Whether it’s part of a weekend day trip or for a special-occasion getaway, there’s something magical about dining a little further from home than Uber distance… From Boonah to Bangalow, we’ve rounded up five top spots to eat within an easy drive from Brissie.
Blume | Boonah
As if the Scenic Rim wasn’t roadtrip-worthy enough, its latest addition, Blume, has our mouths watering and our right feet itching! Set in a quaint little cottage with the kitchen herb and flower garden right next door, Blume’s menu only features produce from local suppliers. Changing regularly, the menu might include chicken skin with camel milk curd and vadouvan, rainbow trout with finger lime, roe and pearl tapioca, and iced tomato with lemon verbena. Blume is open for lunch Friday-Sunday, and for dinner on Friday and Saturday, and just over an hour from Brisbane.
Terra Firma Weekend Fire Pit | Kenilworth
We love flame-cooked fare, but we love it even more when it’s enjoyed among the rolling hills of the Sunshine Coast hinterland! Every weekend, the team from event caterers Terra Firma Dining sets up their Argentine-style asado barbecue on the lawn at the quaint Kenilworth Homestead, serving up fire-kissed meats, veggies cooked in the coals, and punchy sauces for just $42 for adults or $12 for kids. Your ticket includes free-range access to the property for the day, as well as live music to accompany your lunch, making this fiery experience perfect for the whole family.
Harvest | Newrybar
This ain’t your regular cottage… Newly under the guidance of sustainability icons Matt Stone and Jo Barrett, Harvest serves seasonal, local food with a big focus on foraged, native and wild Australian ingredients. While the vibe is casual, the food is anything but, with incredible care taken with every element on dishes like barbecued bugs with curry leaf and finger lime, duck egg rigatoni with zucchini and fresh cheese, and burrata with blackcurrant and riberries that form the lunch, dinner and tasting menus.
The Long Apron | Montville
What do you get when you combine French and Japanese influences in a charming countryside location? Deeeeeelight! The Long Apron is an easy 90-minute drive from Brisbane at the charming SpicersClovelly Estate, with an $85 three-course lunch tasting menu (bargain!), $120 dinner tasting menu, or $90 prix fixe dinner menu on offer. Expect elegant seasonal fare like spanner crab with sorrel, cucumber and buttermilk, or coffee-glazed lamb shoulder with Red Kuri pumpkin and pistachio butter. Chasing some romance? Plan ahead and book a picnic basket to really take in the bucolic surrounds!
Frida’s Field | Nashua
Frida’s Field is set on an operational veggie and cattle farm just over two hours from Brissie, serving up a super seasonal menu for lunch lunches every Friday-Sunday (plus Thursdays over the summer holidays). Shared among your party, your meal will highlight produce from the farm across three starters, a main with three sides, and dessert, with the likes of wood-fired sweetcorn with ricotta and smoked lardo, silverbeet, lentil and tarragon vinaigrette salad, and creme caramel with Davidson’s plum. Staying the night? We recommend finding a spot in the nearby town of Bangalow.
Seatbelts on!
