Kitty Somerset

Awakening what is, after dark, a fairly barren strip for nightlife, Kitty Somerset provides a tasteful venue for a relaxing drink on the edge of Northcote.

Outside, a hard-to-miss gleaming yellow and black sign evokes an illuminated motel sign, marking its presence boldly and suggesting, perhaps, a far louder and less elegant interior setting. On the contrary, the warming flicker of a winter fire and dim lighting offer a far cosier affair. It's the kind of place where you just want to sink into comfortable leather sofas with a book or a game of scrabble: luckily it has all three.

Find your way to the long, narrow bar and attentive staff will serve you in between spinning soulful vinyl that plays out softly, never overcrowding your conversation. It makes the perfect setting for an after work drink or unassuming first date.

The convivial atmosphere is ever-present at this unpretentious bar, yet it builds on a Friday or Saturday evening where a late night licence to 3am offers fanciful night caps to knowing locals and those who find doors firmly closed elsewhere.