Breakfast spots & casual eats

Harry’s on Green Lane

Filled with lush greenery, antique books and travel memorabilia, Harry’s on Green Lane is a quirky little escape in the midst of Bowral’s eclectic Green Lane precinct. It’s named for Sir Harry Veitch, an English horticulturist who sent daring plant hunters round the world to find new species. Serving lunch all week and dinner on Friday and Saturday, it has a rustic, European style menu – think hearty soups, risotto, bright salads, braised meats and fresh fish.

Harry's on Green Lane, Bowral - Credit: Harry's on Green lane

Three Blue Ducks at Burradoo Park Farm

The latest outpost from the famed Three Blue Ducks team, Burradoo Park Farm is three venues in one set on a 240-acre regenerative property just outside of Bowral. Grab a sweet or savoury pastry and a loaf of sourdough from the artisan Bakehouse, or sit down to a casual breakfast or lunch at The Farmhouse Café. The Restaurant is a seasonal, set menu experience for lunch and dinner, featuring the best of what’s growing and grazing on the farm.

Three Blue Ducks at Burradoo Park Farm, Burradoo - Credit: Kitti Gould

Lucette

Part Australian cafe, part Parisian bistro, Lucette in Bowral is an all-day eatery run by the former head chef of Monopole. Start the day with exquisite pastries, a croque monsieur or the perfect omelette, then move on to twice-baked cheese souffle, mussels in white wine, or classic steak frites. The extensive wine list is also French, divided by region, and there’s a good selection of calvados, cognac and Armagnac if you’re feeling fancy.

Pie Trail Southern Highlands

Sometimes, you just can’t beat a good pie. Eat your way around the Southern Highlands’ best along the Pie Trail, made up of almost 40 local outlets. June is the official Pie Trail month, but you can eat your fill all year round. There’s everything from a classic Aussie meat pie to flavourful vegetarian options and out of the box pies like yabby with white wine and cream. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, go for the delicious fruity options.

Pie Trail Southern Highlands, Bowral - Credit: Pie Trail Southern Highlands

Chic & delicious

Eschalot

Set inside one of Berrima’s most significant historic buildings, the former Breen’s Commercial Hotel built in 1869, Eschalot has been at the pinnacle of the Southern Highlands’ fine dining for more than two decades. Using fresh produce grown in their own garden and greenhouses, complemented by seasonal ingredients from the surrounding area, the modern Australian menu celebrates the flavour of fire. Choose the Chef’s Feed Me menu to get a taste of the best of everything.

Eschalot restaurant, Berrima

Paste

Run by Michelin-starred chef Bee Satongun, Mittagong’s hatted restaurant Paste is a bold and authentic celebration of Thai cuisine. Many of the dishes have been taken straight from the menu of her acclaimed Bangkok restaurant. Classic flavours are enhanced with Australian ingredients to create innovative culinary creations, like South Australian chocolate-fed wagyu with bone marrow-nam jim jaew and smoked Snowy River trout tapioca dumpling.

Paste Australia, Mittagong

Moonacres Kitchen

Having trained in Italy and worked in some of Sydney’s best restaurants, chef Stephen Santucci brings skill and passion to Moonacres Kitchen in Robertson. Sourcing most of what you see on the plate from their own Moonacres Farm, just 10 minutes away, and top local producers, the menu is refined yet simple. If you like what you see on the plate, book a class at Moonacres School and learn how to create it yourself.

Moonacres Kitchen, Robertson

Bistro Sociale

On a chilly Southern Highlands night, there are few nicer places to be than beside the fire at Bistro Sociale. Set inside the 1920s Berida Hotel in Bowral, it’s all moody lighting, plush fabrics and low voices. The seasonal, European-inspired cuisine covers seafood, pasta, steaks and more. Even if you can’t fit in a meal here, be sure to stop by for a well-crafted cocktail or one of more than 100 gins on the menu.

Bistro Sociale, Bowral - Credit: Berida Hotel

Wining & dining

Centennial Vineyards Restaurant

Set on the beautiful grounds of Centennial Vineyards, the eponymous restaurant is the perfect complement to their range of cool climate wines. Keep things light with a charcuterie board or tuna crudo, or settle in for a long lunch of roasted barramundi, veal cordon bleu and braised lamb shanks. You can also choose the elegant high tea, paired with bubbles, rosé or cocktails.

Centennial Vineyards, Bowral

PepperGreen Estate Tasting Room

Part of the PepperGreen Estate cellar door in Berrima, the Tasting Room restaurant presents flavours from around the world. The hero of almost every dish is the estate’s own extra virgin olive oil, made from the olives which grow alongside their grape vines. You can start the day with breakfast and a glass of sparkling, then continue on to a seasonal lunch paired with something delicious from the cellar.

PepperGreen Estate, Berrima

Immersive foodie experiences

Italian Cooking Experience with Stefano Marvello

Roll up your sleeves and prepare to get floury with expert chef Stefano Marvello. His fun, interactive and immersive cooking classes cover everything from fresh pasta making to cooking over fire and outdoor paddock-to-plate experiences. He’s committed to sourcing produce from with the Southern Highlands and works closely with the best local growers and makers. Once class is finished, sit down and savour your hard work over a glass of wine.

Italian Cooking Experience with Stefano Marvello, Bowral

Robertson Truffles

The cold climate, high rainfall rich soils of the Southern Highlands are perfect for growing rare Perigord truffles. During the winter months, join the team from Robertson Truffles – and their well-trained dogs – to sniff out black gold beneath the oak and hazelnut trees. During the hunt, you’ll learn about the growing process and what makes this gourmet delicacy so prized by chefs. Afterwards, sit down to a delicious meal to taste them for yourself.

Robertson Truffles, Robertson - Credit: Robertson Truffles

Bowral Honey Farm

Discover what all the buzz is about at Bowral Honey Farm. They offer a range of hands-on tours that both educate and entertain, sharing their knowledge about the lifecycle of bees, the honeymaking process and the importance of bees in the world. You can join them for a simple walk through the hives followed by a tasting or don a full beekeeping suit to open a hive and harvest the honey within.

Bowral Honey Farm, Bowral