The Rio

The sun-faded Streets ice-cream placards and hard candy might be gone, but Tess Robens, owner of this rollicking cocktail bar in Summer Hill, has kept a few vestiges of the building’s history intact.

The shop’s original signage still adorns the outside awning and vintage-styled bar stools hark back to the milk bars of yesteryear. Other original features have been retained – including the bar’s high, pressed-tin ceilings, an elaborate fireplace and stained-glass windows at the front.

But these days it’s all about cocktails rather than good old-fashioned milkshakes. You’ll find locally inspired drinks, like the Summer Hill Express (Cognac, coffee liqueur, espresso, and house-made vanilla and fig syrup) alongside tweaked classics including the Rye Tai (Buckleys Rye Whiskey, Dry Curacao, lime, orgeat).

To eat, there's a wide-ranging menu of snacks and large dishes that’ll have you covered for a comforting meal if you’re settling in for dinner. There’s a slight lean towards Southeast Asian and Japanese flavours, but you can just as easily grab a bowl of wild mushroom gnocchi or an eye-fillet steak and sides if you're that way inclined.

When the weather’s warm, it’s a tough call between the cosy festooned courtyard out back or the al fresco seating out front. The latter is the perfect place to take in the lively atmosphere of the Summer Hill village on a Friday night.