The upper mountains punch well above their weight for food. From woodfired sourdough in sleepy village bakeries to white-tablecloth dining rooms with valley views, there is more here than a single weekend can hold. These are the spots we send our guests to — the ones we visit ourselves, in roughly the order of the day.
Breakfast & pastries
Blackheath · 10 min drive
A tiny, much-loved bakery on the Great Western Highway turning out some of the best sourdough in New South Wales. The morning buns and almond croissants disappear by mid-morning, so go early. Take a loaf home for toast in front of the cottage fire.
Coffee & brunch
Blackheath · 10 min drive
The ridge's most serious coffee, poured in a warm room hung with local art. The brunch menu leans seasonal and Mediterranean — think shakshuka, labneh with house dukkah, and ricotta hotcakes that are worth the queue on weekends.
Pies & sandwiches
Blackheath · 10 min drive
An institution. The steak-and-mushroom pie has won awards and the sausage rolls are flaky, peppery and best eaten on a bench in the sun. Pack a couple for a bushwalk lunch and you will out-picnic everyone on the trail.
Pub lunch & beer garden
Blackheath · 10 min drive
A handsome corner pub with a sprawling beer garden, open fires in winter and a kitchen that takes its parmas and Sunday roasts seriously. Order a pint of something local and settle in for the afternoon — there is no rushing here.
Spanish · dinner
Blackheath · 10 min drive
Loud, warm, and the kind of place you leave promising to come back. Spanish-leaning tapas built around mountain produce, a smart sherry list and grilled meats from the woodfire. Book a week ahead on weekends — it fills fast.
Modern Australian · dinner
Blackheath · 10 min drive
A quiet, candlelit dining room doing inventive small plates with the seasons. The menu changes often, the wine list leans natural and local, and the kitchen has a real touch with vegetables. Our pick for a slow, special-occasion dinner.
French-Australian · dinner
Leura · 25 min drive
A Leura mainstay for more than thirty years and still one of the best dining rooms in the mountains. Classic French technique, generous portions, an excellent cheese trolley and warm, old-school service. Worth the drive down the highway.
Wood-fired · lunch & dinner
Leura · 25 min drive
A converted 1930s mechanic's garage that's now one of the most fun rooms in the mountains. Wood-fired pizzas, share plates and a cracking cocktail list. Loud, lively and a great choice with a group.
Country lunch & scones
Megalong Valley · 30 min drive
Down the winding road into the valley, a green lawn, grazing horses and the best Devonshire tea you'll ever have. The kitchen also turns out hearty country lunches — pies, soups, and roasts in winter. The drive alone is worth it.
Orchard lunch
Bilpin · 35 min drive
A working orchard with a pretty café perched above the apple trees. Long lunches under vines, plates built around what's just been picked, and a cellar door next door. A perfect detour on the way down the Bells Line of Road.
