The country pub is one of Australia’s most enduring archetypes, and we’ve never seen so many operators tap into the mythmaking as we are right now, refreshing old sites but keeping the scratches, stains and the charm. In Bangalow, that place is You Beauty. It’s not exactly a pub, but the community board and the verandah for nursing schooners say otherwise.

As for the menu, it’s cultural cringe come full circle courtesy of Matt Stone, zero-waste advocate and gun chef. Think kangaroo loin, skewered, grilled hard, smeared with roasted cashew and served with fish-garum “crack sauce”. Or barbecued king prawns glazed in snapper-bone stock and sauce with finger-lime butter. Or crocodile toast, fried in a sesame crust.

There’s steak, there’s chips, but like the wine list, it’s all given unusual care and attention. Life is good, the pub is full, the people are happy. You Beauty, indeed.

Must-order dish: Crocodile toast.

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