Alice

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense." Follow the white rabbit down Forresters Lane, past Cheshire cats and Mad Hatters and you'll find the quintessential Wellington small bar: Alice.

Snuggled inside disco bar Boogie Wonderland (yep, "Alice in Boogie Wonderland"; you got it), this quirky, pint-sized bar is delightfully themed around Lewis Carroll's beloved classic. Yes, this means cocktails are served in china teapots with names like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party (vanilla vodka and iced peppermint tea). Everything is thematically disproportionate, mirrors are warped, tables and chairs fluctuate between minute and giant.

The itty bitty size of the bar could be subject to complaint: should more than ten people hit the bar at any one time it starts resembling the London subway at rush hour. But Alice couldn't have worked in any other format. Just take note that there are crowds at rush hour (say, 10pm-1am), avoid those slots and come for early warm up drinks or a nightcap.