Cobbler

Dark curtains and no signage make Cobbler easy to walk straight past. Being on a main street, the bar isn’t exactly hidden, so you can’t help but think the owner Martin Lange wants it this way. This idea is reinforced by the speakeasy-style, low-lit interior decked out in interior rum-coloured furniture.

But the most striking feature is the extensive back bar, which is equipped with its own sliding ladder to access more than 400 whiskies from around the world, along with a smaller – but no less researched – range of tequila, rum and liqueur. This extensive approach stems from Lange’s previous bar Sling, then known for its monstrous 300 plus cocktail menu.

Cobbler’s seasonal cocktail list is predictably extensive, with focus on modern twists of the classics. Fizzes, highballs, flips, blazers – the list goes on, all with Cobbler’s own intricate additions. You’re encouraged to watch each drink being made from the row of regal looking chairs lining the bar’s service area.

Groups and private functions are welcome in the upstairs area or at the tables scattered throughout the venue. It might seem pretentious at first blush, but Cobbler’s promise is, “Down to earth service, good chat and a great bar experience.”

It delivers on these declarations with ease.