Aces

The original Aces was a fixture of the Central Market landscape for more than 30 years, originally opened by Enzo Fantasia as a sports-theme bar and gaming venue in 1993. It’s lived many lives since then, it’s longest as a retro pizzeria. But the legend’s modern incarnation – a two-storey bar and diner overlooking Chinatown’s red paifang archway – is the most exciting yet.

The ambitious venue has room for 140 people, with New York-Italian vibes upstairs and a sexy Italo insouciance below. The two worlds are connected by a wide timber staircase and, although each space has its own identity, fun is the focus throughout.

You won’t find any pizza on Tom Tilbury’s Italy-meets-Chinatown menu, but pasta is well represented. Cue gramigna (a pasta shape from Emilia-Romagna) carbonara with black pepper, speck and yolk; mafaldine, duck and fig ragu with ricotta salata; and spaghetti vongole a la Golden Century (a dish inspired by the Sydney Chinatown institution).

House and classic cocktails are also executed to the same brief. Think Downtown Chinatown (spiced rum, Aperol, pineapple and lime), Italiano Martini (vodka, coffee and condensed milk) and Lychee Bubble Tea (gin, Cointreau, lemon, green tea, lychee jelly and strawberry pearls).

Try dropping in alone, just for a drink. The upstairs bar is open all day and accessible by lift. Shooters are inspired by ’80s tunes, which should give you a hint of what you can expect on the dancefloor when it reliably kicks off.