Dessert lounge, Mosquito serves decadent sweets, snacks and dessert wines
AL PORTO
Must-try: Gelato fresco ice cream
Candlelight and a warm welcome await you as you cross through iron gates. Al Porto provides a quaint Italian atmosphere that’s ideal for a romantic night out. The menu focuses on seafood, wood-fire pizza and Italian delicacies laced with rich flavour. Come for the cuisine, and stay to enjoy a glass of bubbly from their award-winning list of 300 world wines. After a few glasses, finish off with a refreshing sorbet and gelato fresco ice cream.
BRIOCHE
Must-try: Almond croissant
Get cozy inside this brick-lined restaurant. Brioche offers home-style West Coast Sicilian cuisine in a café-like environment. You can choose from coastal antipastos to daily scratch homemade stew, and end it all off with a delicious baked treat. Brioche has a wonderful selection of fruit tarts, cinnamon brioches, almond croissants and other pastries made fresh daily in-house. And if you need a little kick, you can complete the experience with a cup of Miscela Siciliana coffee.
L’ABATTOIR
Must-try: Chocolate ganache
You never forget a night at L’Abattoir. The highly rated establishment combines formal dining in an informal space furnished with industrial fixtures, natural wood and classic French tiles. Chef Lee Cooper serves up exquisite mains and an array of artistically plated desserts that taste as scrumptious as they look. The chocolate ganache is a delectable creation of caramelized chocolate, honeycomb and raw cacao ice cream, with the just the right amount sweetness. If you’re feeling more adventurous, order a few desserts to share and stay awhile. It’ll be worth it.
JULES BISTRO
Must-try: Sour cherry clafoutis with buttermilk-lemon sorbet
If you don’t have a chance to escape to Paris, a visit to Jules Bistro is the next best thing. Located in a 100-year old building, Jules Bistro provides an elegant and romantic setting with baroque décor and classic elements for an intimate dining experience. The menu offers a taste of French cuisine featuring rich, flavourful dishes like escargot bourguignonne and duck confit. Desserts are in-line with the restaurant’s casual bistro theme. Choose from a range of French sweets, from sour cherry clafoutis to vanilla crème brulee.
NICLI’S PIZZERIA
Must-try: Tiramisu
Nicli’s Pizzeria serves the best pizza you’ll ever have. Yes, we said it. At Nicli’s, you’ll taste the fine art of Neapolitan pizza-making methods. The pizzas are VPN certified and cooked to perfection in an authentic wood-fire flat bread oven – it almost feels like you’re dining in Napoli. You can enjoy it all in a sophisticated candlelit setting accompanied with topline cocktails, wines and desserts. You’ll definitely want to order their tiramisu, blended with Frangelico syrup. And you won’t want to share this one – it’s simply that good.
NICLI’S NEXT DOOR
Must-try: Burnt honey panna cotta
Next Door is an Italian small plates eatery that’s right ‘next door’ to its big brother, the award-winning Nicli Antica Pizzeria. This new restaurant offers a modern take on Italian-style tapas fusing savoury flavours with fresh ingredients. The exposed-brick setting is a great backdrop for engaging in lively conversations over a few sharing plates and cocktails, topped off with dessert. If you’re in the mood for something light, try the burnt honey panna cotta, a refreshing balance of gooseberry sorbet, pistachio and polenta shortbread.
POURHOUSE
Must-try: Vanilla crème brule
There’s a reason why people love coming back to Pourhouse. The restaurant will charm you with its bustling energy and turn-of-the-century furnishings. Pourhouse provides a dynamic setting for socializing over a comforting plate of bangers and mash and glass (or two) of Bourdon Sour. Craft cocktails are the main attraction and served by some of the city’s best bartenders. If you’re feeling extra chatty, grab a stool by the bar and order a crème brule along with one of their original cocktails.
TUC CRAFT KITCHEN
Must-try: Seasonal galette
Tuc Craft Kitchen is a great place for a casual night out. This is definitely one of the most approachable eateries in the neighbourhood, serving rustic comforts that will warm the senses. Chef Roy Flemming cooks up reinterpreted classics and home-style creations like chicken confit and Hanger steak bourgouignon served on a skillet. And let’s not forget about the desserts. The menu features satisfying options like blueberry coulis with brownie ice cream, and honey lavender sorbet with rum caramel sauce. Both will hit the spot.
WATER STREET CAFE
Must-try: Cheesecake of the day
Water Street Café has been offering guests delicious West Coast-Italian cuisine for over 26 years. The well-established restaurant delivers a classic dining experience serving up quality cuisine made fresh from scratch. The menu has something for everyone, from homemade pastas to pan seared chicken, and roasted rack of lamb to fresh fish of the day. The classic theme continues into the dessert menu with choices like New York style baked cheesecakes, raspberry lemon crème brule and baked apple bhubarb in filo pastry.
SECRET LOCATION
Secret Location provides a chic gastronomic experience inside a sophisticated all-white room reminiscent of a modern eatery in Milan. The tasting room features a unique format where guests have the option of ordering a la carte, or opting for the six course tasting menu. Chef Montgomery Lau brings an innovate take to familiar classics using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Since creative plating is a specialty, the desserts are unique works of art.
MOSQUITO
Must-try: Peanut butter & milk chocolate bar
Champagne without the caviar, and dessert without the frosting, Mosquito is a must-visit for those with a passion for sweet fixings. The dessert lounge delivers a luxurious experience inside a swish, Great Gatsby-era inspired room, serving artistically plated sweets, exquisite chocolates and boutique wines. Take advantage of their special small plates menu, served from 5-8pm, or drop by after 8pm to indulge your palate with decadent mains.
