The Grace Darling is a handsome 1850s corner pub on Smith Street that has been restored into one of the better gastropubs in the inner north without losing its old bones. Downstairs is a proper bar for a pint; upstairs the kitchen turns out a well-regarded modern menu, and the whole place has the warm, slightly faded grandeur of a Victorian hotel that has seen a great deal of history pass through.
It makes a good first or last stop on a Smith Street evening — central, comfortable, and with more character than the newer bars around it. The football connection means it can fill with Magpies supporters on game days, which is either a draw or a warning depending on your allegiances.