Food I Am, Wagga WaggaCredit: Destination NSW
Long lunch with a view at Food I Am, Wagga Wagga.
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Unleash your inner gourmand in the New South Wales Riverina, a foodie’s nirvana with vibrant food festivals and a cornucopia of fresh produce and fine wines to try. Sample the gourmet offerings of the food bowl of NSW on a mouth-watering road trip taking in Griffith, Wagga Wagga and Junee — just three delicious destinations worth a visit in the region.
Uncover gourmet delights in Griffith
Feel the anticipation build as you make your way to Griffith, a six-hour drive west from Sydney, where rich Riverina soils produce an abundance of citrus, grapes, hazelnuts and olives. Get your first taste on a tour of Catania Fruit Salad Farm hosted in a quirky bus, sampling seasonal fruits and nuts plucked straight from the trees.
Be regaled by the storied history of Calabria Family Wines as you sip chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and other fine wines at its Tuscan-style cellar door. Delight in the De Bortoli family's long history of winemaking, dating back to 1928, in nearby Bilbul. Put your nose to the test as you compare vintages in Yenda, where Yarran Wines and Berton Vineyards both host memorable cellar door experiences.
Taste the freshness of the region’s produce in every local meal. Embrace Griffith’s Italian roots at Limone, where produce is plucked from the family farm, and at Zecca, which specialises in cucina regionale (regional Italian dishes). Follow your nose to fourth-generation bakery Bertoldo’s Pasticceria for moreish oven-fresh bread, biscotti and gelato. And curate the picnic basket of your foodie dreams with gourmet cured meats from Codemo Smallgoods; olives, relishes, pesto and other tasty condiments from Riverina Grove; and premium, pond-grown smoked (or fresh) cod from Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod at the company’s retail outlet in Griffith.
Not sure where to start? Book a food and wine tour with Bella Vita Riverina Tours and relax as a knowledgeable local guide shows you the best the region has to offer.
Make the most of the central location of The Gem, a slick, recently renovated hotel with plush pillow top mattresses and its own onsite farm-to-table restaurant, Bull and Bell, featuring produce sourced within 300km of Griffith. Or head an hour’s west of Griffith to get a taste of outback life at Corynnia Station, where you can lodge at The Barracks, a characterful two-bedroom cottage with a queen and a twin room.
Time your visit for October to marvel at more than 50 larger-than-life sculptures created with over 100,000 oranges and grapefruit along Banna Avenue during Griffith’s annual Spring Fest.
Yarran Wines, Yenda Credit: Destination Riverina Murray
Business event delegates enjoying a wine tasting experience at Yarran Wines, Yenda near Griffith.
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Yarran Wines, Yenda Credit: Destination Riverina Murray
Business event delegates enjoying a wine tasting experience at Yarran Wines, Yenda near Griffith.
Zecca, Griffith Credit: Destination NSW
Chef making fresh pasta at Zecca Restaurant, Griffith.
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Zecca, Griffith Credit: Destination NSW
Chef making fresh pasta at Zecca Restaurant, Griffith.
Whet your appetite in Wagga Wagga
Dive into the rich food culture of Wagga Wagga, around five hours south-west of Sydney, or two hours south-east of Griffith, at the Riverina Producers Market, held each Thursday afternoon at the Wagga Wagga Showground. Sip orange juice freshly squeezed from locally grown navel and Valencia oranges and connect with local farmers as you browse a bounty of fresh produce, from fresh peaches to juicy cuts of lamb and beef perfect for a barbecue. Top up your shopping basket with artisan cheeses, local jerky and more at Knights deli, and award-winning olive oils and table olives at Wollundry Grove Olives.
Feel empowered to cook up local produce like a pro after taking a cooking class with Food I Am. Or kick back and leave the chef work to the experts at the likes of the Oakroom, which focuses on premium local ingredients, or Magpies Nest, where contemporary dishes and regional wines are served in a beautiful stone stables with sweeping views across olive groves.
Soak up the history of The Houston, an 11-suite boutique hotel created inside the neo-Gothic 1868 Belmore House, an easy stroll from cafes and restaurants. Or enjoy the convenience of falling into bed at boutique hotel The Charles after treating yourself to a decadent five-or-seven-course degustation at its sophisticated Dining Room.
Fuel up for another day of foodie fun with a warming coffee at the Trail Street Coffee Shop, which brews coffee by Wagga Wagga’s Full Circle Coffee Roasters. Then head out to sip and savour local boutique wineries including Eunonyhareenyha Winery, Borambola Wines and Cottontail Wines.
Find foodie joy in Junee
Settle in for the next leg of your culinary adventure, taking the scenic route to Junee via historic Coolamon. Learn how to make your own cheese at a workshop with expert cheesemaker Jenn Nestor at Coolamon Cheese, or pick up some artisan cheeses for a picnic.
Be dazzled by fields of canary-yellow canola flowers during spring on the 30-minute drive from Coolamon to Junee. Upon your arrival, treat you inner (or actual) child to a sweet surprise at the famous Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory, housed in a four-storey 1930s flour mill. Watch organic licorice and chocolate being made before your eyes on a guided tour before indulging in a hot chocolate at the Millroom restaurant.
Have a giggle meeting the alpacas at Gryphon Lodge, a cosy B&B just outside Junee, with two bedrooms, a lounge with an open fireplace and farm-fresh eggs to elevate your breakfast.
If you’re visiting on the first Sunday of the month, drop by the Junee Rotary Sunday Market to stock up on a tantalising array of fresh goods from the eastern Riverina region; reliving the memories of your trip as you cook up your haul back at home.
Food I Am, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a long lunch with scenic views at Food I Am, Wagga Wagga.
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Food I Am, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Friends enjoying a long lunch with scenic views at Food I Am, Wagga Wagga.
Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee Credit: Destination NSW
Young girl enjoying a giant chocolate freckle making lesson at Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee.
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Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee Credit: Destination NSW
Young girl enjoying a giant chocolate freckle making lesson at Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory, Junee.
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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.