Verde

Stanley Street is known for a few venerable hits and plenty of misses – it seems there’s something closing and opening every week. At a year old, Verde is already on its way to becoming a stayer. The upstairs bar is small and cosy and perfect for a date.

The cocktail list is comprehensive and divided into aperitif, main and dessert – a bit like a liquid three-course meal. Flip to the Forgotten Classics to fi nd old favourites, complete from Harry Johnson’s Blackthorn to Professor Jerry Thomas’ Japanese Cocktail. They also make a very respectable Gimlet with Roses lime cordial, no less. If all that goes to your head, come back down to earth with some bar snacks, including chilli squid, arancini and salad caprese. The wine list is a respectable combination of Aussie, French and Italian drops from Margaret River to Veneto, but where they really excel is in their selection of spirits. This is a drinker’s bar. Fact.