Begone substandard steak and chips, hello signature slow-cooked beef cheeks and Moroccan lamb tagine, New Orleans-style Cajun chicken burger, mighty Black Angus steaks, Thai-style grilled barramundi and a whole lot more besides. A big hello to a Botany neighbourhood local that’s been around for an age but has benefitted enormously from the presence of Jason Hook in the bistro-style restaurant kitchen, an award-winning Sydney chef who joined in early 2014. Now, the Captain Cook Hotel is decidedly more than a hotel proper and watering hole – it’s got gastronomic chops under its belt and we like it a lot.

This Botany bistro is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Kids are welcome until 9pm any day of the week, although it’s grown-up-time on Thursday nights and from Friday afternoons. Not all bad news, though – the little ones eat for half price on weekends! Inside this classic pub on Botany Road there’s bags of charm, but we always try to snag a beer garden spot, covered or alfresco, to tuck into signature dishes like the Chinese soy pork shoulder or even an Indian butter chicken. Going light is easy too, with the smoked salmon spring salad a healthy, green-thumbed option. An essential pin on anyone’s map of southern Sydney’s drinking and dining scene, make sure you book ahead for the best seats at the Captain Cook Hotel.