Greenhouse

Comedians recycling jokes and punch lines? Bad. Designers recycling street signs and gas bottles by turning them into seats and plates? Bad ass, especially when the end product is as slick, organic and – most importantly– fun as this CBD case study in eco-friendliness.

While young Matt Stone’s cooking has captured plenty of national media attention, beyond the wunderkind’s crunchy Vietnamese pancakes, spicy green mango salads and bold, mostly Asian-leaning flavours lies a particularly grand bar offering. Not surprising, mind you, when you consider that restaurant manager Paul Aron was once-upon-a-time head bartender at Richmond’s brilliant Der Raum (among other equally notable CV entries).

While with-it wine and beer selections fit the venue’s hip, easy-going vibe to a tee, hitting the Greenhouse liquor cabinet is undoubtedly the best way to appreciate Aron’s know-how. Apocryphally-named – or more appropriately, numbered – house concoctions like the Recipe #17 demonstrate smarts, the combination of Plymouth gin, Amaro Montenegro and fresh lime, beetroot and cucumber super invigorating. In the colder months, spices for the Hot Buttered Rum are pan-roasted a la minute Cocktailian standards like the Side Car and Mint Julep are updated with clever tweaks (the addition of fresh blueberries and Crème de Myrtilles to the latter, say) while a beautifully balanced rendition of the subtly smoky Penicillin pays homage to both Milk & Honey’s modern classic as well as Greenhouse itself.

If it’s a sunny day – or the dining room is packed – head upstairs and grab a seat alongside the rooftop garden.