ABC Restaurant and Bar

Nina Gravelis, a founding member of Fratelli Fresh, purchased the former site of Missy French’s in November 2016 and, three months later, opened ABC Restaurant and Bar in its place.

Her vision was to create a comforting space that feels like you’ve been there before – and that’s partly because she has. Fratelli Fresh was located around the corner on Macleay Street for almost a decade.

Former Fratelli head chef Sean Corkery has created a menu that reads like a list of your favourite childhood dishes ¬– comforting, mid-week meals.

Dates and blood plums mingle with other vibrant stone fruits in salads. House-made chicken and thyme sausages sit atop a chunky potato salad with tangy mustard. Pastas such as the rosy pink crab spaghetti with chilli and cherry tomatoes have been carried across from Fratelli. There’s also a perfect little cheeseburger with red-pepper mayonnaise and pancetta.

For dessert, try cloud-like vanilla soft serve made in-house. Toppings include popcorn, salted caramel and yellow peach.

The wine list represents Australian varietals well, and cocktails are seasonal. Start with the ginger Margarita or the watermelon Mimosa with prosecco.

The design was a mother-daughter effort. Walls stripped bare, dark wooden furniture ushered in, an exposed roof and a new, welcoming bar.