Tonic Restaurant, MillthorpeCredit: Destination NSW
Dessert being prepared at Tonic Restaurant, Millthorpe.
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The finest restaurants in the New South Wales regional city of Orange combine sophistication and elegance with a relaxed country vibe. Dive into the dining scene here to see why so many Sydneysiders make the 3.5-hour drive for a gourmet getaway.
Built to last
Acclaimed chef Simonn Hawke’s Lolli Redini has held its place as one of Orange’s most outstanding restaurants since 2001. You’ll find all the accoutrements associated with fine dining here, including white napery and walls lined with contemporary art, but it’s the exceptional food and excellent service that has kept loyal fans coming back.
Open for dinner from Thursday to Saturday, the restaurant takes full advantage of the region’s produce and offers a two or three-course menu, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available. Housed in a cosy Federation-era cottage, this is the perfect spot for an intimate dinner or celebrating life’s milestones with your favourite people.
Dining in style
You’ll find the lauded The Peacock Room restaurant at the Oriana Orange hotel in the centre of town. This hotel has been given a full and glamorous makeover — plush velvet lounges, sparkling chandeliers and waxed timber floors provide a cool retro vibe. Start off with drinks in Bela Vista Bar, where the atmosphere is as sophisticated as the cocktail and wine menus.
The restaurant’s menu traverses the globe — generously proportioned mains include seafood saffron risotto, spaghetti pangrattato and Moroccan spiced lamb rump. The popular chargrilled beef is served with Boulangére potatoes, grilled broccolini and a side of anchovy butter. It’s open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.
Orange, Central NSW Credit: Destination NSW
Lolli Redini restaurant, Orange.
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Orange, Central NSW Credit: Destination NSW
Lolli Redini restaurant, Orange.
The Oriana, Orange Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying cocktails at the retro-chic Bela Vista Bar in The Oriana Hotel, Orange.
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The Oriana, Orange Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying cocktails at the retro-chic Bela Vista Bar in The Oriana Hotel, Orange.
All fired up
Opened in 2017, Charred Kitchen & Bar is where chef Liam O’Brien brings all the elements gathered from his extensive training and global travels under one roof. The ever-changing menu follows the seasons, but the one constant is ‘Lucifer’, a wood and charcoal fire oven that serves as the heart of the restaurant and perfectly chars everything from lamb rump and sirloin to corn, eggplant, mushrooms and flatbread. Even the seafood stew is cooked in this multi-purpose fire box.
All meat and produce served is sourced from as nearby as possible, with Liam and his team working closely with the restaurant’s suppliers. The drinks menu also showcases the artistry of local producers — wining and dining here is all about taking your tastebuds on a regional tour.
The right ingredients
Located in the historic village of Millthorpe, just 20 minutes from Orange, Tonic has been dishing up exceptional cuisine since 2003. Owners Tony and Nicole Worland have always put the focus on a seasonal menu that highlights the finest local producers. Cowra lamb and Mandagery Creek venison are staples, with all accompanying ingredients sourced from within the region.
Drama is added to each dish courtesy of Tony’s imagination — boned, stuffed and roasted quail is served in an edible bird’s nest, or the pinky hues of pork backstrap are enhanced with sweet carrot purée. The dessert and drinks menus are just as thoughtfully curated.
It’s worth spending a day in this quaint heritage-listed village — it’s filled with historic buildings, cafés, cellar doors and friendly faces.
Charred Kitchen & Bar, Orange Credit: Destination NSW
Meals available on the menu at Charred Kitchen & Bar, Orange.
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Charred Kitchen & Bar, Orange Credit: Destination NSW
Meals available on the menu at Charred Kitchen & Bar, Orange.
Tonic Restaurant, Millthorpe Credit: Destination NSW
Food and drink at Tonic Restaurant, Milthorpe.
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Tonic Restaurant, Millthorpe Credit: Destination NSW
Food and drink at Tonic Restaurant, Milthorpe.
More Inspirational Stories
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.