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The best Blackheath restaurants for mountain indulgence

Village life in the Blue Mountains tastes better than ever thanks to these outstanding Blackheath restaurants.

The little mountain town of Blackheath is home to a food culture that bursts with local pride, considered execution and seasonal flair. During my June 2026 visit, I discovered old favourites had impressively reinvented themselves while a scatter of newness lifted the foodie bar even higher. From a fire-fuelled hotel restaurant that blazes bright, to the region’s first natural wine bar and an agrarian-inspired farm-to-table eatery, here are the best Blackheath restaurants to dine at right now.

The shortlist

Fine dining gem: Blaq
Great for special occasions: Megalong Restaurant
Best for large groups: New Ivanhoe Hotel
Best date night: Frankie & Mo’s

1. Blaq

Blaq restaurant, Balckheath
Indulge in Middle Eastern fare at this contemporary fine diner. (Credit: Steven Woodburn)

Set at the entry of the sleek and boutique Kyah Hotel, Blaq is a much-applauded star of the Blue Mountains dining scene. Led by executive chef Alejandro Huerta, who honed his skills at the likes of Copenhagen’s Noma, and his head pastry chef wife, Galia Valdez, this Blackheath restaurant is absolutely crammed when I arrive on a Saturday night. Extra-dirty martini in hand, I’m seated to browse a menu dominated by seafood (tip: the West Australian scampi with Aleppo brown butter melts in the mouth, while the snapper jazzed with sumac dazzles even my steak-obsessed friend) while embracing all things seasonal. The knock-out for me was the roasted whole eggplant with labneh and pomegranate – squishy delicious and fired to perfection – but the remarkably composed waitstaff navigating this hectic dining room, which centres on a gorgeous spherical bar, also blew me away. It’s open for breakfast and lunch on weekends, plus dinner daily.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Thriving

Location: 13-17 Brightlands Avenue, Blackheath

2. New Ivanhoe Hotel

I was craving a schnitty when my train pulled in late at Blackheath, and New Ivanhoe Hotel hit the spot. A 2023 refurbishment zhooshed this pub’s original Art Deco bones significantly but it’s still the meat raffle-slinging mainstay beloved by locals for decades. It was “Joker Poker" night when I rocked up and the sports bar was filled with guests clutching raffle tickets, including me, in the hope of scoring a cash prize or a week’s worth of snags and steaks (uncovering a hidden joker on a wall of playing cards was evidently not my forte). I drowned my sorrows like the locals: with a draft beer alongside a deep-fried Parmigiana with creamy mushroom sauce. This spot is a Blackheath must-dine for a chance at the weekly jackpot, but also, a taste of this town’s tight-knit community spirit. The kitchen is open Monday to Thursday for lunch and dinner, Friday and Saturday for lunch and dinner, and Sunday from 11:30am to 8pm.

Cuisine: Pub fare

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Laidback

Location: 231 Great Western Highway, Blackheath

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3. Frankie & Mo’s

Frankie & Mo’s, Blackheath
Feast on Mediterranean favourites at Frankie & Mo’s.

Frankie and Mo’s opened as the first natural wine bar in the area in May 2023. The focus at this petite 25-seater venue, run by father-and-son pair Bob and Tom Colman, is affordable top-quality wine swilling accompanied by chef-prepared takeovers that pair the duo’s vino (both handcrafted and savvily sourced) with one-off menus. When I was in town, chef and cookbook author Kenza Tazi was knocking up a Mediterranean feast of lamb meatballs, charred beetroot, black chocolate mousse and more, but you never know what’s coming around the corner. I also highly recommend returning home with a pick from the takeaway collection – this team knows their stuff. It’s open every weekend from 12pm to 4pm but stay across Frankie & Mo’s Instagram for foodie event details.

Cuisine: Dependent on the resident chef

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Romantic

Location: 44 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath

4. Ates

dining at Ates, Blackheath
Tuck into wood-roasted cauliflower with curry leaf butter.

Meaning ‘fire’ in Ottoman Turkish, Ates puts their 150-year-old ironbark-fuelled oven to work firing up Mediterranean-style share plates for lunch on Saturday and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. Gathering a cornucopia of local produce spanning Malfoy’s wild honey to produce from Farm it Forward, head chef William Cowan Lunn and his team stoke the flames to create dishes like wood-roasted cauliflower with curry leaf butter, and duck with nectarines, and finesse smaller plates of fresh flavours, such as the tuna carpaccio, chargrilled octopus with nduja and ricotta with smoked tomato. For groups of six or more, you’ll need to embark on the chef’s banquet set menu which unleashes a parade of deliciously compiled flavours.

Tip: If you’re there on Wednesday night, you can also BYO wine.

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Location: 33 Govetts Leap Road, Blackheath

5. Osteria 2785

Osteria 2785, Blackheath
Indulge in Italian cuisine paired. (Credit: Osteria 2785)

Brisk Blackheath air pairs perfectly with piping hot pasta perfection, and you won’t get better than Osteria 2785, one of the best Italian restaurants in the Blue Mountains. An understated spot on the highway welcomes guests with a menu of comfort classics done incredibly special. Think al dente execution of dishes like gnocchi al gorgonzola, weekly ravioli specials, spaghetti all’Ortolana with zucchini, eggplant and capers, plus a beloved pappardelle ragu with braised lamb. It wouldn’t be a feast without dessert – choose between favourites like cannoli, tiramisu, fig and mascarpone gelato and more. It’s open for dinner from 5:30pm, Wednesday to Saturday.

Cuisine: Italian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Cosy and family-friendly

Location: 246 Great Western Highway, Blackheath

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6. Megalong Restaurant

Nestled amid the fruit and vegetable gardens of Lot 101 farm, which supply most of the kitchen’s organically grown produce, Megalong Restaurant is a veritable example of farm-to-table eating. In addition to the gardens that guests are invited to wander, 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 dishes are hyper-seasonal, with superstars spanning the signature lamb with fresh-plucked skirret and spigarello, and a harmony of Jerusalem artichoke, trout, ponzu, roe and finger lime. Settle in for lunch on the weekends or dinner from Friday to Saturday. Guests should also note that while children are welcome, there is no set kids’ menu.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$$$

Atmosphere: Elevated

Location: Peach Tree Road, Megalong Valley

7. The Wintergarden

high tea at the Wintergarden restaurant
Partake in an indulgent high tea at the Hydro Majestic Hotel. (Credit: Destination NSW)

There’s something momentous about dining at The Wintergarden, one of the grandest dining rooms in the region within the iconic Hydro Majestic. It’s old-world glamour thanks to white tablecloths, plush high-backed seating, carpeted floors and panoramic mountain views, while the food is just as refined. Expect fresh seasonal produce with native ingredients, like the cured snapper starter with finger lime and an Ora King salmon main with warrigal greens, and don’t miss treating yourself to something off the wine list because there are several French champagnes plus highly praised national labels. It’s open for dinner daily from 6pm, or you can drop in between 11am and 3pm for high tea, which is often themed – in mid-2026, May Gibbs’ literary legacy was honoured through playful bites such as lemon myrtle macarons and spanner crab tartlets.

Cuisine: Modern Australian and high tea

Average price: $$$-$$$$

Atmosphere: Elegant

Location: Inside Hydro Majestic, 52-88 Great Western Highway, Medlow Bath

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Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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3 vintage train journeys to step back in time and explore NSW

(Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.

Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.

Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train carriage
Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.

The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.

The Riverina

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train travelling through nsw
Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.

The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.

North Coast

Forest Sky Pier
Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)

This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.

Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.

Golden West

winery experience in new south wales
Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.

Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.

Special event journeys

meal onboard Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train
Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.

For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.

Step back into the golden age of rail travel at vintagerailjourneys.com.au.