Blackheath has become a beacon of Blue Mountains culinary excellence with a concise but considered list of places to wine and dine.

The little mountain town of Blackheath punches far above its weight with a food culture that is seasonally and locally focussed and beautifully executed. From a hatted, fire-fuelled restaurant to the region’s first natural wine bar and an agrarian-inspired farm-to-table eatery, these are the best Blackheath restaurants to dine out at now.

1. Zoe’s

For a good night out in the mountains, simply follow the red neon-lit Z. A live music venue, a sleek cocktail bar and a Mexican restaurant, Zoe’s is many things in one space  that somehow seamlessly come together to create a cohesive and vibrant atmosphere.

Sidle on up to the bar for a well-mixed margarita or Oaxaca old fashioned, gather round a table for plates of corn esquites, tacos or carne asada, and toe-tap to the beats of local and international musicians.

Open: Tuesday to Saturday for dinner and lunch on Saturdays, it’s a vibe you’ll want to revisit on repeat.
Address: 35 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath

2. Blaq

Set in the sleek and boutique Kyah Hotel, Blaq is an elegant and much-applauded , contemporary addition to the Blue Mountains dining scene. Local, award-winning chef Mate Herceg deftly plates the best produce of the region with sophisticated dishes that relish the season and classic cooking techniques.

From ‘smalls’ of venison tartare with quail egg or roasted eggplant with tahini cream, to ‘bigs’ of brined kangaroo with broad beans and spinach, and vegan house-made gnocchi, as well as flame-licked cuts from the grill, Herceg’s food is both innovative and inventive.

Open: Dinner is served Wednesday to Sunday in an ambient and stylish dining room, making Blaq the perfect spot for special occasions, date nights or simply an elevated evening out.

Address: 13-17 Brightlands Avenue, Blackheath

3. Cinnabar

Star culinary duo, Corinne Evatt and Mary-Jane Craig, have been running award-winning restaurants in the Blue Mountains since they opened their four-time-hatted Ashcroft in Blackheath 2000.

It’s long-since closed, but their latest venture, Cinnabar Kitchen  has been just as warmly welcomed with its world-inspired menu that roams from a Moroccan beetroot salad to a Punjabi spiced chicken and Parisian beef cheeks.

Open: From Wednesday to Saturday, you can spend the night downstairs in the cosy, warmly lit main restaurant or, if you’re a group, book one of the two private dining rooms in ‘The Loft’ upstairs, where you can choose from one of three set grazing menus.

Address: 246 Great Western Highway, Blackheath

4. Ates

Meaning ‘fire’ in Ottoman Turkish, hatted Ates  puts their 150-year-old ironbark-fuelled oven to work firing up Mediterranean-style share plates for lunch on the weekend and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday.

Gathering a cornucopia of local produce from Malfoy’s wild honey to produce from Farm it Forward, head chef William Cowan Lunn and his team stoke the flames to create dishes of wood-roasted cauliflower with curry leaf butter and braised oyster blade with celeriac and horseradish remoulade, and finesse smaller plates of fresh flavours, such as the sashimi of hiramasa kingfish and classic beef tartare. For groups of six or more diners, you’ll need to embark on the chef’s banquet set menu and settle in for a parade of deliciously compiled flavours.

Open: Dinner is served Wednesday through Sunday with lunch service available on weekends.
Address: 33 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath

5. Megalong Restaurant

Nestled amid the fruit and vegetable gardens of Lot 101 farm, which supply most of the kitchen’s produce, Megalong Restaurant is a veritable example of farm-to-table eating . In addition to the gardens that guests are invited to wander through, the farm also runs cattle and sheep, which appear on the menu, along with other locally sourced meats. It stands to reason, given its agrarian underpinning, that the menu is hyper-seasonal and may include the likes of brisket empanadas with tomatillo, smoked Murray cod or local lamb.

Open: Settle in for the set menu (with or without matching wines) over a long lunch on the weekend or dinner Thursday to Saturday.

Address: Peach Tree Road, Megalong Valley

6. Frankie and Mo’s

Heralding a new era of cosy places to while away some mountain hours, Frankie and Mo’s natural wine bar  is the first of its kind in the area.

The focus at this petite 25-seater venue run by father-and-son pair Bob and Tom Colman is good, affordable drops for casual wine-lovers, but you can sip as you sup on the veg-heavy menu from Thursday to Sunday with dishes such as bruleed brie toast, potato gnocchi and Brussels sprouts with leeks and almond cream.

If you like, purchase a bottle to takeaway or drink it at the bar of the former art gallery building, or if you’re staying for a short time but a good time, choose from wines-by-the-glass.

Open: Frank and Mo’s opens its doors on Thursdays and Fridays from midday to 10pm and from 10am to 10pm on weekends.

Address: 44 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath

For more great eats in the Blue Mountains, read our guide to Katoomba restaurants and check out our Blue Mountains travel guide for all you need to know.