One part glam, one part retro and one part mixologist's fantasy, The Roosevelt is an irresistible mix that has almost immediately become one of Sydney's best cocktail destinations.

The team from the internationally renowned Eau de Vie have created a cocktail bar in a lane off buzzy Macleay Street that is at once classic and an homage to cocktail culture from the 30s and 40s, and at the same time thoroughly modern with a cocktail menu as cutting edge as they come. Glass cabinets filled with antique cocktail making equipment line the room, swing is the soundtrack and the cocktail menu files its drinks into sections like 'Sexy, Ladylike and Seductive' or 'Cocktails on Wheels'. This second category includes the 'Nitro Colada' and the 'Blazer', prepared with much theatre and plenty of nitrogen smoke by waist-coated hosts in the centre of the room. Shared cocktails include further showmanship and trickery, including a playful Hamptons Summer Cup, served in a trophy cup, and a punch bowl which is set alight at the table.

Not content to simply cook up some of Sydney's finest and most imaginative cocktails, The Roosevelt's kitchen also turns out some tasty bar snacks. Go retro with the Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto, deliciously French and cheesy with the Gruyere Soufflés, or Asian-inspired with the tender Calamari with Lemongrass.

Cocktail prices of up to $26 make it a potentially pricey night but there's no doubting that the Roosevelt should be top of the list. This is one glam retro, nitro-loving cocktail experience that is equally as tempting to kick off the night as it is for a sassy night cap.