First things first: there isn’t a Clarence. Or at least not directly involved in this gem of a drinking and eating house (the name, if you must know, comes from this small bar’s nearest cross street). But if there was a Clarence, we think he’d be happy with the homage.
From the dedicated dining area up top to the cosy courtyard by way of the bar area proper, the entire nattily and eclectically decorated place is like a giant welcome mat, such is the spirit of hospitality that keeps this good time machine churning. The rest of the (social) lubrication comes from a truly impressive drinks package.
Rather than specialising in any one discipline Clarences pays equal (and exacting) attention to all the booze groups. A wine list boasting exclusive house pours from cult Aussie producers like Domain Lucci (Adelaide Hills) and the Swan Valley’s Bella Ridge Estate is telling, and that’s before cracking the champion main list.
The liquor cabinet has been stocked with similar smarts: guests can appreciate Lloyd Smith’s exceptional taste in spirits either neat or via well-mixed cocktails along the lines of the Pigeon, a Rittenhouse rye Manhattan jazzed up with Pedro Ximénez and maraschino. Or maybe you just want a beer: there’s plenty here, by the bottle or on tap. Or maybe a cider (here’s a note-so-cryptic clue for value-seeking perry Masons: don’t miss Clarences’ Sunday cider sessions).
Or maybe something to eat. There’s nothing like a kilo of fried chicken wings to bring friends closer together while hefty cheeseburgers are at hand to feed solo drinkers. Or maybe you should just stop reading and get to Clarences already.