10 Excellent Katoomba Restaurants To Dine At Now

Whether you fancy a fine dining affair or a more low-key night out, you’ll find a menu to whet your appetite in the beautiful mountain-side town of Katoomba.

From grand hotel dining rooms to a restaurant set in a historic picture theatre and even an old church, Katoomba’s hospitality scene is varied and rich, encompassing everything from casual ambience to consciously crafted menus, all showcasing the incredible produce of the Blue Mountains region and its exceptional culinary talent.

1. Darley’s Restaurant

Take your velvet, buttercup-yellow seat at the lavish dining room of Darley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels Resort and Spa and give yourself a moment to absorb the ornate styling and sweeping views across English gardens and the Jamison Valley beyond.

The window seats at Darley's Restaurant in Katoomba — Indulge in a refined dining experience at Darley’s Restaurant.

Glinting crystal chandeliers, two fireplaces, and coloured led-light windows cast soft glows on the elaborate black-and-gold wallpaper and thoughtfully selected paintings. With starched-white tablecloths and such stately furnishings, you can’t mistake Darley’s for anything but special-occasion fare. The fine dining menu is seasonal and local and may include the likes of Oberon white lamb, coral trout cooked over coals or Mandagery Creek venison tartare, all plated as if standalone works of art. Take your time, this is a place to relish the elegance of times past.

the property exterior of Darley’s Restaurant, Katoomba — Take in views across the historic formal English gardens at Darley’s Restaurant.

2. Pins on Lurline

Housed in a grand historic homestead, this Katoomba favourite may reside in a turn-of-the-century dining room, but the menu at Pins of Lurline is entirely contemporary and accented with Australian sensibilities.

Inspired by the seasons and the cornucopia of local produce, chef Adam Shaw sets the table with finessed flavour diners can enjoy over a six-course tasting menu or a 10-course degustation.

Opt in for a well-matched wine flight featuring drops from the surrounding regions, such as Orange, Mudgee, Canberra and the Hunter Valley. Or, for lazily long lunch settings on the weekend, guests may choose bottomless French bubbles as they bask in the sun on the elegant verandah overlooking pretty cottage gardens.

3. Echoes Restaurant and Bar

Meals unfold here back-dropped by the large-format beauty of the vast Jamison Valley that seems to sprawl endlessly onwards. Plates of modern Australian flavours blended with Asian inspiration do well to compete for diners’ attention against the attention-seeking views. Set in the boutique hotel of the same name, Echoes Restaurant and Bar is open from breakfast through to dinner and serves classics such as Riverina lamb backstrap to more novel dishes of kangaroo tataki, all alongside an astute local and international wine list. The perfect place for a pre-dinner drink, we suggest arriving in time to catch the nightly light show as the sun retreats beneath the mountains beyond.

a couple admiring views over Blue Mountains National Park from Echoes Boutique Hotel and Restaurant, Katoomba — Admire the breathtaking Blue Mountains atop Echoes Restaurant and Bar. (Image: Destination NSW)

4. Jamisons View Restaurant

This Katoomba classic is a lovely, casual spot for a breezy breakfast, long lunch or dinner out. Tuck into comforting classics and inventive plates executed elegantly with a menu that spans everything from whisky-cured duck breast carpaccio to wagyu hangar steak with duck fat potatoes. When it’s cold out, there’s plenty of rib-sticking flavour and for the warmer months, fresh seafood brings a lighter touch. Set in the Mountain Heritage Hotel, you’ll dine overlooking fabulous mountain vistas.

Views and plate of food and wine at Jamisons in the Blue Mountains — Don’t let those views distract you from the five-star meal.

5. Tempus

Bringing a community-minded and sustainable ethos to everything they do, the team at Tempus champions eating locally and seasonally with beautifully crafted food that crowns the region’s produce with the halo it deserves. Pickling, dehydrating and preserving ingredients to ensure nothing is wasted, the menu is both inventive and thrilling.

the dining interior at Tempus Katoomba — Tempus has an inviting dining ambience. (Image: Maja Baska)

Relish plates such as the beef short rib with confit garlic and the crudo bonito with celeriac remoulade, all paired with an all-Australian drinks list. Bright, stylish and accented with warm wood tones, this diner heralds in a new generation of Blue Mountains hospitality.

A variety of plates of food at Tempus restaurant in Katoomba — Taste your way through the menu at Tempus. (Image: Maja Baska)

6. The Bootlegger Bar

Settle in for an evening of smoky flavours and punchy drinks at this bar and smokehouse where low and slow wins the race. Taking cues from the Southern US barbecue culture and Cajun cuisine, here you’ll tuck into saucy, tender cuts licked by delicious curls of smoke, from pork ribs and brisket to tomahawk steaks and smoked mac-and-cheese. It all goes well with a cocktail or a fresh, chilled beer and is exactly what you need to replenish calories following a long hike in the mountains. If you’re eager to lean into the theme, you can select a whisky flight, where you can choose from a tasting of bourbon, Japanese, Australian, rye or Islay whiskies.

fried cuts at The Bootlegger Bar — Enjoy the crisp crunch of barbequed meats at The Bootlegger Bar.

7. Bowery

Find your holy side with a visit to a 1913 Federation Romanesque church. Despite setting up shop in the former St Andrews Church, Bowery, perhaps sacrilegiously, only pays mind to the deity of a more bacchanalian nature. All about simple, beautifully prepared food enjoyed with good people, Bowery is a relaxed, light-filled dining hall where you can allocate many hours to sampling small plates and sipping well-mixed drinks. From brunch to lunch, dinner and drinks, it’s an all-day eatery ready to welcome with dishes that amble across cuisines, such as plant-based tacos, prawn koliwada and duck spring rolls.

the classy church interior of Bowery Kitchen and Bar — Set in the former St Andrews Church, Bowery evokes a sophisticated charm. (Image: Destination NSW/Bowery Kitchen and Bar)

8. Boiler Haus Restaurant

Located in the grand Hydro Majestic Hotel, Boiler Haus is a laidback alternative to the hotel’s white-clothed Wintergarden Restaurant. Serving comforting, universally adored classics of pizza, pasta and seafood alongside some truly dazzling scenery and great wines, this casual eatery is all polished concrete and industrial style, as opposed to the opulent stylings of Wintergarden.

the Boiler Haus Restaurant, grand Hydro Majestic Hotel, Katoomba — Boiler Haus Restaurant is an industrial-styled casual eatery.

9. Wintergarden Restaurant

If you’re going to partake in high tea in the Blue Mountains, this is absolutely the place to do so. Winged velvet chairs, crisp linens and captivating Megalong Valley views set the scene for an elegant soiree at this, the Hydro Majestic’s refined restaurant . While it’s best known for its high tea service, Wintergarden also offers a daily dinner service, where guests can enjoy a two- or three-course dinner. However, this is the spot for early birds, as dinner is done and dusted by 8.30pm.

10. Avalon Restaurant

This main street Katoomba restaurant is secreted behind an unassuming entrance, but once inside, you’ll discover you’re dining in the old dress circle of the historic, 1930s-era Savoy Picture Theatre. Filled with the ambience of bygone glamour, Avalon Restaurant and Bar is a little bit quirky and a lot of fun. A bit like dining in an antiques store, you’ll be served robust classics, such as slow-roasted lamb, pulled beef croquettes and duck breast, amid mannequins dressed as flappers and vintage curios. The drinks list favours local breweries and Australian spirits and wines, which you can sip as you tap toes to local musicians on Friday and Saturday nights.

the classy dining interior of Avalon Restaurant — Avalon Restaurant has a classy dining interior overlooking scenic nature views.

For more great eats, read our travel guide to the Blue Mountains.

Aussies might think they know what Port Stephens is all about – but it’s time to take another look.

You might’ve driven through this NSW coast town. Maybe even stopped for fish and chips or a quick dip. But spend a long weekend in the new Port Stephens , and you’ll seriously regret not doing it sooner. We’re talking treks across beaches, reef dives and up-close time with rescued koalas.

All in all? It only takes a day before you see Port Stephens in a whole new light, and not much longer until it’s locked in as your favourite family destination.

1. Stockton Sand Dunes

Port Stephens incredible Stockton Sand Dunes are the largest moving sand mass in the Southern Hemisphere. They shift like an endless magic trick across the Worimi Conservation Lands , a 4200-hectare coastal co-managed by the Traditional Owners.

Tear over them in a 4WD. Rev through valleys soft as melting ice cream on a quad. Carve down 30-metre slopes on a sandboard. However you choose to cross them, you’re guaranteed a seriously wild ride.

Four rugged 4WDs kick up trails of golden dust as they charge across the sweeping desert landscape. — Chase thrills across shifting sands. (Image: Destination NSW)

2. Scale Tomaree Head Summit Walk

A short climb through bushland opens up to the coastal drama of Tomaree Head . Spot Zenith, Wreck and Box Beaches. See the Fingal Island lighthouse and offshore rookeries where Australia’s rarest seabird, the Gould’s petrel, nests.

History buffs can’t miss the WWII gun emplacements. And if you’re hiking between May and November, bring binoculars. Travelling whales might just be breaching below.

Friends enjoying a scenic walk along the Tomaree Head Summit Walk in Tomaree National Park, Port Stephens. — Climb Tomaree Head for jaw-dropping coastal views. (Image: Destination NSW)

3. Watch out for whales

You’ve seen the spouts of migrating humpbacks and southern right whales from shore. Set sail from Nelson Bay to see them up close. Cruise straight into the action, with tail-slaps, barrel rolls and all.

And they’ve got competition from the local show-offs. Port Stephens bottlenose dolphins leap and play. Some tours even spot pudgy fur seals, spending lazy days soaking up the sun on Cabbage Tree Island.

A whale’s tail on the sea’s surface. — Watch for ocean tails. (Image: Destination NSW)

4. Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Pop into the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary to learn about the rescued koalas who climb, nap, snack and heal in this natural patch of bushland. Wander the immersive Sanctuary Story Walk to discover more about their habits, then head to the SKYwalk – a treetop platform constructed for spotting these eucalyptus-loving locals. Peek into the hospital’s viewing window, where sick or injured koalas may be resting in their recovery enclosures.

Not enough time around these adorable marsupials? Stay overnight in silk-lined glamping tents.

Koala sleeping in a tree at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, One Mile — See koalas in their natural habitat. (Image: Destination NSW)

5. Diving Port Stephens

Port Stephens has some of NSW’s best dive spots. At Fly Point, float through sponge gardens and coral castles thick with nudibranchs (AKA sea slugs). Halifax Park has blue gropers and crimson-banded wrasse, while Shoal Bay’s seagrass meadows hide pipefish, cuttlefish and octopus.

Accessible only by boat, Broughton Island is home to a vast array of marine (and bird) life. Snorkel with blue devilfish and stingrays at sites like The Looking Glass and North Rock. More experienced divers can head out with one of the many PADI-certified operators.

At nearby Cabbage Tree Island, expect to see shaggy-faced wobbegongs cruising along.

A couple suited up and ready to dive into adventure. — Suit up and dive into Port Stephens’ vibrant marine life. (Image: Destination NSW)

6. Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters

Not quite ready to dive in? Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters is the perfect way to spot local marine life without getting too deep. But there’s no obnoxious glass tank tapping here. Instead, this interactive aquarium allows guests to wade into natural-style lagoons that mimic the real thing.

Gently pat Port Jackson and bamboo sharks, hand-feed rays, and feel their sandpapery skin with your fingertips. It is all under expert guidance. If you want to go deeper, pop on a wetsuit and swim alongside tawny nurse sharks, white-tipped reef sharks and zebra sharks in the lagoon.

Family enjoying an animal feeding experience at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, Anna Bay. — Meet the ocean’s friendliest faces at Irukandji. (Image: Destination NSW)

7. Fish the estuaries

Fishing fanatics will fall for Port Stephens hook, line and sinker. Here, one of the largest estuary systems in the whole state sees tidal rivers and mangrove ecosystems. Waterfronts are thick with oysters, and residential fish that might include anything from bream, whiting and flathead, to blue swimmer crabs, kingfish and longtail tuna.

If you prefer to choose your own adventure and fish offshore, you can hire a boat from one of the marinas and set your own course.

three men fishing on a boat in port stephens — Join a tour or chart your own fishing trip. (Image: Destination NSW)

8. Taste new Port Stephens flavours

With plenty of activity to fill your days, refuelling on delectable cuisine becomes equally important. And Port Stephens answers the call.

Pop into Holbert’s Oyster Farm for fresh-farmed Port Stephens rock oysters and Pacific oysters, Australian king and tiger prawns, as well as a variety of tasty sauces to try them with.

Take a group to Atmos for an authentic Greek experience over large shared dishes and Greek-inspired cocktails. Or feast on sea-to-plate, modern Australian dishes at the pet-friendly Restaurant 2317.

A plate of fresh oysters. — Slurp your way through the region’s best oysters. (Image: Destination NSW)

Start planning your Port Stephens getaway at portstephens.org.au .

10 excellent Katoomba restaurants to dine at now