It’s a chilly Saturday night. But down the almost-deserted laneway of Solomon St, Sunny’s is pumping. There’s a disco ball, a DJ spinning tunes and the lights are turned down so low that the bustling kitchen stands out like a theatre stage.

Paper menus display a short-but-sweet wine list that focuses on local drops including a number of natural wines and blends. Flip over to see the food divided simply into ‘Pizza’ and ‘Not Pizza’. The menu is designed for sharing, with tapas-style plates to go with the six versions (plus an ever-changing special) of Napoli-style pizza that come straight from the wood oven.

On the tapas side of things, Rob’s fried chicken comes recommended, its Szechuan-coated crust bursting with peppery spices – even more so when you dip the juicy wings into a house-made zinger sauce.

A zucchini salad sees ribbons of the veg coated in a creamy mint and ricotta pesto, topped with crunchy sunflower seeds, pepitas and toasted almonds.

Pizzas are built on a base that is equal parts chewy and crisp, with a nice char from the wood oven floor and a big fluffy crust. The mozzarella is a standout of the No. 1 pizza, the simplicity of the margherita style highlighting the use of quality ingredients. The No. 2 pizza starts with a traditional pepperoni, adding squid-ink-dyed cacciatore for colour and confit onion for a nice balance of sweetness.

The only complaint? The food comes out all at once, making it difficult to juggle plates, glasses and serving platters on the narrow salmon-tiled bar.

But that crush is all part of the buzzy vibe at Sunny’s, where diners are in for a good time not a long time, before continuing the party in one of the neighbouring bars if they choose.