Gin, pasta, Guinness. In that order.

There's something to be said for a night out that doesn't require a single Uber. Frank Mac's, Grappa, and the Mercantile all sit on the same stretch of George Street, which mostly just means fewer excuses to go home early.

Frank Mac's first, for a gin in a room that's decided it's a Victorian study with slightly better lighting. Order the Mac Martini. It's expensive, there's a service charge, and you'll order a second one anyway.

Then Grappa, two minutes down the road, where the owner has a habit of greeting tables like old friends and occasionally sending over a complimentary glass of something. Nobody's quite sure why. Order the handmade pasta and don't overthink it.

Finish at the Mercantile with a Guinness, because it's Sydney's oldest Irish pub and it feels rude not to.