You hear it as you climb the staircase to Tetto di Carolina, South Yarra’s new rooftop bar – chatting, laughing, hollering. Toorak Road’s playground forthe pretty and privileged is an amplified  affair and on this Friday night, they’re packing them into the 100-seater. The racket bounces along the walnut-tinted bar across the room to the dimly-lit lounge with plush booths for groups and two-seater nooks for couples.

Once Tetto’s rowdiness subsides, we begin to see the Euro-style bar as it’s intended – a place of good vibes with a rocking outdoor terrace, smart snacks and slick cocktails. The Copacabana Fizz, a creation of bar manager Alex Dzyrart (formerly of London’s Bar III), is a refreshing prosecco-spiked, tropical rum drink. On the snack front, the duck-liver parfait cannoli win, with a pistachio-studded mousse cocooned by a cereal-crisp cigar. Teamed with a bitter orange lolly-like spritz relish, it’s well-balanced, compulsive snacking. Much like the IFC – a two-bite Italian fried chicken slider that packs heat.

On the heftier side of chef Matteo Tine’s (ex-Grossi Florentino) menu, the panko-crumbed lamb ribs are slide-offthe- bone tender and delicious, but after a puzzling price-up on our bill (now $38, up from a menu-listed $32 for five ribs),the experience leaves us unimpressed. An outdated menu found its way to our table, we’re told. Since opening in July, Tetto (‘roof’ in Italian), owned by Joe Mammone, Joey Dee and James Sutherland, has been packed and the service falters.

It’s a shame. Tetto joins Mammone’s fast-growing stable which includes Bar Carolina downstairs, the CBD’s Il Barco, newly opened café Cantina Carolina, and soon Marameo (which replaces his other city venue, Sarti).

Tetto may look the part and deliver on high-order bites and booze, but still needs a few tweaks to become the A-class venue it aspires to be.