Who doesn’t love a road trip that involves food, right? Especially when that road trip is heading straight to the Snowy Mountains for some time on the slopes. ‘Cos what you eat on the road you can burn off on the mountain.
We’ve curated our favourite must-stops along the way from Sydney to Jindabyne for the ultimate foodie road map.
Let’s assume you’ve left early and hit the road around 6.00am and headed south. Here goes.
First stop, The Southern Highlands
By now you’ll be in need of caffeine and sustenance. Take a break 90 minutes south of Sydney in the Southern Highlands and head straight to Bowral.
For seriously good coffee with local creative types head to Nick’s. This coffee shop come mini art gallery on Bong Bong St serves exotic single origin coffee from the coolest traders with a side of sweet bites to-go. Trust us, Nick knows his beans (and his art).
Hungry? Take your pick. Step through the famed circular powder blue door at The Press Shop (also on Bong Bong St) and dine on a gourmand breakfast created with local fare; head to High Street to Hungry Monkey for the best service in town; try Salters at Dirty Janes for home style munchies or grab a croissant-to-go from Sonoma.
Hearth by Moonacres is a surprise delight in Ngunungula art gallery in East Bowral for farm to table breakfast from 8am (take a turn around Ben Quilty’s beloved art gallery while you digest).
Second stop – Collector, Lake George, Bungendore
You’ll find the tiny town of Collector just off the Federal Highway before Lake George. Head to Some Cafe in the old general store building built in 1829. The team started out making coffee and cake in the town hall every Sunday and moved into their new digs seven years ago.
If you plan your roadie well then you could book a lunch table at Grazing in the historic town of Gundaroo near Lake George for some “refined country fare.” You’ll find them in the 1865 Royal Hotel. Stay for two courses or three and enjoy Gundagai lamb, Bermagui flathead, twice baked eggplant and more from an award winning menu with matching wines created by Chef Kurt Neumann.
Otherwise make your way to the rural town of Bungendore, also just outside of Canberra and be nourished and nurtured at The Gathering Cafe where everything is made in house. Known as a “traditional coffee house with an honest twist” they are open for breakfast and lunch. Try the Texas Benedict, ham and pickle Reuben, Sauerkraut Kransky or a freshly baked croissant.
Third stop – Fyshwick
The Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets will have something to satiate everyone in your crew and it’s on the way to Cooma via a bypass road around Canberra. Inhale all the foodie goodies and “dine in” and you can stock up for your snowy condo here too.
Coco & Rye Artisan Bakery and Cafe for handcrafted sourdough bread in small batches or trial 14 different sourdough flavours at Crust bakery alongside French pastries or Vietnamese noodle soups at LL Bakery and pick up some fresh delicatessan fare from cheeses to seafood from a variety of providores.
Fourth stop – Cooma
You can’t drive through Cooma without stopping at CISNE for the best Vietnamese street food this side of, well, Vietnam. From Banh Mi to bao buns, net rolls and noodle bowls. Phone your order ahead or order in-store, there may be a queue, for good reason.
In need of coffee? Then The Lott Cafe serves up food for the gram with beautifully presented fare from porridge to apple crumble pancakes, corn fritters, gruyere custard. Order up then nip across to Charles Davis nature photographers gallery in the church opposite.
Fifth stop – Berridale
Not long now to Jindabyne, make your last stop the Meet You Halfway cutest little coffee van in all the land from Jindy locals come Berridale residents. Grab some quality coffee, craft beverages and savoury and sweet treats for the road or dine road side.
Then hustle down the road to Shut The Gate Cellar Door’s Little Grocer for fresh local produce from breads to eggs, cheese and seafood and wine for your ski lodge.
Thirty minutes later and congratulations you’ve made it to Jindabyne fully satiated!
You could nip into Birchwood Jindabyne (our favourite local cafe) but you’re probably more in need of Jindabyne Brewery by now. Either way you’re at the gateway to Thredbo and Perisher and Charlotte Pass. But that’s a whole other foodie story.
