A staple of New Zealand's hospitality scene for more than a decade, Botswana Butchery brought its expansive menus and luxe style to Sydney with the opening of its first Australian restaurant in Martin Place's new dining precinct back in 2022. The huge multi-storey venue houses 940 guests including 350 on its openair city rooftop.
Botswana Butchery's menu is all about presenting Australian and New Zealand meat, seafood and wine in the best possible way. Depending on when you head to the restaurant, you'll be presented with a menu spanning several pages of entrees and mains before you even get to the main attraction — the Butcher's Block — a selection of exclusive cuts of meat from some of the country's best producers. Here, you'll find the likes of black opal wagyu rump, whole slow-roasted lamb shoulder and 1.6-kilogram servings of mb5+ Jacks Creek wagyu tomahawk.
If the Butcher's Block is a bit intimidating, there's plenty of more approachable options on offer. Start your meal with beef tartare, char grilled Yamba prawns with XO sauce or some duck liver pate. Highlights from the mains include the Berkshire pork cutlet with compressed apple or the dry-aged duck breast with preserved baby figs.
If you're looking to recline with a view rather than experience a meal to end all meals, the rooftop offers an array of snacks, nibble and charcuterie perfect for a catch up with friends.
The interior of the restaurant tries to balance a sense of playfulness with the premium price-point of its food. Plush and colourful furniture is paired with muted tones and floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the surrounding cityscape.
Images: Sander Dalhuisen