A beloved Italian restaurant is popping up at one of Canberra’s most scenic wineries

Posted on 31 January, 2023

What could be better than lunch at a winery? How about a lunch created by one of Canberra’s most beloved Italian kitchens, at a winery?

That’s exactly what you’ll find this weekend at the Agostini’s at Lark Hill Winery pop-up.

Serving Italian classics like calamari fritti, proscuitto e rucola pizza and yes, tiramisu, Agostini’s at Lark Hill Winery will be open for lunch bookings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Established in 1978 by Sue and Dave Carpenter, Lark Hill Winery is a short 30 minutes drive from Canberra and features a delicious range of organic, biodynamic and sustainable drops including Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gruner Veltliner, now overseen by Sue and David’s son, Chris (pictured above, right).

For Chris, it was a natural choice to reach out to Kingston’s Agostini’s, run by the Bisa family, to helm the restaurant with Roman-born, Executive Chef Francesco Balestrieri (pictured above, left) putting his signature spin on Italian classics.

Some pairing suggestions from Francesco include a slow-cooked lamb with a glass of Lark Hill’s ‘Dark Horse Vineyard’ Shiraz Viognier and a plate of fresh vegetables layered in-between silky lasagne sheets alongside a bottle of Lark Hill’s Grüner Veltliner. Delizioso. 

Credit: Adam McGrath.

With Lark Hill’s stunning views across the Bungendore valley, the partnership will see a new contender for ‘best view in Canberra’ enter the field—and a new destination for late summer day trips.

After all, as they put it, how does one have a plate of fresh pasta without a glass of wine?

PHOTOGRAPHY Adam McGrath