Kahii After Dark

Overview

Sydney, your after-dark drinking options just got a caffeine-fuelled twist. Kahii After Dark is the new cocktail experience that's landed at Kent Street kissaten and wine bar Kahii, and it's shaking and stirring an intriguing selection of tea- and coffee-based cocktails right now.

Kahii After Dark is helmed by Fumiaki 'Fumi' Michishita, who cut his teeth tending bar at celebrated Tokyo cocktail dens Bar Triad and Bar Tram, — more recently, he led the charge at Kahii's sister venue Kuro. At Kahii After Dark, he's designed an autumn cocktail menu — available until the end of June — that brings the elegance and craftsmanship of Japanese cocktail culture in a heritage-listed CBD space that once was home to Thomas Edison's National Phonograph Company.

The menu champions the subtle, complex flavours of tea and coffee. On it, you'll find thoughtful and deeply drinkable serves that span a range of flavour profiles, from the bright yet subtly earthy Roasted Highball — a mix of barley shochu, hojicha distilled water and shiso — to the seriously punchy Toma-Tea-Ni — a bold, umami-laden reimagining of the martini featuring gyokuro green tea, clarified tomato water, white port and bonito.

The menu also explores the floral notes of tea and coffee — they are plants, after all — through drinks like the Mariage Roses, an aromatic twist on the classic jack rose that pairs calvados and fresh pomegranate juice with Mariage Frères' signature Marco Polo black tea. Meanwhile, Between the Sips is an aromatic mix of Hennessy VS, sandalwood-infused rum, triple sec, lemon juice, elderflower and a spike of decaf, for those who prefer their after-dark coffee hit sans caffeine. You'll want to save room for dessert, too — the Tiramisu Rubino is a combination of mascarpone, raspberry and a whisper of blue brie that channels the rich comfort of its namesake dessert.