Hotel Nacional
Hotel Nacional is Hardware Lane's five-storey, totally gluten-free Mexican restaurant and bar.
Overview
The Hardware Lane site that previously held Campari House was completely overhauled and transformed into a huge new Mexican restaurant and bar in mid-2024. The five-level spot on Hardware Lane is pumping out Mexican-inspired eats that are entirely gluten-free across all its many floors, including the impressive rooftop bar. The Head Chef combines traditional Mexican elements with plenty of European, Australian and South American influences.
While still boasting its 100% gluten-free status, Hotel Nacional is now showcasing a new menu of inventive, reimagined Mexican-inspired dishes. New dishes include the likes of sun-dried tomato and potato croquettes, spiced beef empanadas with salsa verde, Barbacoa mushroom tacos and a prawn tostado with lime mayo and flying fish roe.
The recently added plates sit alongside crowd favourite menu mainstays such as the Baja fish taco with fennel slaw and chipotle aioli, the Birria braised beef tacos with grilled cheese consommé, and the grilled chicken with red mole. Not only is Hotel Nacional looking out for gluten-intolerant guests, but also for your vegan friends, with plenty of plant-based dishes, making this a particularly inclusive spot.
Perhaps the most exciting new addition to the menu is the gluten-free churros with cinnamon and chocolate sauce. So now even those with dietary restrictions can enjoy all the sweet-toothed fun, too.
When it comes to bevs, there's a ten-strong margarita menu — including a beer-spiked lagerita — a selection of signature and classic cocktails, Aussie and international beers on tap — including some that are gluten-free. Plus, there's a stacked lineup of local and European wines, and an even more impressive collection of tequila, mezcal and raicilla.
Design-wise, the team hasn't leaned too hard into Mexican-themed cliches, instead opting for a lighter touch. Hotel Nacional has an almost breezy, beachy feel, thanks to the sand-textured walls, rattan furniture, and cacti that dot the terracotta- and beige-hued space.
"We wanted to create a venue unlike anything else in the city," shares Managing Director Taylor Granchi. "You walk up the stairs, and you are transported to another location across the globe. The earthy tones, the arches, the shapes, the crazy pavers, the textured walls, the cacti — there is so much Mexican feel.
"Being five levels, there are so many aspects to our venue. We wanted something you could explore to create a new memory every time."
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