Daisy's Milk Bar

Looking around Daisy's at lunchtime on a Monday, it's clear I'm the only person in the room who doesn't have at least one limb covered in tattoos. Not biker tatts and butterflies, mind, but pin-up girls, nautical imagery, and, well, more pin-up girls.

This cheek-pinchingly adorable milk bar has given a rockabilly kiss of sunshine to Stanmore Road. There's a help-yourself cordial stand, a neon-light Daisy, and booths designed for hand-holding and milkshakes. A jar of love-heart lollies sits on the counter - the pastel candies matching the colour of the booths. The dulcet tones of Johnny Cash and Justin Townes Earle croon over the airwaves.

I like this place a lot.

Food here is light-hearted and carb-heavy. Daisy's does an all-day breakfast: baked eggs in a spicy tomato sauce with Persian feta, chorizo and garlic toast are a smashing idea for anyone who might have had one too many Sailor Jerry's at the Vanguard the night before. House-toasted muesli dolloped with natural yoghurt, honey and orange-baked rhubarb provides quality fuel for any roller derby meets later that day.

A $5 bowl of mac and cheese satisfies in every way; covered in breadcrumbs and snipped chives it's what a 10-year-old's

TV-dinner dreams are made of. A chickpea patty roll is less satisfying: the peanut sauce too sharp for shy chickpeas. A corned-beef Reuben with sauerkraut, house-made pickle, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing next time, I think.

A choc fudge sundae is the real thing. Three big scoops of Serendipity ice cream - one each of chocolate, vanilla bean and strawberry jam - in a Neapolitan mountain atop a hot walnut brownie. With whipped cream and a cherry on top? You betcha. It's the kind of sundae Archie would share with Veronica or Dennis the Menace would scoff by himself.

Being a milk bar, there are indeed milkshakes. No fancy blood orange or panna cotta flavours here - just simple syrups a la choc, vanilla, lime and banana. There's also a fine mixed-business selection of Red Skins and milk bottles sharing shelf space with Double Roasters coffee and a decorative bottle of Jack Daniels.

Postcode 2049 has had a jolt of life in the last year with the revamped Oxford Tavern nearby and Brighton the Corner cafe down the road. Daisy's Milk Bar is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. The staff are sweet as key lime pie and it's completely kid-friendly. Petersham is truly a burb on the Moove.

THE LOW-DOWN
Do … make sure you're covered for dental before brown-paper-bagging the lollies.
Don't … attempt to finish one of the desserts by yourself.
Dish … chocolate fudge sundae.
Vibe … a neighbourhood milk bar full of rockabilly fun.