Eightysix

Eightysix is always packed, it’s right near the city centre and it’s always blasting hip-hop from the speakers. Despite all this, it somehow manages to feel like a relaxed neighbourhood bistro.

Part of that is down to the waitstaff. They’re warm, energetic and effortlessly knowledgeable about the menu – no mean feat considering how often it changes (the blackboard runs along an entire wall).

There’s no obvious style here, but dishes are usually geared towards sharing and showcasing fresh local produce. You might find yourself having fried chicken with kewpie mayo and hot sauce followed by a foie-gras parfait with rhubarb ham and toast. No rhyme or reason, but unmistakeably good.

Some mainstay dishes have developed a following over the years; if the team ever took the pumpkin tortellini or banoffee pie off the menu, it would probably cause a riot.

The drinks list has just as little time for trend-chasing and stuffiness as the rest of the place. Skin-contact wines and both local and international drops are well represented. There’s a fun array of cocktails to try, too.