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.

Thredbo in summer is a nature lover’s dream of show-stopping alpine beauty, cool mountain air and magical moonlit adventure.

For many of us, Thredbo calls to mind shimmering slopes and snow-dusted gums, but come summer, this Alpine resort transforms into a playground of an entirely different kind. A cool mountain retreat despite the season, Thredbo summer hikes are astonishingly beautiful, criss-crossing over dramatic peaks, pristine glacial lakes and abundant flora and fauna.

From approachable tracks for novice walkers to more challenging hikes across the Main Range and even journeys under moonlight, Thredbo puts on an unforgettable show of natural splendour all summer. Lace up your walking boots and take the chairlift from Thredbo village to embark on a self-guided exploration or a tour of the Snowy Mountains’ most compelling landscapes.

These eight unforgettable hiking experiences are only available in summer and offer an alpine adventure like you’ve never experienced before.

1. Full Moon Hike to Mt Kosciuszko

There’s something almost mystical about hiking by the light of a full moon. This guided experience begins with a 15-minute chairlift ride, where you’ll admire the Thredbo Valley below, bathed in the fading sun.

Once at the top, you’ll pass rivers, alpine lakes and spot nocturnal wildlife on your way to the Kosciuszko Lookout and Lake Cootapatamba. By the time you reach the summit, sunset is well underway as you watch day give way to night and the alpine landscape magically illuminated by the lunar glow. Enjoy a hot chocolate here before following the path back to Eagles Nest, brightened by the night sky.

This 13-kilometre hike will take place on 3 January, 2 February, and 2 April in 2026.

2. Super Full Moon Hike

Super Full Moon Hike in thredbo — Take in the might of a super full moon.

The only thing that could level up the celestial beauty of a full moon hike would be a super full moon hike . Following the same route, you’ll meet the moon when it is largest and closest to Earth by ascending to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko at an elevation of 2228 metres. From such a height, it almost feels as though you could reach out and touch its glowing surface.

Given the rarity and splendour of the super full moon, limited spots fill up fast for this awe-inspiring hike, so be sure to book the 5 December in advance.

3. Lunar Eclipse Hike

Thredbo Lunar Eclipse Hike — See dazzling celestial displays.

What could be more extraordinary than witnessing a lunar eclipse from Australia’s highest peak? Whether you’re a keen astronomer or simply revel in nature’s beauty, this guided 13-kilometre hike will place you on top of Mount Kosciuszko just as Earth passes between the sun and moon, throwing shade over the lunar surface before transforming it with a deep-red hue.

It’s an epic place to witness one of our galaxy’s most spectacular and rare light shows. Apart from the dazzling celestial display, you’ll also enjoy walking through the moon-bathed landscape, an evening chairlift ride, and a hot chocolate at the summit.

Book now for 3 March.

4. New Moon Hike

New Moon Hike Mt Kosciuszko — Catch the changing skies of a new moon.

A stargazer’s delight, the darkness of a new moon gives the Milky Way full permission to dazzle with its shimmering display. Both astronomers and photographers will relish this opportunity to observe and capture the starry skyscape from the lofty height of Australia’s highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko. Departing Thredbo Village at dusk and leaving its twinkling lights far below, you’ll arrive at the summit in time to see the sun slip away and the stars appear.

Catch this hike during the new moon lunar phase on 20 December, 19 January, 17 February, 19 March or 17 April.

5. Thredbo River Track

Embark on a gentle entry into the Snowy Mountain scenery with an amble along the Thredbo River. This self-guided hike hugs the river and wanders along the valley floor, revealing snow gum forests, swimming holes and little waterfalls that make for revitalising cold plunges in the summer heat.

6. Merritts Nature Track

Merritts Nature Track thredbo summer hikes — Stop at swimming holes along the way.

On warm summer days, venturing into the cooler air of Thredbo’s alpine tracks offers relief from the heat. Particularly if you set course for the four-kilometre Merritts Nature Track , where there are opportunities to take a refreshing dip in swimming holes along the way.

The two-to-three-hour self-guided hike meanders through towering ancient trees (dubbed the ‘Pixie Forest’ by locals), takes in stunning mountain vistas and is soundtracked by the melody of birdsong. Stop for a picnic and discover a hidden natural infinity pool, the location of which is given away by the roar of a cascading waterfall.

7. Mt Kosciuszko Summit Tour

Follow a guide along Mt Kosciuszko's summit. — Follow a guide along Mt Kosciuszko’s summit.

While you can easily steer yourself to Australia’s most iconic peak without a guide, following an expert guide to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko will colour your experience with a deeper knowledge of the landscape and its wild inhabitants. The 13-kilometre return trail puts the alpine scenery on display with 360-degree views from the highest spot in the country.

The walk begins at the top of the Kosciuszko Chairlift and takes around four to six hours to complete, but is gentle enough to be embarked upon by all ages.

8. Snowies Alpine Walk Experience

If you’re looking to truly untether from daily life and embark on a real immersion in Thredbo’s stunning alpine scenery, pack your hiking boots for the newest multi-day walk in the mountains. The Snowies Alpine Walk can be tackled over two or three days and includes nightly accommodation in the iconic Thredbo Alpine Hotel, daily buffet breakfast, packed lunch and dinner vouchers, plus daily transfers to and from trail heads in a brand-new Defender.

The two-day experience covers 24 kilometres, while the three-day experience almost doubles that at 44 kilometres. Along the way, explore barely trod landscapes, vast high-country plains and uplifting mountain horizons.

Discover the full offering of summer hikes in Thredbo at thredbo.com.au.

10 excellent Katoomba restaurants to dine at now