Beyond the grand pillared entrance, the original federation-era public postal room has been repackaged as a contemporary dining space, complete with dark bistro furniture, dangling pendant lights, and a sculptural, zinc-swathed bar.

It’s certainly a different kind of counter to the old one, and more popular too, with happy customers eager for an elderflower spritz or a lemony Muscadet, served in long-stemmed crystal glasses.

Taking over the old postmaster’s residence next door, head chef RJ Lines is kept busy with the delivery of seasonal, mod Oz dishes, designed to be shared across the table.

Start with a steak tartare, topped with finger lime and Jerusalem artichoke. The house specialty, a Thirlmere wood-roasted chicken, is pure Sunday lunch perfection. After five hours in the Yoder smoker, the fabulous fowl reveals plump, juicy flesh, nestled alongside silken celeriac and a tasty hoard of fat-smothered sprouts. Don’t forget the spiced salt potatoes. Each fluffy spud has had its edges dragged to create golden gashes and crispy fissures.

When it comes to the banana and caramel beignets, sharing can go out the wide bay windows. The soft-centred doughnuts come with a pot of chocolate fudge sauce, and they’re the talk of the town in Summer Hill village.

The drinks list has been painstakingly curated by co-owner and sommelier David Murphy, with an envelope-pushing selection of rare and reserve wines, made available by the glass.  Offerings like this really deserve their own wine bar – and they have it, too. Just follow the bannister up to Vernon’s Bar.

Must-eat dish: Thirlmere wood-roasted chicken, celeriac, chook-fat sprouts