7 Restaurants to Experience a Wine and Food Paired Menu.

Ever sat at a restaurant table pondering the menu, unsure of what wine to order to go with which dish?

For those of us who enjoy a nice glass of wine but really don’t know what we are doing when it comes to pairing food and wine, there are many restaurants around the country that take away that quandary by offering menus where wine is paired with each dish. 

Here are seven we recommend you try:

Tucked away in a laneway lies the hidden gem of Spring Hill, La Cache a Vin on Wharf Street, delivering a French dining experience like no other. Step into a magnifique cavernous dining room, featuring leather banquettes, a marble bar and the piece de resistance – the French wine cellar door just inside the entrance – as you prepare for an unforgettable culinary journey that will leave you coming back for more.

 

Don’t go past snails served with garlic and parsley butter to start, before indulging with braised duck leg in red wine sauce, with speck, onion and sweet potato, ideally paired with a glass of Vin de France Olivier Chanzy Pinot Noir.

Find locally grown, artisan produce on the menu at Tahbilk Estate Restaurant on O’Neils Road in Nagambie. Nestling along the picturesque backwaters of the Tahbilk billabong, with views across the water and into the wetlands beyond, seating is available on the deck or indoors.

 

Perhaps enjoy a visit to the cellar door, underground cellar, or take a walk through the wetlands before heading to the stylish dining area and peruse a thoughtfully created menu from Head Chef, Jonathon Mackeson, paired beautifully with estate-grown wines, including the iconic 1860 Vines Shiraz.

Dine surrounded by landscaped gardens and vines at The Quarry Restaurant on Lachlan Valley Way in Cowra. Expect Modern Australian fine dining paired with an extensive wine collection at this elegant restaurant where rusticity abounds from exposed brick and timber, while white-clothed tables beckon for lingering over a meal with someone special.

 

Choose a glass of Prosecco to go with fresh market oysters, salsa and mango sorbet to start, or slow-cooked pork belly, cucumber and strawberry salsa, pickled apple and apple glaze; then pair a glass of Pinot Gris with salmon, spinach, black rice and creamy lemon dill sauce.

Discover farm-to-table Megalong Restaurant on Peach Tree Road in the beautiful Megalong Valley for a memorable Blue Mountains dining experience. Nestled amidst the LOT 101 farm and vegetable gardens just two hours from Sydney, this elegant dining destination exudes rustic charm with polished wood floors, ample natural light from bifold doors opening alfresco and softly glowing pendent lighting, ideal for romantic rendezvous or a getaway with friends.

 

A meal here is so much more than the food you eat, from menus inspired by the constant changing of the season, expect to sample the best local ingredients as you delve into Murray cod, peas, ishikura and bone broth, with a glass of 2021 COS Zibibbo.

Experience beautiful vineyard views while enjoying innovative contemporary cuisine perfectly blended with wines at Horizon at 1837 on Yaldara Drive in Lyndoch. This Barossa Valley dining destination nestles on 25 hectares with pristine views and serene beauty just a 50-minute drive from Adelaide city, showcasing a creative seasonal menu.

 

A relaxing ambience offers the opportunity to indulge all the senses with plates like baked scallops, squash caponata, black garlic and bonito, enjoyed with a glass of Pinot Grigio; then sip a Shiraz as you devour a lamb rack with Romesco and shallot jus, mash and seasonal vegetables.

Tucked away in the corner of a lively laneway in central Wollongong, find Italian-style bistro Restaurant Santino on Globe Lane. Expect a classic feel with an ambience ideal for a Dirty Martini and a number from Nina Simone – walls are adorned with art deco prints, which set off this chic dining destination and weave an intimate haven ideal for lingering over a drink and memorable meal.

 

Dine on a Saturday for two hours of cold seafood such as prawns, oysters, pipis and ceviche while you sip bottomless Prosecco, a selection of wines and beer; or perhaps pair a pork cutlet, apricot, almond and sage with a light-bodied red wine such as a Pinot Noir.

Rich history meets a journey of the senses at Dixson & Sons on Castlereagh Street in East Sydney. Nestled in the original Porter House building which started life as a grand tobacco factory and is now a revived legacy in the heart of the CBD, this is a destination of discovery that pays homage to its merchant past.

 

Step into a modern brasserie with a sophisticated Asian twist on classic French cuisine and start your culinary adventure with yellowfin tuna ceviche and soy ginger dressing; move on to mains like rib eye, mustard and watercress salad, enjoyed with a glass of Cabernet Merlot.