Martini mission, Melbourne

Melbourne is the Aussie cocktail capital and handily so, as many of its foremost mixology meccas are situated within easy reach of one another. Make it a martini-themed night, starting with the stupendous Cavendish House martini – the best in town, according to this reporter’s exhaustive research – at bar and restaurant Gimlet. It’s then a quick stroll to the glamorous Art Deco Nick & Nora’s for a Smokey the Bandit: a gin-based iteration of the ’tini with a lick of native paperbark-smoked port. Then, head to Melbourne’s only entry in the World’s 50 Best Bars, Caretaker’s Cottage, for its house martini with a side of ’90s hip-hop. From there, stumble a block to your last stop at the subterranean, Parisian-style Bar Margaux for their small yet perfectly formed Petit Martini.