A new outdoor pontoon bar and eatery will soon float on the Yarra River. Yarra Botanica will offer casual, pub-style eating and drinking all year round, with a focus on the environment and sustainability. As you eat, you’ll be surrounded by native plants and indigenous aquatic vegetation, as well as gorgeous city views. Yarra Botanica will open in Southbank on Wednesday March 16. Bookings are now open.
Yarra Botanica
Soak in the sun, hang out in a booth and pop bottles on a day bed at Yarra Botanica. This venue can fit up to 690 guests, and will be open 7 days a week. Designed with Melbourne’s unpredictable weather in mind, there will be market umbrellas, lattice pergolas, heaters, blankets and rugs to accommodate all seasons.
On top of the city views, the unique venue will have plenty of native plants to admire, including climbing vines, native trees and planter boxes.
This will be the newest location by hospitality group, Australian Venue Co.
“We list Victorian products across all of our Victorian venues, but to be able to deliver 100 per cent Victorian drinks and 90 per cent Victorian produce is a really exciting milestone for us,” said Paul Waterson, CEO of Australian Venue Co. “We’re so proud to back Victoria with Yarra Botanicals.”
Celebrate Victoria at this floating bar and eatery
This new eatery will support Victorian producers, and celebrate local and sustainable ingredients. Due to differing climates, about 10 per cent of the food produce will need to be sourced from elsewhere in Australia. Any supplier with a Victorian-sourced alternative is encouraged to reach out.
“We’re so lucky here in Melbourne to have such spectacular produce on our doorstep,” said Telina Menzies, Executive Chef at Australian Venue Co. “After the last two years, it feels especially good to be working so closely with Victorian producers and farmers again, and to let their produce shine on the menu.”
The carefully curated menu will offer share plates for socialising, as well as pub-style snacks, local seafood and woodfired pizzas. On the pizzas, expect soft soft cheeses from That’s Amore Cheese, meats from Salt Kitchen and Victorian vegetables.
The current pizza flavours are:
- Classic tomato with mozzarella and basil
- Squid with Murray Cod Belly, scallop, tomato and chilli
- Western Plains Pork & Fennel Sausage with honey radicchio and ricotta
- Kent Pumpkin with Meredith goat’s cheese, Warrigal greens pesto and smoked mozzarella
- Prosciutto with fig, tomato and smoked mozzarella
- Wattle Bank Farm Oyster Mushroom with radicchio and smoked mozzarella
Other dishes on the menu include hand stretched burrata from Gippsland, pickled Portarlington mussels, calamari from Lakes Entrance and halloumi from the Yarra Valley.
A Feed Me Menu will also be available for larger groups of 15 to 30. This will include a selection of signature snacks for $50.
For dessert, try a cup or cone of plant-based hemp soft serve. This will be available in Roasted Wattleseed & Choc, or Lemon Myrtle & Lemon Custard.
What about to drink?
Of course, this venue will also feature a full range of cocktails, wines, local beers, ciders and premium spirits. All of the drinks from Yarra Botanica will be Victorian.
On the Signature Yarra Botanicals Spritz menu, you’ll find a variety of fun and refreshing flavours. Expect drinks like Lemon Myrtle & Jasmine Spritz, made from Four Pillars Gin, Lemon Myrtle, jasmine water, Limoncello and soda.
There will also be herb gardens and edible plants that guests can use to garnish their drinks.
Every weekend, this floating oasis will hold brunch sessions. For $69 a person, enjoy a signature Yarra Botanica Gin Fizzer, a brunch item, two gin cocktails and a Hemp soft serve cone. This boozy brunch is open for bookings every weekend between 11am and 1pm.
More info:
Yarra Botanica will open on Wednesday March 16.
They will be open:
- Monday to Wednesday, from 12pm to 11pm
- Thursday from 12pm to 12am
- Friday from 11:30am to 1am
- Saturday from 11am to 1am
- Sunday 11am to 12am
Bookings are encouraged. However, walk-ins are available.
Find it at Sandridge Bridge in Southbank.
See their website for more details.