Wintergarden at the Hydro Majestic Hotel, Medlow Bath

Best for: Sky-high high tea

The grand Hydro Majestic Hotel in the tiny village of Medlow Bath has been attracting celebrities, socialites and politicians checking in from the moment it opened in 1904. Wintergarden celebrates the glamour of the hotel's heyday with its daily high tea, which sees tiered platters of goodies, including the requisite finger sandwiches and scones as well as petite pastries delivered next to your choice of tea. This glamorous Belle Epoque space has breathtaking views across the Megalong Valley below.

Hydro Majestic Afternoon High Tea, Medlow Bath - Credit: Salter Brothers Hospitality

Echoes Restaurant & Bar, Katoomba

Best for: Clifftop fine dining

With its clifftop perch at Echo Point, Echoes Boutique Hotel & Restaurant offers one of the most spellbinding settings in Katoomba. Book a seat on the patio, which extends out to the very edge of the clifftop (on a clear day, you can see all the way to Mittagong in the Southern Highlands, more than 80km away) and start the meal with a wine grown just beyond the valley in view. Then settle in for a luxurious take on modern Australian cuisine, mixing premium ingredients with the cuisine-blending diversity of flavours and ingredients Australia is known for.

Echoes Boutique Hotel and Restaurant, Katoomba

Everglades Historic House & Gardens

Best for: Bountiful gardens

Leura’s Everglades Historic House and Gardens isn’t just known for its inter-war period gardens and the cool-climate displays of azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias; the Art Deco residence also hosts a picturesque Devonshire tea. Sit within the heritage ground’s gardens with a coffee, tea or even a local cider, and a traditional course of scones while you take in Jamison Valley scenery. As the tearoom is volunteer run, let them know if you’re travelling in a big group to ensure there is tea and scone availability for every member of your crew. 

Everglades Historic House and Gardens, Leura

Darley's, Katoomba

Best for: A taste of history

Set inside the original Lilianfels house, built in the late 1880s, Darley's does old fashioned fine dining – thick tablecloths, plush chairs, embossed crockery and twinkling chandeliers give a sense of genteel luxury. The huge windows, which wrap around the southeast side of the restaurant look out on to Lilianfels' historic English garden and the rugged escarpment of the Jamison Valley. The three-course modern Australian menu has a focus on local produce, with many ingredients sourced from within 100 miles of the restaurant.

Lilianfels Resort & Spa, Katoomba

Elysian Restaurant, Katoomba

Best for: Sunset cocktails

Forget the rowdy cocktail experiences of the big city, Elysian makes its trade on comfort, cosiness and classic hospitality. That’s not to say it’s out of date: the menus are creative, fun and bring in flavours from a diverse range of cuisines. Find a seat upstairs by the window so you can dig into taco-shaped roti parcels topped with spiced lamb and try a cocktail with a playful name and recipe while admiring the sunset as it hits the sandstone cliffs and forested valleys of a UNESCO World Heritage recognised wilderness. 

Elysian Restaurant, Katoomba - Credit: MTN Wave Media

Dryridge Estate, Megalong Valley

Best for: Wine tasting with a view

While Echoes and Elysian give you views from the top, Dryridge Estate in Megalong Valley delivers one of the best views from the bottom. The historic winery, the first to grow commercial grapes in the area), is surrounded by the iconic amber cliffs of the Narrow Neck escarpment. The cellar door is open weekends year-round and on Fridays during winter, with guests snacking on cheese boards or a full ploughman's plate with cured meats, pickles, olives and local bread. For views of a different kind, visit after dark for a fascinating Wine Tasting Stargazing experience, led by the expert astronomers from Blue Mountains Stargazing.

Dryridge Estate, Blue Mountains - Credit: Dryridge Estate

Restaurant Amara, Bowen Mountain

Best for: Tasting the land

On the edge of a quiet road is one of the Blue Mountains best retreats, Spicers Sangoma, and inside, a restaurant that feels like an oasis at the edge of a rugged wilderness. That’s Restaurant Amara, an acclaimed fine diner that mixes modern with traditional. The tradition is in the kitchen, where all food is sourced from the region and techniques are based around the simplicity and flavour of charcoal and open-flame cooking. The modern element is your experience, where you’ll meet a sleek dining room befitting the natural beauty surrounding it, beautifully composed vegetable-forward dishes and a service experience that matches the standard of the fare they serve. 

Restaurant Amara, Bowen Mountain - Credit: Restaurant Amara

Lot 101, Megalong Valley

Best for: Paddock to plate menus

With Ruined Castle to the south, the Three Sisters to the east and Mount Piddington to the north, Megalong Valley's Lot 101 feels right in the middle the Blue Mountain's most iconic sights. The sustainable farm is committed to regenerative agriculture and seasonal abundance, using greenhouses to grow fruit and vegetables all year round. They also raise chickens, cattle, sheep and ducks. These all appear on the farm-to-table tasting menu at the one-hat Megalong Restaurant, complemented by 360-degree views from the dining room. For something more casual, grab a toastie, pot pie or scones at the on-site Megalong Valley Tearooms. Can't bear to leave? Stay the night at their Werriberri Cottages.

Megalong Restaurant, Megalong Valley - Credit: Megalong Restaurant

Bar NSW at The Lookout, Echo Point

Best for: An unbeatable NSW wine list

Sitting just steps from the edge of the escarpment at Echo Point, The Lookout is the place to watch the cliffs glow golden at sunset – with a wine in hand, of course. The entire wine list of Bar NSW is sourced from within the state, so you can expect delicious drops from the Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Orange and more. Pair them with some stylish snacks, a burger or schnitzel and marvel at that million-dollar view.

Leura Gourmet, Leura

Best for: A secret view the locals know

From the front, with its giant bold Cafe & Deli signage and windows piled high with pantry goods and fresh produce, you’d never expect Leura Gourmet to host such a vast view. The dining room at the back, which can be quite busy on weekends, is lucky to have a floor-to-ceiling glass wall, meaning you and your companions can have a cuppa and a pastry while you look over the leafy Leura back streets. On your way out, check the deli section, they’ve got a good range of dry goods that traverses many cuisines and cooking styles.

Leura Gourmet, Leura

Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls

Best for: Cafe dining among the tree canopy

In the 1960s, the Conservation Hut opened as a station in Wentworth Falls to refuel and rest for hikers and as a meeting point for the Blue Mountains Conservation Society. The society is a little too big for the hut now but it’s still one of the best and most scenic rest stops a hiker can find. But rather than a hiker’s BYO trail mix, pick from a modern cafe menu that includes brekky burritos, chilli scrambles, schnitzels and pork belly bao buns. All of it served alongside one of the area’s best views of Mount Solitary and the Jamison Valley. 

Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls - Credit: Conservation Hut

Avalon, Katoomba

Best for: Live local music and comedy

Set in an old theatre in Katoomba, Avalon is a local destination for those seeking a simple drink, a hearty meal or a night of stories and entertainment. The main dining room, in the dress circle of the old theatre, demands you arrive early, as the views, over the Katoomba village and onto the iconic cliff faces, only last as long as the day’s sun. Once night falls, check out the gin parlour downstairs for a flight of local gin and look at the schedule of events to see if there are any shows coming up – maybe you can relive the magic of the old Savoy Theatre, first established in the 1930s, with a comedy act or a local band.

Avalon Restaurant, Katoomba - Credit: Silversalt Photography