Catania Fruit Salad Farm, HanwoodCredit: Destination NSW
Couple picking fruit at Catania Fruit Salad Farm, Hanwood near Griffith.
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Experience Griffith, in the Riverina region of southwest New South Wales, via your wine glass, sweet tooth or picnic basket. This town and surrounds are home to award-winning vineyards, a bakery selling biscotti made from a century-old Italian recipe and memorable paddock-to-plate experiences.
Griffith has a strong food and wine culture, partly thanks to the European population that settled here after World War I. There are excellent wineries, local eateries and food producers to savour, plus culinary events to look out for (like the Griffith Italian Festival). These essential itinerary items provide great opportunities to sample as much of the local fare as possible.
Tour the wineries
In 1928, Vittorio De Bortoli saw promise in the glut of shiraz grapes that other farmers were discarding in the region. What he bottled led to local demand for his business, De Bortoli Wines, and nearly a century — and a few wine-making generations later — his family is still tending to vines at their Bilbul estate. Visit the cellar door to hear about the company’s history and to enjoy a bottle under a pergola in the garden. Established in 1945, Calabria Wines is another family-run winery with long-standing connections to Griffith. Its Tuscan-style cellar door offers a number of tasting experiences, with options for cheese platters and group tastings, all executed with real warmth and Italian hospitality.
Yarran Wines is a boutique winery overlooking Cocoparra National Park, producing sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. Its intimate size allows for tailored tastings and personalised group bookings — and its impact has been significant. Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine ranked Yarran Wines as the region’s best small cellar door in 2018 and Halliday Wine Companion, one of Australia’s leading authorities on wine, named it “Dark Horse Winery of the Year” for 2021.
Piccolo Family Farm, Wyangan Credit: Destination NSW
For a taste of Griffith, visit Piccolo Family Farm.
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Piccolo Family Farm, Wyangan Credit: Destination NSW
For a taste of Griffith, visit Piccolo Family Farm.
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.
Dig into some great food
Another way to enjoy the area’s Italian roots is via the menu at Zecca Handmade Italian, a casual eatery housed in a 1930s Art Deco building. Its tagliatelle, rigatoni and pappardelle and other artisanal pasta shapes are made with Riverina wheat (and available to buy for your own pantry). The restaurant serves lesser-known Italian dishes (such as raschiatelli from Basilicata) and its name (Italian for “mint”) is a reference to the building’s history as Griffith’s Rural Bank. Zecca also pays tribute to its surrounds by pouring Riverina wines made with Italian varietals.
Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod’s native, pond-grown Murray cod has been backed by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal and also appears on various restaurant menus across Australia. To experience this sustainably harvested fish yourself, head to the company’s shopfront in Griffith to taste this local delicacy.
This ingredient has also been championed by local chef Luke Piccolo, who runs Limone Dining. At his fine-dining Griffith restaurant he serves battered Aquna cod with fermented chickpea dip. He also crumbs the cod and offers it with chips and salad and he pan-fries it, too, presenting it with pickles and fermented cavolo nero. Piccolo, who was named 2019 Young Restaurateur of the Year by the Appetite For Excellence awards, also highlights the Riverina’s gems on his menu: a Berkshire cutlet with almond and miso purée is sourced from Wagga Free Range Pork, while semifreddo is flavoured with licorice from Junee.
Nearly two-thirds of Griffith’s population have Italian roots — a connection that stems back to the 1880s, but strengthened dramatically in the 1930s, when migrants from Sicily, Calabria and other districts arrived in significant numbers and made the region home. This cultural exchange has especially benefited the food scene, so make a stop at fourth-generation bakery Bertoldo’s Pasticceria for cannoli, coffee, bread and more. This family-run business sells 27 tonnes of gelato a year (with bubblegum, Baci and salted caramel among the bestselling flavours). And its French nougat, which has been in production for 39 years, comes in six varieties, which are sent across Australia. This bakery also sells over 15 types of biscotti, made from a century-old family recipe that originated in Italy.
Go straight the source
There’s much more to this fertile region than just grapevines. Catania Fruit Salad Farm in Hanwood, 5km south of Griffith, is as fun (and delicious) as it sounds. It’s home to an impressive range of growing fruit (prunes, oranges, apricots, plums, loquats), which you can experience during one of the daily tours. You can also sample the orchard’s flavours by tasting the farm’s home-made condiments during your visit. If you need some regional ingredients for a picnic (or dinner), visit Riverina Grove in Griffith to stock up on award-winning olives, condiments, salsa and pasta sauce.
For the ultimate paddock-to-plate experience, stop off at the Piccolo Family Farm in Lake Wyangan. This working farm supplies its restaurant, Limone Dining, with sustainably grown herbs, fruits and vegetables — all harvested by hand and free from pesticides. The property itself is beautiful, with a homestead built in 1921, ornate hedging, a lovely garden and birch forests. The site has previously hosted special long lunches on the lush grounds, and has staged musical festivals, like A Day In The Orchard, too. Look out for upcoming music and arts events at the farm.
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.
Limone Dining, Griffith Credit: Destination NSW
Chef in the kitchen at Limone Dining, Griffith.
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Limone Dining, Griffith Credit: Destination NSW
Chef in the kitchen at Limone Dining, Griffith.
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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.