Seven destinations for a delicious day trip
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Canberrans are spoilt for choice when it comes to having our pick of incredible restaurants and cafés right on our doorstep, but despite this, sometimes the road just calls to you.
But a day trip needs a worthy destination, and there is no better excuse to hit the road than to head to a unique dining destination that will have you feeling like you’ve been on a mini holiday. The best part? You’ll be home in time for dinner.
Book Barn Restaurant, Bendooley Estate (Berrima)
An escape to the Southern Highlands is the perfect way to reset, refresh and feel ready for a new week.
Nestled in the rolling hills of the Berrima region is the Book Barn Restaurant at Bendooley Estate. Located within a bookstore (specialising in books both old and new), you’ll be transported by the history and elegance of the 200-acre Bendooley Estate that’s home to the barn.
The indoor and outdoor seating suits all seasons, and the menu champions fresh and seasonal produce with dishes like the lemon and thyme-infused chicken breast with slow braised eggplant, chickpeas, charred broccolini, and red currant jus. Or you can sit down with a grazing board or a selection of pizzas to share.
If you’re there for the evening, you can also enjoy the cellar door restaurant, Leo’s by Night.
Bendooley 3020, 3020 Old Hume Highway, Berrima | berkelouw.com.au
Cork Street Café (Gundaroo)
This laid-back gem in the tiny village of Gundaroo is well-loved for good reason. Housed in the old stables to the rear of what was the police station, Cork Street Café offers the real deal when it comes to artisan pizzas with crisp bases, well-balanced toppings, and a delightful country rustic vibe.
The courtyard is the perfect spot for a long lunch with friends on a warm day, or head inside for the rustic heritage of the former stables.
Cork Street, Gundaroo | corkstreetcafe.com
Grazing (Gundaroo)
If you’re looking for a more refined and award-winning dining affair, then just a few doors down from Cork Street Cafe is Grazing. Set inside the historic Royal Hotel, this restaurant has low-lit interiors, exposed beams, woodfires, and quietly confident food.
The seasonal ethos is strong here, with a menu that leans into the best of what’s on offer in the region with each passing season. The four-course tasting menu with optional matched wines will take the pressure out of decision-making, and you’re in good hands here to trust the chef to make the selections.
You can also order a la carte from a beautifully curated selection of dishes like hand-rolled potato tortellini with almond, muscatel and burnt butter or hearty meals like venison sausage with truffle mash, apple and green pea.
42 Cork Street, Gundaroo | grazing.com.au
Perrotta’s Italian & Bar (Lake Crackenback)
Tucked into the Lake Crackenback Resort near Jindabyne, in our beautiful Snowy Mountains, is Perrotta’s Italian and Bar.
Don’t judge this restaurant for being located within a hotel; it is well-loved by locals and visitors alike, and the small team here is passionate about Italian food.
The fresh pasta is a perennial favourite, and the lamb gnocchi with Sicilian green olives, mint, and pecorino Romano is a solid choice for a hearty winter meal.
You’ll also find a good selection of pizzas, traditional antipasto, and a wide range of desserts like tiramisu and Sicilian cannoli that are filled to order.
1650 Alpine Way, Crackenback | perrottasitalianandbar.com.au
Smokey Horse (Braidwood)
It’s rare to have a meal at Braidwood’s Smokey Horse and not come away feeling cooler and more eclectic than you actually are. It seeps in via osmosis.
Deep house beats are the soundtrack to this Nepalese meal as you’re surrounded by quirky decor, upcoming live gig posters, and a roaring fire in the courtyard in winter.
The Nepalese momo dumplings are a must. Served steamed or fried, you can’t go wrong either way, and for mains, you’re presented with a tough choice with all the dishes packed full of spices and perfectly cooked. Look out for the specials board, as the small menu is accompanied by weekly additions and some incredible dishes appear here.
183 Wallace Street, Braidwood | facebook.com/smokeyhorse
The Gathering Cafe (Bungendore)
This casual cafe is only a stone’s throw from Canberra and delivers modern-country vibes in a beautifully moody setting. The owner here has taken great care in curating an inviting space that blends the heritage charm of the building with contemporary touches like the foliage-covered frames surrounding the pendant lights.
The menu features all your classic cafe dishes like avo on toast, French toast and eggs benny, plus some heartier and more creative dishes like Texas benedict which comes on a bagel and is topped with chorizo, jalapenos, capsicum, and red onion or the spiced lamb quesadillas which are generously filled and topped with avocado, tomato and onion salsa.
Unit 1/12 Gibraltar Street, Bungendore | thegatheringbungendore.com
Wins Creek Meadery (Murrumbateman)
Wins Creek Meadery is not your usual Murrumbatemen winery stop.
Specialising in fermenting their own honey into an ancient alcoholic drink called mead, this is a unique experience that will see you enjoying a mead or craft beer flight alongside a menu of pizzas and platters that are served in the cottage garden.
It’s rustic, rural, and delicious and might be the kicking-off point to experience some of Australia’s best wineries that surround the Meadery.
18 East Street, Barton Highway, Murrumbateman | winscreek.com.au
Feature image: Grazing. Ash St George.
