Cock & Bull English Pub & Brewery

I don’t tend to go to the Cock ‘n’ Bull when it’s super busy — I like heading there on a Sunday afternoon for a few quiet beers or ciders and sitting in the sun. The Cock brews a lot of its own beer so it’s nice to support them by drinking their drops. The Cock is part of the Botany Town Centre complex, which means the outside area is sheltered from the wind a lot of the time; grabbing an outside table on a sunny winter day is a nice reprieve from the gloom of the colder months. If you can’t just stick to having a few drinks, the chips and gravy at this place is completely addictive — the chips are big, thick and chunky and the gravy is so good it’s almost drinkable; the chips become a spoon-​like conduit for the delicious gravy.

Depending on the night of the week you could be in for live music, a pub quiz or some awesome roast specials. The meal serving sizes here are hearty and the wait time for food is reasonable. It’s a pleasant enough place for a meal, and I’d happily go again for a drink or a quiz, and maybe a meal — I’ve since become vegetarian and I’m not sure they have a lot of herbivorous options. There’s a main bar area but also a separate restaurant area so you can feel a bit more secluded. There’s a small stage near the main entrance and it’s a good sized place so you can either get up nice and close to the music or hang out nearer the back, and closer to the bar.

The Cock & Bull is a feel-​good place located just beneath the Cinemas in Botany Town Centre. The wooden walls are lined with traditional English décor and you’re welcomed with a roaring fire during the colder nights. The staff are a friendly bunch, but don’t always bring your food on time. You have to order at the bar, so don’t go waiting for service.
The food itself is traditionally English too, with your plain, but satisfying fish n chips, beef burger or calamari delicacies. Mainly you go there to enjoy a certain atmosphere, which changes depending on whether it’s a family afternoon or a rowdy weeknight.
A pleasant place to dine if you feel like a good, old fashioned pub meal sometimes coupled with live music too!

The Cock & Bull in Botany Downs definitely attracts some very different age groups. On a Friday night you’ll find it full of twenty-​somethings attempting to jam out to the live band of the week, but on a Saturday night it may be full of older men have a nice old chinwag during the game. In saying this, its hard to say what the Cock & Bull’s target market is, but nevertheless, they seem to be accommodating for a wide age range– and thats a good thing.
I’ve always enjoyed the service at Cock & Bull. Always welcoming, quick and cheerful, and you know your drink is in good hands. Their food is very well done– I tend to lean towards their salads, but they do great wedges, nachos and fries with aioli. Their aptly named Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa pizzas are well priced and taste even better!
Cock & Bull is a long-​standing establishment in Botany Downs and really fits the gastropub mould. If you’re looking for somewhere that does its job right in the Botany area, go no further than the Cock & Bull.