Little Av

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Summertime and the living is easy. At least for those in Avalon. It's Saturday evening, we've had a dip in the ocean, a lie in the sun and now it's time to pop over the road for a cocktail and a pizza at this trendy little cafe-bar named after a surf break south of Avalon.

FROM THE OUTSIDE, Little Av scores top marks. A wide, open shopfront beckons surfers and seniors alike. True to form, the walls are decorated with large photos of sand, sun and surf as well as the odd surfboard and a plasma screen showing an Ironwoman competition. It's got that trendy but totally laid-back northern beaches vibe, with some grungy black couches, a pool table, a 1990s arcade game and a beer garden out the back with Mambo-style street art on the walls and picnic benches.

THE VIBE SPREADS FROM THE DECOR to the drinks menu, which is unfortunate. A similar sense of laissez-faire has been applied to the beer and wine list – there isn't one and we have to ask to find out what's served. We're told there's one sauvignon blanc, one chardonnay, one champagne and a few reds by the glass. Six cocktails are listed on a blackboard above the bar. I'm craving just one glass of something special to cap off a nice arvo in the sun but the LA Ice Tea (vodka, gin, tequila, rum, triple sec, lemon juice, cola, $15) I find to be undrinkable, like a glass of rocket fuel made by a high school student. The mojito – a safe bet, we think – is not much better. Something is not right – too much mint maybe, not enough sugar, poor mixing, all of the above. This place seems to be more about having a few drinks of whatever, socialising, getting a bit rowdy and listening to good music (live acts play on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights).

ON THE OTHER HAND, the food is good. There are share plates to pick at and some pizzas I've heard are excellent. A plate of chorizo is generous and tasty, especially with a squeeze of lime and romesco sauce, a tomato sauce with fresh roasted nuts ($16). The kitchen is small and we have to wait a little while for our garlic prawn and basil pizza ($21) but our barman lets us know, so all is good. It's great; very fresh and on a lovely base. We catch a glimpse of the margherita pizza, which looks just as good.

THE DRINKS ARE DISAPPOINTING at Little Av but all is not lost. It's got a cool vibe, a cool crowd and it fits right into the easygoing northern beaches groove.

YOU'LL LOVE IT IF you're after no-fuss drinks and a no-fuss crowd.

YOU'LL HATE IT IF you want more than a house wine or underwhelming cocktail.

GO FOR pizzas, share plates, basic drinks.

IT'LL COST YOU cocktails $15, wine by the glass $8-$10, beer by the bottle $7-$9, share plates $6-$19, pizzas $16-$21.

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