Raising the Bar

These four spots are the toast of the town

KITTYHAWK

Themed around the 1944 liberation of Paris, this stellar bar is dedicated to rum and rye. The collection of military paraphernalia is impressive, but not as much as the number of bottles lining the bar, some 130 types of bitters among them. For cocktails, try the Chest Candy Cobbler with Martini Bianco, Tío Pepe, fresh lemon, and oregano ( thekittyhawk.com.au).

THE BARBER SHOP

Sydney’s bearded hipsters are a thirsty bunch—they couldn’t possibly have a trim without a beverage in hand, it seems. Thankfully, this place caters to both their grooming and drinking needs with a menu that lists everything from a straight-blade hot-towel shave to a heartstopping London Rattlesnake: a cool muddle of gin, sherry, honey, fennel seed, and cinnamon ( thisisthebarbershop.com).

BETA

Little sister to Greek restaurant Alpha at Sydney’s Hellenic Club, Beta occupies a luxe upperfloor space with soaring ceilings, exposed brick walls, and pops of aqua, gray, and dusty pink. Cocktails come with a Grecian twist—try the Aegean, which sees La Fée Bohemian absinthe poured over ice with a dash of Jete sparkling wine ( betabarsydney.com.au).

MOYA’S JUNIPER LOUNGE

An intimate gin joint in Redfern, Moya’s dedicates a page in its menu to each drink, listing ingredients and telling tales about its origin. If you like yours to pack a punch, go straight for the Ward Eight, a punchy mix of Jensen’s Bermondsey gin, rye, grenadine, and lemon ( moyasgin.com).