20+ places to eat on the way from Canberra to Sydney (that aren’t Maccas)
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Your stomach will thank you for taking the scenic route.
Sometimes a pitstop at Maccas is all you need when hitting the road. But with so many amazing places to eat on the way to Canberra to Sydney, why wouldn’t you want to make a detour?
The perfect excuse to stretch your legs (and avoid the dreaded drive-through wait), here are 20 places to stop to eat on the road to Sydney – all within half an hour’s drive from the Hume Highway.
Cork Street Café
Freshly made pizza, filled focaccia, salads, Barrio coffee, wine and more – this little café is equal parts cosy and mouthwatering.
Set in the old Police Stables, Cork Street Café is only open Thursday to Sunday, and is available for takeaway or dining in. For the pizzas, gluten-free bases are available with notice, and half-and-half options are available on medium and family-size pizzas (so there’ll be no need to fight over flavours).
24 Cork Street, Gundaroo | 30 minutes from Hume Highway | corkstreetcafe.com
Westering at Lake George Winery
If you’re going to make a pit stop on the way to Sydney, you might as well do it in style.
Westering Restaurant at Lake George offers delicious dining options every Friday to Sunda, from 11.30 am until 3 pm (and it’s worth stopping for).
Working closely with local artisan suppliers to offer a menu that matches the taste and textures of Lake George’s cool climate wines, from mushroom risotto to pizza, it’ll feel like the perfect pre-holiday pick-me-up for the whole family.
173 The Vineyards Road, Lake George | Four minutes off the Federal Highway | lakegeorgewinery.com.au
Café Lerida
Why nibble on chips in the car when you can enjoy lunch amongst the grapevines?
Since opening in 2006, Café Lerida has built up a loyal following (and it’s not hard to see why). Open daily from 10 am until 5 pm – with the kitchen serving from 11 am until 3 pm – the food is ideal for both a quick snack or a three-course lunch. With full cheese and charcuterie boards to kangaroo fillet, add a glass of wine to take your road trip experience to the next level.
87 The Vineyards Rd, Lake George | Four minutes off the Federal Highway | leridaestate.com.au
Some Café
A cute little café with the perfect mix of a cosy atmosphere and a good cup of coffee, Some Café is a must-try in Collector, just north of Lake George and around a half-hour drive from Canberra.
Established by partners Oliver and Lucy in 2015, the café follows a paddock-to-plate philosophy, with chickens out the back to provide eggs, and a kitchen garden to add some fresh flavour to their dishes. Looking for something you can eat on the go? Keep an eye out for the cake cabinet and the selection of sausage rolls and brekkie burritos.
5/7 Murray Street, Collector | Two minutes off the Federal Highway | Facebook
Eling Forest Winery Café
Situated on a beautiful vineyard just off the Hume Highway near Sutton Forest, the Café at Eling Forest Winery is a lovely stop for breakfast, a light meal or a gourmet lunch.
Specialising in quality in-house roasted coffee – which is a perfect pairing for their all-day breakfast menu – you’ll experience home-style food in beautiful surroundings.
12587 Hume Highway, Sutton Forest | One minute from Hume Highway | | elingforest.com.au
Roses Café
Gourmet pies, potato bakes, lasagne, quiches, wraps, pastries and more – The Roses Café is a Goulburn favourite.
Located in a heritage building, this spacious café specialises in homemade comfort food that will leave you wanting more. Perfect for grabbing something quick and easy (think crispy, crunchy, cheesy spinach and feta rolls or frittatas) or settling down to enjoy a cuppa with a well-deserved lunch break, your stomach will thank you.
There are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options available.
59 Verner Street, Goulburn | Three minutes from Hume Highway | therosescafe.com.au
The Paragon Café
This roomy, long-running café has been serving locals and travellers old-fashioned, good-quality, fresh foods since 1940.
One of the few famous traditional cafés left in Australia, it’s fully licensed and offers both cafe and restaurant-style meals. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday, choose from options like Fillet Steak, Salmon Fillet a Mediterranean Chicken Burger and more.
174-176 Auburn Street, Goulburn | Six minutes from Hume Highway | paragoncafe.com.au
The Goulburn Brewery
Established in 1836 and known as Australia’s oldest mainland brewery, The Goulburn Brewery is open from 10 am Wednesday and Thursday, from 12 pm on Friday and 11 am on Saturday.
Serving both lunch and dinner (which can be enjoyed across the recently restored Maltings Bar and the dining room), the menu here is “elevated but warming” with items that highlight local Southern Tablelands produce. Think: Tathra Place Free Range for proteins, Musset Farm Mushrooms, and Morella Grove for oils and olives. Hungry yet?
23 Bungonia Road, Goulburn, New South Wales | 10 minutes from Hume Highway | goulburnbrewery.com
Grit Café
Located just off the highway, near the Big Merino, at Grit Café you’ll find a menu packed full of healthy options. From salads to sandwiches, homemade cakes to cold brew, no matter your cravings, there’s sure to be something – and it’ll be better than the McDonalds down the road.
And with the motto “life is too short for bad coffee”, the coffee is sure to meet high expectations (a must when hitting the road).
6 Sowerby Street, Goulburn | One minute from Hume Highway | @gritcafegoulburn
Meridian Café
A lovely stop for a meal, a snack or just a cup of decent coffee, the Meridian Café in Marulan is only a short detour off the Hume Highway.
An award-winning establishment that focuses on using fresh and locally sourced produce that’s cooked on site, you won’t find much information about the menu online. But expect a classic café, serving breakfasts and healthy lunches.
85 George Street, Marulan | Two minutes from Hume Highway | facebook.com/meridiancafemarulan
The Post Office
If you’re waiting for a punchline, there’s not one coming because this is genuinely the name of a gorgeous café in Moss Vale.
Built in the late 1800s, The Post Office was exactly that – and it was originally the main official building of this small town. Delivering mail for over 100 years, the heritage-listed building now houses a café that serves classic Australian breakfast and lunch options seven days a week.
Paired with a Five Senses coffee, we can guarantee it’s much better than a McMuffin.
1/249 Argyle Street, Moss Vale | 12 minutes from Hume Highway | thepostofficemossvale.com.au
Briars Historic Inn
Inside the Briars Historic Inn, you will find the Briars Bar and Restaurant, serving contemporary food, boutique beers and premium wines in an original Southern Highlands Inn.
It offers a real country atmosphere with quality food, local wine and boutique beers.
It’s a great place to stop in the colder winter months with a warm and cosy ambience, and even better in summer with a sunny balcony overlooking greenery surrounding the inn.
Serving a range of local and fresh produce, you can find items like roast Southern Highlands free-range chicken, slow-braised lamb shanks and Australian salt & pepper calamari on the menu.
They also have a char-grill, where you can cook your own steak or have a chef personally cook one for you.
653 Moss Vale Road, Bowral | 21 minutes from Hume Highway | 02 4868 3800 | briars.com.au
The Plantation Café
Serving Double Roasters coffee, fresh bakery goods, and hearty breakfasts along with an affordable all-day menu, The Plantation Café is not only delicious, but also beautiful.
With lofty ceilings, lots of foliage and a spectacular artisan mural. It’s the perfect antidote to a long trip in the car. And if you happen to want to explore some vintage goodies, wander into Dirty Janes right next door…
21 Banyette Street, Bowral | 30 mins from Hume Highway | greenlanebowral.com
The Press Shop
Open seven days a week from 6 am, The Press Shop is known as “That lovely little café in Bowral”. Located behind a stunning blue curved door and serving Instagram-worthy food, the menu is a locavore’s delight – everything from the meat, mushrooms, vegetables and even spring water is sourced from the region.
It’s worth a stop just to admire the stunning interiors.
5/391-397 Bong Bong Street, Bowral | 30 mins from Hume Highway | thepressshop.com.au
Marilo
Get ready to feast on stunning views and even more stunning dishes in the Southern Highlands with this contemporary Asian restaurant in Bowral.
Open for breakfast daily, lunch Friday and Saturday and dinner Wednesday to Saturday, the menu is packed with everything from savoury dumplings to fresh seafood, and an amazing sounding Kung Pao chicken.
7 Boronia Street, Bowral | 18 minutes off Old Hume Highway | parkproxibowral.com/marilo
Raw & Wild Market Café
Raw & Wild Market Café is a health food store with an organic café situated at the back of the shop on the main street of Bowral.
The shop itself is filled with plenty of delicious and fresh produce and bundles of organic goods. The Café has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, with an extensive and delicious organic menu.
The wholefood café is full service à la carte and is open every day with all-day breakfast and a seasonal lunch menu.
250 Bong Bong Street, Bowral | Eight minutes from Hume Highway | rawwild.com.au
Station Coffee House
Located on the main street of Mittagong, Station House Coffee serves simple food done well. Open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week, they have lighter options for when you just want something quick, to heartier main meals – perfect for fuelling before hitting the road.
12 Bowral Road, Mittagong | 10 minutes from Hume Highway | @stationcoffeehousemittagong
Peppergreen Estate
Located in the premium cool-climate wine region of Southern Highlands, stopping at Peppergreen Estate is a big level up from the Macca’s drive through. Open for breakfast and lunch (except on Tuesdays), you can dine on modern French cuisine for breakfast, lunch or nibble on a share board.
With views of historic Berrima, a Gruyère three egg omelette will beat a McMuffin any day of the week.
13 Market Place, Berrima | Five minutes off Old Hume Highway | peppergreenestate.com.au
Eschalot
This award-winning eatery on the Old Hume Highway is a must-try for any foodie. Using high-quality produce – most of it grown on-site at the restaurant’s gardens and greenhouses – expect mouth-watering morsels that are honest, authentic, and creative (and perfectly paired with matching wines).
24 Old Hume Highway, Berrima | Five minutes from Hume Highway eschalot.com.au
Bundanoon Hotel
Nestled in the hills of the Southern Highlands, the Bundanoon Hotel is a charming place to stop for a rest and reset.
Oozing village charm with a modern menu, the relaxed bistro is open for lunch and dinner. Offering share plates, pizza and nice cold drinks that promise to wash away a long day.
6-18 Erith Street, Bundanoon | 10 minutes from Hume Highway | bundanoonhotel.com.au
Paste
Craving something more than café food? Forget turning off the highway for a quick coffee, because you can dine at a Michelin-starred chef’s restaurant – Paste.
Owned and run by celebrated chef, Bee Satongung, and her Mittagong-born chef husband, Jason Bailey, the pair take a bold approach to Thai cuisine by reimagining ancient Thai recipes. Packed full of flavour, from Kanom Jeen Sao Nam to Jeen Juan Chicken Curry, you’ll be transported to Thailand.
105 Main Street, Mittagong | Five minutes from Hume Highway | pasteaustralia.com
Feature image: The Goulburn Brewery. Credit: Ali Nasseri.
