In a suburb that never sleeps, this bar is responsible for keeping the candles burning. Start off with a sunset view and descend the stairs as the night wears on.
If Newtown is the suburb that never sleeps (well, hardly ever), then this bar shoulders much of the responsibility for keeping everyone awake till the crack of dawn. Zanzi's nocturnal tendencies are famous among the local insomniacs. It draws in an eclectic selection of night-dwellers who are on the prowl for cheap drinks, pool games and rambling conversations with strangers.
However, it's not all tap beer and skittles. This bar has a serious side, tucked away upstairs from the madding. Head up the stairs from the front door and enter a Moroccan-themed den of decadence, where shafts of light shine through the arched stained-glass windows to illuminate little circles of ottomans and comfy, colourful chairs.
Up here, drinkers can dip into the list of classic cocktails, or dive straight into such house creations as the Thai Iced Tea (the classic five white spirits combined with lime, lychees and mint); or the less-than-holy Sacred Monk (Chambord, green chartreuse, absinthe and cranberry juice).
Up one more level, the rooftop bar offers an unusually serene view of Newtown and beyond, where one can perch up on a spindly stool, snack on some Middle Eastern tapas and watch the sun set.
Shelley Tustin
