.

Address: 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick ACT

25. The Pearl

Getting around to all of Canberra’s sites of national importance is thirsty work. We recommend The Pearl  for a few cocktails in the heart of Canberra’s CBD. The sister venue to restaurant Wilma is fitted out with woven rattan pendants and a rooftop sprouting greenery and is a really magical spot. Join scores of locals here for after-work drinks. And students who come here to kick on during happy hour. The Asian-inspired cocktail bar has hair-of-the-dog cocktails and snag sangas to boot.

Address: 1 Genge Street, Canberra

26. Dear Prudence

‘Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play?’ The lyrics to the Beatles’ song are what inspired the name of this bar off a laneway in Verity Lane Market under the arched curves of the Sydney Building. The dimly lit bar is the kind of cosy space you’d find in the back streets of Barcelona. It’s all exposed brickwork and wooden rafters, whispering stories about the building and its past. Choose from a menu of Spanish-style share plates, then linger over the extensive range of aperitifs, cocktails, wines and craft beer.

Address: 100 Alinga Street, Canberra ACT

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27. Amici

Amici doesn’t disappoint Italophiles looking to enjoy a few aperitivos in the nation’s capital. The menu celebrates decades of the old ways with cheese and meat platters and hand-stretched pizzas topped with burrata and nduja or prosciutto and arugula. The Canberra wine and cocktail bar is also a deli so you can pick up pantry items to take home. By day, Amici serves up salads, sandos and other grab-and-go options. By night, it’s a top spot for a #girldinner.

Address: 59 Northbourne Avenue, Civic

28. Bar Rochford

Set inside the Melbourne Building, Bar Rochford is full of hip young Canberrans who have been around the world and back again to sling spirits and vinyl in the city they grew up in. Everything from the funky artwork to the elegant arched windows, turntables and bottle-green booths is on point. But as well as being a great boozer, Bar Rochford is to be commended for its food after being awarded one hat in the 2026 Good Food Guide.

Address: 65 London Circuit, Canberra ACT

29. Such and Such

Lacuna Trippy by Scott Chaseling sets the tone at Such and Such in Canberra in the cultural precinct near Canberra Theatre in Constitution Place. Designed by Mark Brook of mymymy interiors, the space is divided into a bar, main dining room and private space defined by dramatic green velvet drapery. It’s the kind of place where you can drop in for a bevvy and bite or sit down to a low-key dinner. Clever cooking. Great cocktails. Fun staff. Cracking wine list. There’s much to love.

Address: 220 London Circuit, Canberra

30. Inari

This inspired restaurant and bar is part of Tiger Lane, one of the buzziest precincts in Canberra. The restaurant is a flashback to 1960s Japan and, as well as creating cult dishes like popcorn shrimp, has killer cocktails to match. The restaurant was named after the Japanese god of rice, Inari, so expect incredible sake in this lively venue, which has added a splash of neon-bright colour to Canberra. Inari is also about provenance, sourcing ingredients from the nearby Murrumbidgee and Murray valleys of NSW.

Address: 148 Bunda Street, Canberra

31. Bacaro

Find the dinky lane off Lonsdale Street marked with a red neon light and you’ll literally stumble into Bacaro. This tucked-away small bar attached like a sidecar to Italian & Sons is full of stalwart supporters. Some are waiting for a table at the restaurant. Others are just here to sink a few cocktails. Sidle up to the marble-topped bar to order an amaro and a selection of antipasti. Bacaro also has a massive wine selection with its own range of reds and whites.

Address: 7 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT