The Best Bars in Melbourne to Learn Cocktail Making in 2024

Melbourne's bar scene is arguably one of the best in the country. So why not immerse yourself even more into it with cocktail classes in Melbourne! With funky dive bars, hidden whiskey joints and laneways that end at a spiral staircase leading up to a swanky cocktail lounge, you can learn how to make cocktails in some of the fanciest and coolest places the city has on offer. It's no surprise that making DIY cocktails has become one of the best things to do in Melbourne.  Learning the art of mixology has only grown with the bar scene and the coveted position of the bartender is now viewed as a revered necessity.

Check out this list of some of the best bars to learn cocktail making in Melbourne and start shaking for team building activities, birthday parties and more! After a memorable experience with your best buddies? Mixology workshops also make very classy hens party ideas, birthday party experiences and bucks nights that’ll be sure to impress!

Mastering the martini takes a particularly good teacher, so take a look at these bars, restaurants and cocktails lounges that are ideal for learning how to make the perfect cocktail.

Combine fruity flavours and fun at cocktail making classes with Pineapple Jam

Pineapple Jam’s funky Mordialloc venue is definitely a stand out when it comes to mixology schools! Led by flair bartender Clinton Weir, you can learn how to make cocktails at home and in-person that look and taste amazing. Learn Clinton’s tricks and tips as you get creative with classic cocktail recipes, including the Espresso Martini, Strawberry Daiquiris, Vanilla Pina Coladas and more! Or try out a class where you get to make some of Pineapple Jam’s delicious and fruity signature cocktails.

Make and sip cocktails with nibbles at Mofo Lounge

Nestled in Prahran - just a short walk from Chapel St - lies Mofo Lounge, a Morrocan inspired bar that’s been feeding and watering Melbourne natives for 17 years. What sets Mofo Lounge apart, however, is the emphasis they place on private bookings. With two unique function spaces over two floors, they have the space to suit almost every booking size and prioritise their booking schedule over standard bar traffic, so you can be guaranteed you and your party are getting the attention they require. The private cocktail classes will show you and your mixology enthusiasts how to prepare three signature cocktails, with a complimentary beverage and a dips platter and cheese board to top and tail your evening, respectively.

Get ready to DROOL over these delicious DIY cocktails

If you’re looking for unique things to do in Melbourne then look no further! With the multi-talented chefs and mixologists behind DROOL, you’ll not only learn how to make cocktails but also how to pair them with a satisfying meal or tasting experience. Whether it’s a dessert cocktail class, a whisky tasting and mixology masterclass or simply learning how to make a classic martini, it’s always happy hour at DROOL! Gather your colleagues for a truly memorable team building event and enjoy your cocktail creations with pasta, risotto and more!

Master mixology at Polly Bar

Since 1999, Polly has been making the rest of Fitzroy’s bars, pubs and restaurants up their game. One of Melbourne’s standout walking holes, it recently won the People’s Choice Award in Time Out’s 2016 Bar of the Year competition. It’s also been featured in the Lonely Planet guide to Melbourne, so you know it’s a certified catch. Their rococo-via-speakeasy decor is the ideal environment to master mixology with their famous cocktail classes and their unique range of cocktails. Not only this, but they also offer an absinthe appreciation class and a whisky tasting session. No one knows their booze like Polly.

Create unique cocktail recipes with mobile classes

Don't want to worry about the hassle of transport? Bring the bar to your home, venue or workshop with custom mobile cocktail making classes! Whether you want to master the basics of mixology, have a cocktail creation competition for team building activities or just want to discover some unique cocktail recipes, mobile classes are a great idea for private events and functions. With everything brought to your home or venue, including an expert bartender, cocktail equipment and more, all you need to bring is a keen spirit to learn how to make cocktails!

Four Pillars Gin: learn how to make gin cocktails at this Melbourne distillery 

If gin cocktails are your go-to drinks then you’ll love learning mixology at this Melbourne distillery, Four Pillars Gin! Guided by a local bartender, you’ll discover more about the history of mixology as you learn how to make three delicious gin cocktails. Begin your class with a welcome G&T and get shaking!

Make elegant cocktails at Bar Ampere

Blink and you’ll miss it, this insanely fashionable French bistro is hidden away just off Bourke St below an ageing electrical substation. Stylish and elegant, Bar Ampere oozes classic French chic and is pretentious enough to be beautifully authentic and self-confident without ever crossing into the realms of intolerable. Their bar staff are experts in cocktail making, and their unique function space is nestled away from the street and the main bar. Serving exquisite Parisian aperitifs and the stinkiest of French cheeses and meats until 3 am ensures there’s no better place for a late-night cocktail rendezvous and an exceptional cocktail class experience. Find the secret door and you may just also stumble into Melbourne's notorious Gin Palace.

Support your local and try cocktail making at these small bars in Melbourne.

Madame Brussels: cheeky cocktail making in the CBD

Another creation from the brains trust behind Bar Ampere, Madame Brussels is surely one of the cheekiest drinking spots in all of the CBD. A rooftop bar and parlour room, Madame Brussels combines the charm and eccentricity of Alice in Wonderland with the La Maison Derriere burlesque vibe of pre-war Paris. A little bit naughty, their private mixology classes will be sure to get the blood pumping. They only take bookings over ten people, however, so make sure you get a larger group to embrace one of the best things to do in Melbourne after dark.

If you’re looking for cocktail making classes in Melbourne, your martini glass runneth over. The popularity of mixology is only going up, and cocktail courses are steadily becoming one of the quintessential Melbourne activities. Get shaking and stirring and become your own bartender, so next time the drinks come out, you know just how to mix them.