Henry Sugar

Set within Carlton’s leafy Rathdowne Village, Henry Sugar is the kind of bar and eatery every neighbourhood should have – sophisticated yet relaxed, with a refined food and drink offering.

Behind it are co-owners Michael Baker, previously a chef at Fitzroy’s Hell of the North and acclaimed Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca, and Daniel Mason, who's resume includes time behind the bar at Joe Taylor, Cookie and the Toff in Town.

Though there’s some seriously good cooking on the menu, there’s a sense of fun to it all. Australian twists are given to classic dishes, and there’s a huge focus on native ingredients. Produce is sourced as locally as possible.

Native ingredients also feature heavily in cocktails: strawberry gun, wattleseed, mountain pepper leaf and more. The wine list is exclusively minimal-intervention and backed up by small-scale breweries on the beer side.

Baker and Mason kept the fit-out simple, with a charcoal-coloured concrete bar in the centre of the space and a fireplace that roars in winter. When it’s warm, the bustling terrace is the place to be. DJs spin vinyl four nights a week, adding a casual vibe to this polished neighbourhood spot.