Bar Lafayette

Bygone charm is at the heart of Bar Lafayette. Smart drinks served by suitably attired staff may not be de rigeur these days, but here it’s alive and well. It’s fitting considering the bar is housed on the bottom floor of the heritage-listed Perth Technical School.

Well-slung cocktails should be your go-to. If Sazerac, Negroni and Old Fashioned are in your vocabulary, then take a seat. Most of these will set you back about $20, but keep an eye out for the 40 Years Old Fashioned. Pushing $80 (it has a measure of Francis Darroze Les Grands Assemblages 40-year-old Armagnac) it’s one for those who take their drinks seriously.

Food, thankfully, doesn’t take the formal route – there are soft-shell tacos, baos, sliders and croque monsieur. It’s eclectic but fitting bar food for a Friday night on the tiles or for a mid-week bite. Beer and cider includes the usual yet welcome suspects: Eagle Bay and Custard & Co. The wine list covers local and further afield.