With wide windows that overlook the urban pavements, design-conscious locals and warehouse apartments of Surry Hills, Bar H is one of the slick yet casual neighbourhood cafés in Sydney. It isn’t trying to be a restaurant, meaning it’s perfect for a glass of Champagne and an eat-and-go light dinner, or a morning macchiato and toast. Forget about dull bar snacks, however – the food has some bonafide culinary cred; think liver pâté with shaved foie-gras, soft mulloway sashimi, and Ortiz anchovies with lemon or fresh salads of flavourful heirloom tomatoes and chunks of ricotta. Dark and moody, with lots of low lighting, there are only a handful of tables but it’s best to snare a spot at the eat-in bar and order a coffee or a drop from the attractive floor-to-ceiling feature-wall wine rack. Smart enough for a planned date, and casual enough for a spontaneous walk-in.