Gracie

If you’re new to sake – or enjoy it, but don’t know a whole lot about it – Gracie wants to change that. The intimate, warmly lit bar and bottle shop has a strong focus on the boozy Japanese beverage made from fermented rice.

Dealing with producers directly rather than through distributors – staying as hyperlocal as possible – the snug bar’s imported selection ranges from sparkling, to light and fruit-driven, to drier and more savoury. Cocktails also have a sake edge: there might be a gin-spiked Yuzu Spritz, and a Sparkling Shiso with red shiso liqueur. There’s also a tight Asian-inspired snack menu that changes seasonally with dishes such as fried-fish sando, chicken-and-ginger dumplings and coconut rice crackers within the mix.

Design-wise, the 14-seat space is beautifully underlit, creating dramatic shadows. And there’s a focus on earthy colours and materials throughout; the walls are textured, inspired by skin-contact wines, and there’s an undulating fabric installation on the ceiling.