The Botanica Vaucluse

Overview

There was a time (and not so long ago, either) when a Sydney restaurant serving seasonal, locally sourced produce and dotted with greenery and touches of millennial pink would barely cause us to bat an eyelid — but The Botanica Vaucluse takes these well-practised trends to a new level.

And it's beautiful. The restaurant boasts one of Sydney's most eye-catching fit-outs, beginning with an entrance by landscape designer Charlie Albone (Selling Houses Australia), marked by a copper archway draped with hanging succulents. Inside, the airy, light-filled dining room — the vision of award-winning designer Evette Moran — lands somewhere between greenhouse and dreamhouse. Floor-to-ceiling windows open onto a lush garden, while custom floral wallpaper and cleverly placed greenery create a sense of natural abundance. Plush pink velvet armchairs and invitingly soft carpets complete the upscale tea party feel. And that's before we get to the luxe on-site spa next door (but more on that below).

There's plenty of substance behind the style, though. The menu, from co-head chefs Abby James (Quay) and Thai Sams (Bentley Restaurant + Bar), is entirely gluten-free, built around farm-to-table ingredients like veggies from the restaurant's own kitchen garden, sustainably sourced seafood and free-range meats. Highlights include stracciatella with charred greens and leek oil, Glacier 51 toothfish with buttermilk and smoked hock and Margra lamb with kombu, buttermilk and pea blossom.

Cocktails also speak to seasonality, with bright, fruit-forward cocktails and a dedicated spritz menu joined by a tight wine list of Australian and European varietals, plus a solid lineup of non-alc options.

Next door is Sol Spa, a tranquil, lemongrass-scented retreat where therapists use botanical-infused products, minerals and active compounds to revitalise guests through a suite of old- and new-world treatments.

So where exactly did they find the space for this opulent garden restaurant and spa? It's actually part of Mark Moran Vaucluse, a $115 million luxury aged care residence on Old South Head Road. Not that it feels like one — the restaurant and spa have their own entrances, while the vibe is more tropical resort than retirement retreat.

Nikki To

Top images: Nikki To