Berowra Waters Inn Review

Perched on the banks of the Hawkesbury river north of Sydney, AT wines and dines along the waterline at Berowra Waters Inn for a dining experience that, if possible, seems overshadowed by the surrounds. By Lisa Perkovic who, like all AT reviewers, paid her own way and visited anonymously.

Degustation is all about tasting. You want to be wowed and left wanting more – anticipating the next dish, ruminating over the last and, at the end, left supremely satisfied. It’s about appreciation and perfection.

At Berowra Waters Inn, perched against a cliff face along the Hawkesbury River in Ku-ring-gai National Park, a new style of degustation is being experienced.

Having reopened in November 2007 after a ten-year hiatus, the Inn’s culinary history reads like an honour roll of Australia’s best and brightest – Judy McMahon, Neil Perry, Sean Moran and Tony Bilson, to name a few. It’s accessible only by water or air; the Inn’s private ferry picks up diners from the Berowra Waters jetty, a 40min drive from Sydney’s CBD.

BEROWRA WATERS INN

Where // Via East or West Public Wharves, Berowra Waters, around 40min drive north of Sydney CBD. (02) 9456 1027, www.berowrawatersinn.com

Notes // Open Fri-Sat for lunch, Thurs-Sat for dinner. Four, five, six courses $125, $135, $150. With matched wines $175, $200, $220.

AT‘s MENU @ BEROWRA WATERS INN

SPINACH AND BUFFALO RICOTTA RAVIOLI with sautéed chanterelle mushrooms

Wine: Baroli ‘Madonna di Como’ Dolcetto D’Alba 2006, Piedmont, Italy

ROAST SQUAB PIGEON, spaghettini, pencil leeks and truffle veloute

Wine: 2006 Bass Phillip Gamay, Gippsland, Victoria

ROAST CUTLET OF CASTRICUM LAMB with spring peas and black trompette mushrooms

Wine: 2004 Parker Estate Terra Rossa Cabarnet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, SA

SLICED ROAST WAGYU SCOTCH FILLET, spinach and fennel

Wine: 2007 Gemtree Vineyards Uncut Shiraz, Mclaren Vale, SA

CHEESE PLATE Including Jannei Bûche Noir ash goats cheese VARIATION ON A THEME Dessert selection for two

TOTAL COST // $220

Escaping the city is what dining here is all about. The Glenn Murcutt-designed glass gallery gives the European seating an Australian twist. We sit bistro style, gazing through wall-to-ceiling windows at the water traffic drifting by. Blackbutt timber floors, sandstone fireplaces and white leather chairs create an understated elegance. Although the bucket-like wicker lampshades are hazardous when sliding into your couch, they’re an element of the décor that reminds us we’re in the bush – and that it’s the view, not the venue, that’s supposed to take your breath away.

The menu appears to follow a similar principle. The 15 or so dishes that change weekly have nothing to prove. Instead, they reflect the self-assurance of a sublimely successful chef. Swiss-born Dietmar Sawyere, who cut his teeth at the Savoy in London, saves culinary flourishes for his high-rise masterpiece, Forty One, in Sydney’s Chifley Tower. Out here in the National Park, the flair is found in fresh, organic produce that’s allowed to speak for itself.

A standard degustation involves selecting four, five or six plates. I opt for six, which begin with the arrival of three plump spinach and buffalo ricotta ravioli. The fresh pasta is stretched thin over chubby packages, giving the filling’s delicate flavour space to shine. Divine sautéed Chanterelle mushrooms add kick to the buffalo milk. Each is devoured and savoured – but expectation of what’s to come sees one little ravioli left on the plate.

Not so for my lunch companion. He spends the break between courses raving about grilled sea scallops perched on herb risotto cooked to perfection; three little golden gems given sparkle by cubes of chorizo. There’s not a skerrick left on his plate for me to sample.

We leave the wine matching to able sommelier Laiana Ryan and I’m grateful for the savoury undertones of the Bass Phillip Gamay 2006 from Gippsland that accompanies my next dish. The roasted squab pigeon is dense and gamey, with a swirl of spaghettini that’s a little too reminiscent of the ravioli. That’s followed by a roast lamb cutlet, the highlight of which is, again, the fungi. I’ve never sampled so many varieties of mushroom in a single sitting; these last are black trompette, and make the ideal woody partner for the lean Castricum lamb.

A 2007 Uncut Shiraz from SA’s Gemtree Vineyards pairs perfectly with the meal’s crowning glory: two slices of roasted wagyu that are melt-in-your-mouth, fight-off-your-dinner-partner morsels. Luckily we’ve both ordered the same dish – and it is fantastic. Lightly battered onion rings and microscopic cubed potatoes lend crunch to the tender fillet.

The cheese plate’s most memorable piece is an of the moment, ash-covered goat cheese from award-winning Jannei Goat Dairy’s Bûche Noir – a clean, citric sliver that clears the deck. Our dessert plate is an interesting assemblage of adventurous pairings and traditional dishes. No surprises with a white chocolate panna cotta, but lemon and lime tart is given a new lease of life with sweet basil sorbet. Before I’ve worked out whether I like an unusual tang with my tart, I’m nudged over to a hazelnut-ricotta cake that’s outdone by an accompanying espresso granita. The frosty caffeine clout wakens the tastebuds; a good thing as you’ll want to savour the vacherin of raspberries and vanilla bean ice cream that’s an ode to a long and happy summer.

Berowra Waters Inn is without question a “special occasion" destination. While we’re oblivious to anything but dessert, the staff are on the ball when the table adjacent develops a sudden and urgent need for bubbles. No sooner has the ring been slipped onto our neighbour’s shaking finger than the champagne is on the table with a congratulatory plate of petit fours.

The relaxed demeanour of staff and the casual dining set-up is refreshing, if a little at odds with the demands of degustation. It’s as though Chef Sawyere knows he’s been outshone; the scenery steals the show and gives the degustation a place in the chorus.

The highlight of the day comes when the food is cleared away. My stomach is full, the crowds are gone and we linger over shortbread and chocolate nibbles as dusk settles in the valley. It’s taken a four-hour lunch to wash the rush of city life away, but once it has, we’re well and truly wowed.

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.

Hotel stays have quietly become my thing. Long before I became a travel journalist, I was booking staycations just for a change of scenery. Some had charm, some had character, some had neither. Once, I even stayed in a hotel directly opposite my own apartment – partly for the novelty, partly because I wanted to see my life from a different angle.

For me, hotels represent a kind of mystery – I find myself wanting to know what these buildings contain. Many of them are designed with intention: lighting, materials, scent and sounds that often reflect the city they sit in. Time seems to gently pause in these spaces, which have increasingly become the destination itself for modern travellers.

It only felt fitting for the first hotel in this series to be in my home city and at the hotel that’s been at the top of my list: Capella Sydney.

A sandstone heritage building and palm trees

Capella sits within an Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building.

An email with a hotel program from the “Culturist Team” lets me know this will be a luxurious stay. There’s a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens, a weaving workshop and a Sydney contemporary art tour – the kind of addition that signals a hotel that’s tuned into the finer details, and one that’s not surprising given that Capella’s ethos centres on delivering personalised, immersive experiences.

Capella opened in 2023 within a transformed Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD that was originally designed by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae. I often walk past this building and once attended an event inside – I distinctly remember being surprised by how beautiful it was. Bar Studio, Make Architects, and stylist Simone Haag were engaged to sensitively adapt the building for contemporary luxury while honouring its past, in collaboration with Heritage NSW and the City of Sydney.

When I arrive, I’m greeted by three different staff members along the way to reception. There’s a lovely subtle scent, which I later learn combines notes of bergamot, green tea leaves, peony, freesia, vetiver and cedarwood. This hotel strikes such a beautiful balance between grandness and intimacy, with large floral bouquets, contemporary artworks, impressively high ceilings that give it an international feel and quieter nooks to unwind in. Each space is unique, but they’re all unified by a warm, textural and layered design.

Sydney has been deserving of a hotel of this calibre for quite some time, with many of the accommodations in the city looking and feeling dated.

A modern hotel reception with high ceilings

The design strikes the perfect balance between grandness and intimacy.

I have a treatment booked at the hotel’s Auriga Spa prior to check-in. The space is ultra-luxe, moodily lit and intimate, featuring timber joinery, green walls and a sleek design that’s so perfect it almost transports me to Japan. I opt for the Replenish Beauty and LED Facial – a strategic choice with a TV segment on the horizon, and a hopeful bid to look extra fresh for the camera.

The treatment begins with me sitting in the softest robe of my life, wearing slippers and sipping chamomile tea. I’m then whisked away to my private treatment room, which has its own bathroom, a large skylight and a small Japanese-style garden. The treatment is extremely relaxing and moves through cleansing, exfoliating, massaging (arm, head, neck and face) and LED Light Therapy. There’s so much attention to detail – even at the end, the facialist puts my slippers back on me, while I’m still lying down.

Spa treatment room with a massage bed, featuring timber walls and a serene Japanese-style garden visible through a window.

A treatment at Auriga Spa might be the best way I’ve ever started a hotel stay. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

While this treatment certainly hasn’t had a Benjamin Button effect, my sister seems to think I’m glowing, so I walk away happy, or at the very least, zen.

Auriga Spa has a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. There’s also “experiential showers” – new to me, but essentially it combines water flowing from different places, changing temperatures, mood lighting, gentle sounds, and a subtle lemongrass scent.

You could easily spend the better part of a day at the spa and pool, even if you’re not a guest.

The indoor heated swimming pool with glass ceiling at Capella Sydney.

Guests outside the hotel can use the spa and swimming pool. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

I’m escorted to my room, drunk on relaxation, but I make sure to take note of how noisy the hallways are – answer: dead quiet. My room is 50 square metres, which is huge by hotel standards, but particularly for one in the CBD. It feels like a high-end apartment with floorboards, a freestanding bath and a seating/dining area. My eyes are immediately drawn to the line-up of macarons waiting for me on the dining table.

I’m thrilled to see the mini bar armoire includes a small wine fridge stocked with Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Handpicked Wines Pinot Noir, and Moët Grand Vintage. Not that I plan on using it (I simply could not justify the prices) – but it’s a nice extra that makes the room feel that much more luxurious. The drinks lineup reads like a who’s-who of local favourites – Young Henrys, Maybe Sammy cocktails, Four Pillars gin and Archie Rose gin. Snacks include Tyrell’s chips, Pringles, Natural Confectionery lollies, and a Carman’s oat bar.

Some small touches I appreciate that some hotels don’t offer: the option to choose your housekeeping time, an iron that actually works well, a Bluetooth speaker, the beloved wine fridge, aluminium water bottles and a bathroom without a glass door or screen that awkwardly exposes you. The one downside is that some of these rooms don’t offer much in the way of a view.

A modern hotel room with a monochrome paletter.

I stayed in a Premier Room which was elegant and relaxing. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

4:30pm is Swill Hour – a daily tradition that nods to the historical “six o’clock swill” in Australia. This one-hour event takes place in the Living Room and invites guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company with a signature cocktail in hand. This afternoon’s tipple is a Eucalyptus Gimlet, a clever, herbaceous little cocktail, by the multi-award-winning Maybe Sammy Team, served on coasters depicting drawings of the historic building. The canapé of the day is a tomato and stracciatella tart. I noticed several staff members chatting with guests like old friends, asking how their adventures earlier in the day went – clearly remembering previous conversations from earlier visits.

Dinner is booked for 6:30pm in Aperture – arguably the most beautiful area of the accommodation. It’s decorated with Australian flora and features a kinetic sculpture hanging from the roof that opens like flowers, with softly changing lights. Tyler, who is serving us, clearly admires the Capella brand, speaking enthusiastically about the other international properties he’s been to and sharing how he sometimes brings his five-year-old daughter here to use the pool.

Interior of Aperture at Capella Sydney, featuring lush greenery and a striking ceiling-mounted sculpture.

The scale of Aperture gives it an international feel.

I kick things off with a basil melon margarita – a winning recommendation – before tucking into the best prawn toast I’ve ever had. For mains it’s crispy Ōra King salmon and spaghetti with mud crab.

When I arrive back at my room, there’s a vegan leather journal on my bed with a note that says: “The ritual of journaling allows us to pause, reflect and focus.” This is part of the turndown service, and my slippers are neatly lined up next to my bed. Will I journal? No. Do I think it’s a nice touch? Yes.

Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney, where Art Deco elegance meets contemporary Australian cuisine.

Brasserie 1930 boasts Art Deco elegance.

The next morning, I make the predictable choice of smashed avo for breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie 1930. There’s also a buffet brimming with all the usual suspects.

Afterwards, I head to the pool to relax for a few hours before the 11am checkout. Despite my earlier resolve not to journal, I find myself reflecting nonetheless – an irony not lost on me – on my 21st hotel stay in Sydney. I write this with growing assurance that great hotels don’t just provide a place to stay; they create memorable moments, thanks in large part to fantastic staff. Kudos to the hiring manager.

Next stop: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart!

Perched on the banks of the Hawkesbury river north of Sydney, AT wines and dines along the waterline at Berowra Waters Inn for a dining experience that, if possible, seems overshadowed by the surrounds. By Lisa Perkovic who, like all AT reviewers, paid her own way and visited anonymously.

BEROWRA WATERS INN

AT‘s MENU @ BEROWRA WATERS INN

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Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.