The Botanical

The Botanical has been around since the mid-1800s, although it's quite different these days. Now owned by long-time restaurateur Rabih Yani, the space uses earthy dark woods, booth seats and partitioned areas with shades of toffee, caramel and blacks, and deep blues and greens out towards the back. The contemporary artwork is urban, edgy and a counterpoint to a striking but comfortable environment.

There’s a casual dining area as soon as you walk in, which is designed to cater for grab-and-go breakfast after a walk around the Tan, a quick coffee, easy lunch or dinner.

A more formal dining room runs alongside the kitchen where you’ll find an upscale menu, with a strong focus on premium steak from suppliers such as O’Connor Beef. Most of it is dry-aged here for at least 28 days, and grilled over red-gum wood fire. A standout is the 42-day dry-aged O’Connor porterhouse, with your pick of condiments. Beyond steak, other standouts include spanner crab tossed through angel hair pasta, crumbed pork cutlet with fennel-cabbage slaw, and a showstopping rock lobster cocktail.

The wine and cocktail lists here are also a highlight. The wine wall from The Bot’s (as it is known by locals) former life is alive and well as well, incarnated as the bottle shop.