From Picnic Takeaway to Fine Dining, the Blue Mountains Offer Something for Everyone
The thing about daytrips is that sooner or later you start thinking about lunch. The villages of the Blue Mountains offer an abundance of options – some excellent, some a bit ordinary.
As tour guides, we’ve spent years looking for good lunch spots in the Blue Mountains – these are a few of our favourites.
Leura Garage
The Leura Mall – the main street through the village – is a popular destination for shopping, people watching, and stopping in for lunch. The village offers a number of options but our go-to is Leura Garage. This award-winning restaurant serves a Mediterranean-leaning menu – including popular stone baked pizzas – using the best fresh, local produce. They also offer a solid selection of wines, beers, and spirits.
Carrington Hotel – Champagne Charlie’s
The Carrington Hotel is an icon of the Blue Mountains. Built in the 19th century to welcome holiday makers from Sydney – the hotel and its facilities have been renovated over the past decade. The hotel bar – Champagne Charlie’s – offers an all-day pub menu from 11 am to 4:30 pm seven days a week. We are especially fond of their beef burger and many guests love their scones. It is a bar, so, yes – they also offer a full selection of beers, wines, and spirits.
Picnic at Govetts Leap
On a beautiful day nothing is better than sitting in the sun at Govetts Leap taking in the breathtaking view of the Grose Valley while enjoying a bit of a picnic lunch. There are several places in Blackheath to pick up some takeaway. The Blackheath Bakery Patisserie has some of the best pies and sausage rolls around. If sandwiches are more your thing, the Altitude Sandwich Bar will set you up with what you are looking for. And Blackheath Fish & Chips has been feeding locals since 1961.
Megalong Valley Tea Rooms
For a lunch stop that will really make you feel like you’ve left the city well behind and have plunged deep into the Australian countryside, you really can’t beat the Megalong Valley Tea Rooms. Choose from the cosy dining room (complete with a fire to keeps guest toasty in the wintertime) or spacious outdoor seating overlooking the sheep in the paddock next door. They serve generous portions of Australian classics such as lamb burgers, shepherds pie, and salads and offer a good selection of beer and wine as well. Leave room for their famous scones or a slice of apple pie made from local fruit when its available.
Echoes Boutique Hotel & Restaurant
If you are looking for the perfect lunch spot for a special occasion visit to the Blue Mountains the fine dining experience offered by Echoes Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is sure to impress.
Echoes is known for its modern Australian cuisine with an Asian influence served in dining room with sweeping views of the Jamison Valley. Dishes range from Pan Seared Scallops and Genmaicha Duck Breast for starters to Miso-Infused Ocean Trout and Char-Grilled Hunter Valley Angus Tenderloin for mains, and Lychee Panna Cotta for dessert.
Booking are essential at Echoes.
Sydney Adventure Tours offers private charter tours to the Blue Mountains visiting these and other locations. Tours are also available in the City of Sydney, the South Coast, the Northern Beaches, and the Hunter Valley. Bespoke tours can be arranged to meet your needs.
