Botanica Bar and Bistro

LOCATION
Ten minutes’ drive north of the city; across from Innaloo shopping centre and the Greater Union Cinema Complex.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
The old Nookenburra Hotel in Innaloo used to be the place to go if you were looking for a bit of female entertainment over a few beers on a Friday afternoon after work. Much to the disappointment of many tool belt-clad lads, this iconic, yet somewhat grotty, pub was demolished and replaced with a brand spanking new venue named Botanica Bar and Bistro. The new establishment, thankfully, holds absolutely no resemblance to its former glory, yet many of the Nookenburra regulars have happily taken up position in the new sports bar, minus the scantily clad ladies. Passing through the tranquil courtyard on entry, the bistro area at Botanica could be mistaken for a swanky Melbourne restaurant. Plush surroundings include a tropical wall aquarium and elevated booth seating, with an impressive feature wall of curved timber panelling creating an extremely sophisticated venue unlike anything else in this area.

Bookings are essential if you want to dine in the bistro area where you can expect unpretentious food at reasonable prices. Despite the stylish surroundings, the menu is as honest as any other pub menu with classics like sausages and mash, lamb shanks and chicken schnitzel making an appearance. If you’re seeking something a little fancier, you might want to try the tempura prawns with ponzu dipping sauce or the Moroccan lamb fillets with roasted root vegetables. Those who wish to dine yet have not made a booking need not go hungry thanks to a separate courtyard menu available. As well as being noticeably larger than the bistro menu, the courtyard menu offers an impressive range of meals, plenty of which are suitable for sharing. As its popularity continues to grow, Botanica Bar and Bistro looks set to become the next best thing north of the river. Innaloo has never looked so good!

Karen Bilsby