Drinks - Beverages - Food & Wine - Blue Mountains Australia

Follow a foodie trail across the Blue Mountains taking in the pretty villages of Lawson, Leura, Katoomba and Blackheath which are bursting with fine food experiences. Enjoy everything from traditional high-tea to a NSW wine bar, traditional pub meals and hatted-restaurant dining set against the majestic backdrop of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Listed area.

• Lawson is fast becoming the region’s foodie destination to watch. Pop into Cortardo for a cup of coffee made from locally- roasted beans or Rust & Timber Chocolate Bar for the house specialty hot chocolate. Native Kitchen & Bar uses local, organic and sustainable produce in its menu and has its own fermentation bar serving on-tap kombucha. Lyttleton Stores, housed in an historic building circa 1884 on the main street, features the Pantree Produce Store, Atelier and Preserve. Pick up some organic produce and attend one of the full day cooking workshops held on a Sunday to learn the art of jamming, fruit preserving, pickling, bread backing, cake baking and sun-drying. Enjoy small plates for dinner at Mesa Barrio where the produce is sourced locally daily
• The charming village of Leura offers a plethora of options for food-lovers. Enjoy a hot chocolate at Café Madeleine or a handmade chocolate from owner Jodie Van Der Velden’s chocolate shop Josophan’s across the road. Jam maker Cathy Armstrong buys fruit from orchards in Bilpin and Orange for her range of award-winning jams at Princess Pantry. For something more savoury and substantial head to Leura Garage at the top of Leura mall, and The Red Door Cafe for a memorable coffee
• Two stops in Katoomba are essential: Blue Mountains Food Co-op for fresh produce from commercial and backyard growers, and Carrington Cellars and Deli at the iconic Carrington Hotel for local produce and central western wines including Princess Pantry jams; Malfroy’s Gold honey; Whisk ‘n’ Pin muesli; and Dryridge Estate’s Riesling made in the Megalong Valley. Taste brews from the onsite Katoomba Brewing Company in Champagne Charlies, with brewery tours planned to commence in 2017 
• Enjoy a glass of NSW wine while watching the sun set over the iconic Three Sisters at Bar NSW at The Lookout. There’s 15 NSW wine regions represented on the list along with a selection of NSW beers, ciders and small batch boutique spirits
• Be sure to visit the spectacular and historic Hydro Majestic Hotel and try its restaurant in Medlow Bath. Enjoy the grand tradition of Afternoon High Tea in the Wintergarden, refined Asian cuisine in Salon du The or casual all day dining in The Boiler House. Experience the tastes of the Blue Mountains and surrounding regions at the Hydro Majestic Pavilion, a place to discover the history of The Hydro and to share all that is remarkable about the Blue Mountains. Taste test local produce and wines including Robert Stein Wines and Swinging Bridge
• At Blackheath, further west along the highway, there’s the funky Anonymous Café for a great coffee; or Vesta, a cool local bar and restaurant that opens at noon on weekends. Buy honey produced in the Mountains, great pork from Trunkey Creek and farm made goats’ cheese at Blackheath Growers’ Market which is held on the second Sunday of the month from 9am to 1pm
• For fine dining options, the Mountains has two restaurants which have been awarded ‘hats’ in the Sydney-Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide 2017. They are Darley’s Restaurant (one hat) in Katoomba and Restaurant Como (one hat) in Blaxland
• In Autumn, go mushrooming for Saffron Milk Cap (Lactarius deliciosus) and Slippery Jack (Boletus portentosus) in pine forests in Oberon. For a pick-your-own experience, an information leaflet and direction are available from the Oberon Visitor Information Centre or join a Weedy Connection mushrooming tour
• Stop at Jannei Goat Cheese to taste test their range of artisan cheese at the farm shop at Lidsdale, 10 minutes’ drive west of Lithgow on the way to Mudgee
• Travelling on the Bells Line of Road, a pit-stop at chef Sean Moran’s Tomah Gardens Restaurant at Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens is a must. Mountain views, eclectic décor and a flavour-driven menu make for a winning combination 
• Gain insights into the culture of the local Aboriginal people as you learn about bush tucker and hear Dreamtime stories on a tour with Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout Tours. Or take a botanic journey with an Aboriginal horticulturist at the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah. Along the Prince Henry Walk with Muggadah Tours, enjoy fabulous views while learning about the traditional food and medicine of the Gundungurra people.