Southern Highlands Foodie Trail: What to See, Eat & Do
Southern Highlands Foodie Trail: What to See, Eat & Do
With its old stone cottages, stacked antique stores and ever-evolving culinary scene, the Southern Highlands has become one of NSW’s favourite weekend escapes.
Some come for wineries and fireplaces, others for garden strolls and country pubs. Increasingly, though, people are arriving hungry. Just 90 minutes from Sydney, the Southern Highlands food scene has evolved into something seriously good, balancing polished dining rooms with cosy local spots where nobody cares if you’re still wearing muddy boots from a morning walk.
What To See In The Southern Highlands
A Highlands weekend usually starts with wandering Bowral’s boutiques and bookstores before diving into some cool-climate cellar doors and enjoying great eats. The town itself is charming year-round, though autumn hits especially hard, all copper leaves and woodsmoke curling through the streets. Nearby Berrima is one of Australia’s best-preserved Georgian villages, where sandstone buildings and tiny laneways feel frozen in another century. And if you want countryside views, drive through rolling farmland towards Robertson and Fitzroy Falls. The escarpment lookouts are spectacular after rain, when waterfalls spill dramatically into the valley below.
What To Do In The Southern Highlands
The Highlands rewards slowing down. Start your morning with coffee and pastries before browsing Dirty Janes in Bowral, a sprawling, atmospheric space packed with vintage furniture, records, ceramics and curiosities. Southern Highlands markets like this one reward unhurried browsing. Weekend farmers' markets across Bowral and Moss Vale also draw locals stocking up on regional produce, artisan bread and fresh flowers.
Wine lovers can spend entire afternoons vineyard hopping between cellars, enjoying tastings that often evolve into long lunches. High tea in the Southern Highlands is another fit with several hotels, gardens and tearooms offering classic spreads of scones, finger sandwiches and seasonal sweets.
Then walk it all off on trails through Morton National Park or cycle through quiet country roads lined with towering poplars and grazing cattle. If the weather turns brisk, lean into it. Find a pub with a fireplace, order a red, and disappear for a few hours.
Where to eat in the Southern Highlands
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Read moreSet on a 600-acre regenerative farm five minutes from Bowral, Three Blue Ducks is the region's most talked-about opening. The team runs three distinct venues: a flagship restaurant, The Farmhouse café and produce store, and The Bakehouse. Much of the menu reflects what’s grown and raised on the farm itself.
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Read moreOne of the best restaurants in the Southern Highlands, Eschalot occupies a charming sandstone cottage in Berrima. The atmosphere feels refined yet relaxed, with French-inspired seasonal cooking and beautifully plated dishes. Gardens spill outside, the menu shifts with produce availability and every table somehow seems to be celebrating something.
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Read moreOnesta Cucina feels exactly how a country Italian restaurant should, with warm lighting, generous plates, and the scent of garlic drifting from the kitchen. This Bowral favourite has built a loyal following for its traditional cooking and excellent hospitality. The seasonal menu and sunny courtyard make it perfect for a lazy lunch.
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Franquette Crêperie
329 Bong Bong St, BowralRead moreFranquette brings a little slice of Brittany to Bowral with buttery crepes, excellent coffee and charming Parisian energy. One of the most cheerful restaurants in the Southern Highlands, locals spill onto footpath tables on weekends while visitors agonise over sweet versus savoury. The answer is always both.
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Read moreOne of the most surprising restaurants in the Southern Highlands, Paste is an acclaimed Thai restaurant in Mittagong helmed by Michelin-starred chef Bee Satongun and her husband, Jason Bailey. She layers spice, texture and aromatics with serious precision to create bold flavours balanced with sweetness and acidity.
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Flour Bar
366 Argyle St, Moss ValeRead moreBy morning, Flour Bar is one of the Highlands' favourite bakeries. By evening, it transforms into a stylish wine bar with small plates and low lighting. Tucked inside a beautifully restored Moss Vale building, it's effortlessly cool without trying too hard. Bread lovers especially will lose all self-control here.
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It's perfect for sipping pinot and grazing all afternoon in the Highlands.You need to try the woodfired pizzas with a chilled red.Look out for vineyard views, lawn games and fire pits in winter.Read moreA relaxed Southern Highlands winery experience with serious charm. Artemis invites you to settle in and work through a range of cool-climate wines alongside tasting platters of local cheeses, deli meats and breads. On weekends, woodfired pizzas join the menu. The cellar door boasts vineyard views, lawn games and fire pits in the winter.
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Read moreTucked inside Bowral's Potting Shed precinct, Harry's delivers rustic share plates and a solid selection of local wines in a setting that feels effortlessly Southern Highlands. Great for brunch or a casual lunch, with takeaway available for those still moving between the region's markets, wineries and garden stops.
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