Good things don't always come in small packages but in this case, the adage is true. Designer Matiya Marovich worked magic when transforming a shabby laneway – flanked by Shobosho and Fugazzi Bar & Dining Room – into Pink Moon Saloon.

From the footpath, it looks like a tiny alpine hut. Beyond the blue doorway, a Henry David Thoreau-inspired hideaway awaits. The narrow space fits 90 people and is split into a couple of sections: a dark, narrow bar opens up to a leafy courtyard, beyond which you’ll find a handful of intimate booths.

When you enter, you can do so knowing you’re in good hands – Marshall King, Dana Whyte and Henry Holland (also of Clever Little Tailor) are behind this lair and their attention to detail is tangible. Behind the bar, knowledgeable staff pour independent brews, top-shelf spirits, creative cocktails and delicately devised frozen daiquiris. They know their stuff and the service is a friendly, approachable affair.

Not unlike Clever’s around the corner, the food offering here is modest though well-considered. Small snacky plates are joined by a selection of market cheese and sliced-to-order charcuterie; the kind of fare that’s ideal for sharing with strangers-turned-friends at one of the two communal tables.