Pineapple on Parnell

There’s no Facebook page, Instagram or neon sign on the front door. You won’t even get an address on their website, just a picture of a pineapple and their hours. But here's the inside word: this exclusive cocktail bar is at 207 Parnell Road and while you make walk past it a few times before see it, prepare to be seduced by the old world charm behind the door with the golden pineapple on it.

The bar is swathed in rich, green-velvet curtains and garnished with gold-tilted mirrors, a merry looking fire place and a piano which is graced semi-regularly by a live performance. The kitchen is well out of sight and hors d’oeuvres arrive through a double sided cupboard in the wall, with an air of mystery that rivals Platform 9 and 3/4. Guests are ‘fervently’ encouraged to dress up, and the fellas should wear shirts with a collar and/or a jacket/blazer. They ask you to refrain from sportswear, sneakers, trainers, t-shirts, caps, hoodies, ‘puffer’ jackets or vests, as well as flash photography, and the use of social media and cellphones is discouraged.

Pineapple’s bartenders specialise in cocktails, with Asahi on tap as well as a range of other beers and wines. Dress up in your best, gather up your possy and forget your post-modern problems in the simple, easy charm of an era gone by at Pineapple on Parnell.