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9 cosy Leura cafes to start the day at

Credit: Lily’s Pad

Lara Picone Lara Picone
For Leura-based explorations of the Blue Mountains, these seven cafes will top up your caffeine levels and fortify your day with delicious food.

It’s easy to while away a day cafe-hopping in lovely Leura. Go from latte to lunch at these eateries that serve beautiful, locally focused fare with laidback mountain vibes. From a long-time favourite tucked behind a red door, to a deli counter loaded with incredible cheeses and meats, there are plenty of Leura cafes to fuel a day hiking, shopping or simply relaxing in town.

The shortlist

Best Design/Most Instagrammable: Little Sista
Family-Friendly Spot: Lily’s Pad
Best coffee: The Laneway
Best for dog-friendly dining: Freudian Sip

1. Red Door Cafe

Red Door Cafe, Leura
Stop by for brunch at Red Door Cafe. (Image: James Horan/Destination NSW)

Best for: Relaxed sipping and snacking.

On a cherry blossom-lined street sits Red Door Cafe, a Leura local favourite. Stop by for breakfast, lunch or just to cradle a latte and have a chat in the courtyard. It’s not fancy or fussy, but you’ll find all the classics made well, from eggs however you like them to salads and sandwiches. Bigger meals may include bistro-style plates such as Tuscan-style sausages or confit duck Maryland. Cosy and much-adored in the community, a visit here offers a slice of mountain life.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 134 Leura Mall, Leura

2. Leura Gourmet Cafe and Deli

Best for: Gathering provisions for your Leura staycation.

Swing by Leura Gourmet Cafe and Deli for smoothies, juices, coffee and a range of tempting morsels under the deli counter, from salads and sambos to pasta and sugar-dusted cannoli. It’s hard not to shop with your stomach with a range of beautiful condiments and pickles that promise to level up the excitement in your pantry and everything you could ever need to build the ultimate antipasto platter. If you’re planning a picnic out in the national park, Leura Gourmet is an obligatory stop to gather provisions.

Cuisine: Cafe classics

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 159 Leura Mall, Leura

3. The Laneway

Best for: Coffee lovers.

Drop into the cosy Laneway coffee shop that has local Cassiopeia beans running through the candy-pink coffee machine from 6.30am through to 2pm on weekdays, and 7am–11am on Saturdays. You’ll have plenty of baked and fresh toasted delights to tempt you, such as the roasted pumpkin and gorgonzola toastie or a lemon and blueberry syrup cake.

Cuisine: Toasties

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 146–148 Leura Mall, Leura

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4. The Wayzgoose Diner

The Wayzgoose Diner, Leura
The Wayzgoose Diner is famous for its flowerpot scone.

Best for: Big, diner-style dining.

Meals are made from scratch using locally sourced produce wherever possible at the bright-hued Wayzgoose Diner set in the oldest commercial building in Leura (once home to a printing press). It’s all about big, comforting favourites here, from hot cakes to waffles and hot dogs to burgers. Breakfast is served until 11.30, but the all-day menu means you can indulge your fish and chip craving at breakfast, too. It’s also home to the original flowerpot scone, which has remained unchanged since the 1980s when it was invented by a former owner.

Cuisine: American diner

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 174 Leura Mall, Leura

5. Lily’s Pad

avo toast at Lily’s Pad, Leura
Make a pitstop for breakfast. (Credit: Lily’s Pad)

Best for: Sweet treats to share.

Humble and homely, Lily’s Pad cafe is an adorable spot for a sweet treat come morning or afternoon tea. If you can overlook the ceramic frogs and the pun and turn your eye to the selection of beautifully baked goods, you’ll be very quickly taken in with this charming spot. Think sugar-crusted doughnuts, mini cheesecakes and all manner of muffins. There is a more savoury side to things, too, with breakfasts of eggs and lunches of salads, sandwiches, and even rice paper rolls.

Cuisine: Cafe classics

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 19 Grose Street, Leura

6. Little Sista

hot cross buns at Little Sista, Leura
Hot cross buns are a must-try. (Credit: Little Sista)

Best for: Focaccia!

As the younger, and dare we say, cooler, sibling to longstanding and much-loved Café Leura, Little Sista keeps the original venue’s philosophy of Greek hospitality alive and robust. But here, it’s a much more streamlined operation – selling only focaccia done very well and a few good beverages on the side. The interiors have a funky, vaguely ’70s vibe and lean into the vinyl sub-culture, while the sandwiches are simple but delicious. Wrap two hands around Mama’s Meatballs, which is fairly self-explanatory; The Greca, made with slow-cooked lamb and tzatziki; or the Everything She Wants, which is a cured meats-fest. Have it with an iced matcha or a coffee and enjoy the tunes.

Cuisine: Greek and Mediterranean

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 4/130-138 Megalong St, Leura

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7. Café Leura

coffee at Café Leura
Sit down for a top-notch brew. (Credit: Café Leura)

Best for: Greek hospitality

Family-run Café Leura has been serving the mountain community with Greek hospitality for 20 years. Such a legacy doesn’t happen by accident, so you can be sure you’re in for good food when you sit down here. Come for breakfast, lunch or coffee and a sweet treat with a rambling menu that covers all the usual cafe suspects, such as breakfast rolls, cheeseburgers, avocado toast, as well as a few nods to the owners’ Greek heritage, including the moussaka and Greek lamb benedict.

Cuisine: Greek and Mediterranean

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 180A Leura Mall, Leura

8. Freudian Sip

Freudian Sip, Leura
This cosy, quirky cafe is well-loved for its relaxed atmosphere. (Credit: Freudian Sip)

Best for: Bringing your fur friend

Serving Campos coffee and maybe some Freudian-style advice, this cafe is pretension-free and welcomes your pups to join you outside. A rustic cottage with a crackling fireplace come winter, there are homey touches everywhere from nana rugs to book-lined shelves. The comfort continues with the menu that includes steak sambos, schnitzels and smashed avo bruschetta. Of course, there are scones with cream and jam, apple crumble and carrot cake.

Cuisine: Homestyle

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 156 Megalong Street, Leura

9. The Leopard Deli

The Leopard Deli, Leura
The sunlit cafe is a deli by day. (Credit: The Leopard Deli)

Best for: Coming for breakfast and staying for lunch

This cafe and deli changes its spots Wednesday to Sunday nights to become the hot dinner ticket in town, but every day during the day you can come for good coffee and a delicious Italian-with-a-French-twist breakfast or lunch. Fully licenced and with shelves stocked with deli delights to take home, this is the place to linger over spicy Italian poached eggs for breakfast, The Leopard lasagne at lunch, and chicken cacciatore at dinner.

Cuisine: Italian with a little French thrown in

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Address: 84 Railway Parade, Leura

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Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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Art, wine & fireplaces: 8 reasons Bowral is the ultimate winter getaway

(Credit: Destination NSW)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.

    Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.

    The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.

    Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.

    1. Check in

    aerial of Ardour Milton Park Bowral in winter
    Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.

    After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.

    2. Hunt for treasure

    couple exploring Dirty Janes bowral
    Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.

    Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.

    3. Slow down in a beautiful gallery

    kids posing with donald bradman statue in bowral's The Bradman Museum
    Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.

    Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.

    4. A taste of France

    table spread at Lucette bowral
    Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.

    For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.

    Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.

    5. Indulge in a tipple

    Centennial Vineyards bowral in winter
    Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.

    This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.

    6. Blend your own gin

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar
    Pop into Millsheds Distillery & Bar. (Credit: Mattia Panunzio)

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.

    7. Go for a walk at dawn

    Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.

    8. Cosy up by the fireplace

    Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel
    Get cosy in the Berida Hotel’s whiskey bar.

    A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.

    At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.

    Start planning your Bowral escape at visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.