Bar Fly

BLACK PENNY
648 Bourke Street, Surry Hills 02 9319 5061 blackpenny.com.au
DO YOU – like me – confuse lust and love? Lust (as you might imagine) is my favourite of the 7 deadly sins. Lust: a gin based Black Penny cocktail is in my opinion the smoothest talker. We also cheered for Sin City when (on opening night) BAR FLY and her party friends tried to drink our way through the whole cocktail list. Notice I said:  tried. I’m also in lust with the locals-first philosophy; Black Penny sources its alcohol from a unique mixture of boutique, as well as larger producers such as Coopers, Young Henry’s, The Hills Cider Company and the Balmain Brewing Company. Yet with a back bar art gallery behind the funky front corner street space providing a platform for local and emerging artists – perhaps this time it might really be LOVE?

 THE SODA FACTORY
16 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills 02 8096 9120 Facebook: thesodafactory
WHEN HIP NEW Surry Hills late night venue The Soda Factory opened, BAR FLY was there (first night) to check it out. NAY: no photos are allowed of the secret Coke machine entrance that sets the vibe for the ’50s theme inside. YAY: to paper straws, which scream the namesake soda theme and to friendly staff and polka dots. The boozy soda syphon serves up share cocktails of sparkling apple and rum, as well as gin and lemonade, and similar classic pairings – twelve in all per night. The hot dogs aren’t half bad either! This place looks set to be an amazing music venue. Expect a regular offering of live acts, international DJs and local vibe controllers to engineer your nights from chill in the early evening, to some sweet, sweet d-floor action later on.