The historic Botany Bay Hotel in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has joined the Bourke Street pub group, which also manages Syndey’s The Botany Bay Hotel, The Lord Gladstone and The Hampshire Hotel.
“The Botany Bay Hotel is a great pub. Until now, we’ve been buying venues that need a lot of work, and we then do a complete overhaul. The bones of this place were great – and we wanted to retain features like the sandstone and timber, which are a nod to the heritage of the venue. So this time around we’ve tweaked and freshened up, with the main changes coming in the kitchen via an all-new menu in the bistro,” said founder and managing director of Bourke Street, Paddy Coughlan.
“Our wine list is well-priced and varied, and so is the food. Rather than focus on a particular cuisine or theme, we’ve cherry-picked a range of classic pub favourites. We’re a community pub and we wanted a menu that’s varied enough to allow locals to dine here a few times a week – whether it’s for lunch or dinner – and have plenty of options and flavours to choose from. It’s also family-friendly, and we do cracking burgers. Getting the food right is key,” said Coughlan.
Menu items include mains of eggplant and a chicken parma; parmesan crusted chicken schnitzel; crispy-skinned salmon; and various cuts of grass and grain fed steak. Starters range from Baja fish soft-shell tacos to jalapeno poppers and salt and pepper Hawkesbury squid, as well as shared offerings like Southern fried chicken wings and chilli beef and black bean nachos.
The burger offering includes the classic cheeseburger which comes with a beef pattie, Swiss cheese, double American cheddar, pickles, onion burger sauce, ketchup and yellow mustard, while the fried chicken burger boasts a Southern fried chicken breast fillet, lettuce, tomato, American cheddar, pickles and ranch dressing. The Bay Burger has a beef pattie, bacon, cheese, onion rings, fried egg, beetroot, pineapple, lettuce, tomato and dill pickle. All burgers come served in a sesame seed milk bun.
The salad selection includes a roquette, apple pistachio salad; a classic Caesar; a baby falafel; and a confit duck salad.
A deep fried golden Gaytime is expected to be a popular dessert option.
Heading Botany Bay Hotel’s new kitchen team is Ernie Priestly, who’s previously worked at the Marlborough Hotel and the Lord Gladstone.
The revamped Botany Bay Hotel will operate seven days a week, with lunch from 11am–3pm and dinner from 5pm–9pm.