Bar Conte

Conte is devoted to Negroni. Owner Raffaele Lombard named his 38-seat bar after Conte Camillo Negroni, the inventor of the drink, and here you’ll find more than 30 iterations that go beyond the classic recipe of gin, vermouth and Campari. The amaro selection is also special – Lombard’s personal collection is on offer, including bottles rarely found in any bar here or in Italy.

Conte doubles as a handsome neighbourhood diner, with a menu flaunting charcuterie (mortadella, Negroni-infused salami), burrata caprese and freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters. The main event is pasta – think lamb ragu pappardelle, and squid-ink spaghetti with scampi, tomato and caviar. If you're going large, go for the 500-gram O'Connor rib-eye, served on the bone.

Based loosely on a 1920s Tuscan wine bar, the brick-red walls are decorated with Italian film and drink paraphernalia. A green Italian-marble counter runs from the main room into the open kitchen. The back of the venue trades as a coffee spot during the day, with biscuits imported from Italy, and pastries.