10 Excellent Katoomba Restaurants To Dine At Now

Whether you fancy a fine dining affair or a more low-key night out, you’ll find a menu to whet your appetite in the beautiful mountain-side town of Katoomba.

From grand hotel dining rooms to a restaurant set in a historic picture theatre and even an old church, Katoomba’s hospitality scene is varied and rich. It encompasses everything from casual ambience to consciously crafted menus, all showcasing the incredible produce of the Blue Mountains region and its exceptional culinary talent.

Here are the best Katoomba restaurants to book to keep you fuelled for all of the must-do activities.

The shortlist

Best Date Spot: Tempus
Great for Special Occasions: Darley’s Restaurant
Casual Eats: Bowery
Family-Friendly Spot: Boiler Haus Restaurant

1. Darley’s Restaurant

Darley’s Restaurant, Katoomba — A refined dining experience awaits at Darley’s Restaurant. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Take your velvet, buttercup-yellow seat at the lavish dining room of Darley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels Resort and Spa and give yourself a moment to absorb the ornate styling and sweeping views across English gardens and the Jamison Valley beyond.

Glinting crystal chandeliers, two fireplaces, and coloured stained-glass windows cast soft glows on the elaborate black-and-gold wallpaper and thoughtfully selected paintings. With starched-white tablecloths and such stately furnishings, you can’t mistake Darley’s for anything but special-occasion fare. The fine-dining menu is seasonal and local and may include the likes of duck breast with fermented cherries, Kinross lamb backstrap or Hokkaido scallops with samphire, all plated as if standalone works of art. Take your time; this is a place to relish the elegance of times past.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Location: 5/19 Lilianfels Ave, Katoomba

2. Echoes Restaurant and Bar

Meals unfold back-dropped by the large-format beauty of the vast Jamison Valley that seems to sprawl endlessly onwards. Plates of modern Australian flavours blended with Asian inspiration do well to compete for diners’ attention against the attention-seeking views. Set in the boutique hotel of the same name, Echoes Restaurant and Bar is open from breakfast through to dinner and serves classics such as Riverina lamb backstrap to more novel dishes of beluga lentil gnocchi, all alongside an astute local and international wine list. The perfect place for a pre-dinner drink, we suggest arriving in time to catch the nightly light show as the sun retreats beneath the mountains beyond. Keep in mind, there is a minimum of three courses for Saturday and Sunday dinner. On other nights, two courses are available.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Location: Echoes Boutique Hotel, 3 Lilianfels Avenue, Katoomba

3. Jamison Views Restaurant

dining at Jamison Views Restaurant — Tuck into comforting classics overlooking scenic mountain vistas. (Credit: Jamison Views Restaurant)

This Katoomba classic is a lovely, casual spot for a breezy breakfast, long lunch or dinner out. Tuck into comforting classics and inventive plates executed elegantly with a menu that spans everything from ham hock and duck liver terrine to beef bourguignon and twice-cooked pork belly. When it’s cold out, there’s plenty of rib-sticking flavour and for the warmer months, fresh seafood brings a lighter touch. Set in the Mountain Heritage Hotel, you’ll dine overlooking fabulous mountain vistas.

Cuisine: Classic European

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual but elegant

Location: Cnr Apex and Lovel Streets, Katoomba

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4. Tempus

dinner at Tempus Katoomba — The menu celebrates the region’s produce. (Credit: Maja Baska)

Bringing a community-minded and sustainable ethos to everything they do, the team at Tempus champions eating locally and seasonally with beautifully crafted food that crowns the region’s produce with the halo it deserves. Pickling, dehydrating and preserving ingredients to ensure nothing is wasted, the menu is both inventive and thrilling, leaning toward Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours. Relish plates such as the wild rabbit and duck manti and lamb rump with hummus and green sauce, all paired with an all-Australian drinks list. Bright, stylish and accented with warm wood tones, this diner heralds in a new generation of Blue Mountains hospitality.

Cuisine: Australian with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern sensibilities

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Refined but casual

Location: 66 Katoomba Street, Katoomba

5. The Bootlegger Bar

fried meat at The Bootlegger Bar, Katoomba — Enjoy the crisp crunch of barbequed meats at The Bootlegger Bar.

Settle in for an evening of smoky flavours and punchy drinks at this bar and smokehouse where low and slow wins the race. Taking cues from the Southern US barbecue culture and Cajun cuisine, here you’ll tuck into saucy, tender cuts licked by delicious curls of smoke, from pork ribs and brisket to tomahawk steaks and smoked mac-and-cheese. It all goes well with a cocktail or a fresh, chilled beer and is exactly what you need to replenish calories following a long hike in the mountains. If you’re eager to lean into the theme, you can select a whisky flight, where you can choose from a tasting of bourbon, Japanese, Australian, rye or Islay whiskies.

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Average price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 92 Bathurst Road, Katoomba

6. Bowery

Bowery restaurant in Katoomba — This all-day eatery is set in the former St Andrews Church. (Credit: Bowery)

Find your holy side with a visit to a 1914 Federation Romanesque church. Despite setting up shop in the former St Andrews Church, Bowery, perhaps sacrilegiously, only pays mind to the deity of a more bacchanalian nature. All about simple, beautifully prepared food enjoyed with good people, Bowery is a relaxed, light-filled dining hall where you can allocate many hours to sampling small plates and sipping well-mixed drinks. From brunch to lunch, dinner and drinks, it’s an all-day eatery ready to welcome with dishes that amble across cuisines, such as plant-based tacos, prawn koliwada and duck spring rolls.

Cuisine: A bit of everything

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 56-64 Waratah Street, Katoomba

7. Boiler Haus Restaurant

Boiler Haus Restaurant in Katoomba — Sip on great wines amidst scenic greenery at Boiler Haus Restaurant.

Located in the grand Hydro Majestic Hotel, Boiler Haus is a laid-back alternative to the hotel’s white-clothed Wintergarden Restaurant. Serving comforting, universally adored classics of pizza, pasta and a few classics alongside some truly dazzling scenery and great wines, this casual eatery is all polished concrete and industrial style, as opposed to the opulent stylings of Wintergarden. There’s even a dedicated kids’ menu to make life just a little bit easier.

Cuisine: Italo-Australian

Average price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Casual and family-friendly

Location: 52–88 Great Western Hwy, Medlow Bath

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8. Wintergarden Restaurant

If you’re going to partake in high tea in the Blue Mountains, this is absolutely the place to do so. Winged velvet chairs, crisp linens and captivating Megalong Valley views set the scene for an elegant soirée at Hydro Majestic’s refined restaurant. While it’s best known for its high tea service, Wintergarden also offers a daily dinner service, where guests can enjoy a two- or three-course dinner. However, this is the spot for early birds, as dinner is done and dusted by 9pm.

Cuisine: Contemporary

Average price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Location: 52–88 Great Western Hwy, Medlow Bath

9. Avalon Restaurant

Avalon Restaurant, Katoomba — The scenic Avalon Restaurant is a local favourite.

This main street Katoomba restaurant is secreted behind an unassuming entrance, but once inside, you’ll discover you’re dining in the old dress circle of the historic, 1930s-era Savoy Picture Theatre. Filled with the ambience of bygone glamour, Avalon Restaurant and Bar is a little bit quirky and a lot of fun. A bit like dining in an antiques store, you’ll be served robust classics, such as slow-roasted lamb, pulled beef croquettes and duck breast, amid mannequins dressed as flappers and vintage curios. The drinks list favours local breweries and Australian spirits and wines, which you can sip as you tap toes to local musicians at the Friday night Supper Club.

Cuisine: A bit of everything

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 18 Katoomba Street, Katoomba

10. Miss Lilian

dining at Miss Lilian in Katoomba — The menu is a tour of full-flavoured Asian dishes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Another of the well-curated restaurants that form the dining options at Lilianfels Resort, Miss Lilian is set in a sweet cottage with high ceilings, from which hang delicate birdcage lanterns. The scene here is set for a rollcall of Asian flavours, from Vietnamese to Thai and Cantonese dim sum. From crowd-pleasers of spring rolls and Wagyu beef gyoza to the larger Thai beef salad and ‘heo nuong’ pork chop, the menu is a tour of full-flavoured hits. You can dine a la carte, but if you’re with a group, you may be better to go for one of the set menu options. Don’t skip one of the fruity and fun cocktails or a sweet and peppy Vietnamese coffee.

Cuisine: Asian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 5-19 Lilianfels Ave, Katoomba

Discover the magic of a Sydney staycation in summer at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.

Sydney City is magical in summer. Warm summer evenings beg to be spent sipping cool cocktails at one of many al fresco and rooftop bars. Ferries and buses are ready to transport travellers to the best nearby beaches for salty days on the sand. National parks and rainforests are waiting to be explored. And the city’s events calendar is packed, from live music to cultural attractions. All elements that call for a Sydney staycation.

Discover where to eat, stay and play for the perfect local getaway.

Where to stay

The Fullerton Hotel Sydney

Amid the bustle of the perfect Sydney staycation, one needs a place to escape to and recharge. Enter, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney. The hotel is an icon in its own right – nestled inside the 151-year-old building that was originally Sydney’s General Post Office, its heritage-listed sandstone walls and Victorian renaissance grandeur have been carefully preserved – providing a rare chance to sleep within Sydney’s history.

Despite its fascinating history, the hotel isn’t short on modern, luxurious comforts. Rooms and suites are available in both the modern high-rise with gorgeous views over the clock tower and lively city below, or inside the historical post office building itself.

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney Heritage Long Suite bathroom — Heritage rooms maintain their old-world style.

Either way, guests can enjoy sophisticated touches, including a deluxe bed and pillow menu, Harman Kardon Bluetooth speakers, a digital concierge, a Vittoria coffee machine and amenities from the Balmain bathroom collection.

The team at this five-star hotel provides excellence and a quality experience for all their guests, while amenities like a gym help with a well-rounded stay. For a peaceful moment with sweeping city views, enter The Fullerton Club Lounge on level 28. This private haven for dining and relaxation is available to any guests staying on the hotel’s club floors and suites.

Add to this a central location in the CBD’s Martin Place, with easy access to Sydney’s top attractions, and convenience meets style.

Where to drink & dine

1. The Bar

the Fullerton Hotel afternoon tea at the bar — Indulge in the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea.

Inside The Fullerton Hotel Sydney’s lobby, The Bar does more than sling a few delicious cocktails (although it certainly does that well). Its brown leather chairs and glass ceiling create the perfect, almost al fresco, setting for the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea.

Served daily from 12 to 4 pm, the afternoon tea is a nod to the cherished social occasion it once was during the Victorian Renaissance era. People like to dress up for this afternoon tea, and if you’re lucky, a pianist often sits down at the on-site grand piano, just adding to the elegance.

The afternoon tea is served high tea style, offering reimagined British flavours of the Victorian Renaissance era with a unique blend of Australia’s culinary heritage. A sweet layer offers delights like a Malted Milk Envelope (a milk mousse layered between two biscuits), Bakewell Pudding (a super tasty egg-based pudding), and Apple Charlotte.

On the savoury layer, expect finger sandwiches with fillings like cucumber, egg and smoked salmon. While classic pinwheels and stuffed eggs almost make the menu. And, of course, all finished off with traditional scones served with cream and mixed berry jam.

Can’t fit in a whole afternoon tea? Be sure to at least order a slice of the 32-layered chocolate cake, a decadent mix of dark chocolate crémeux, fresh whipped cream, and Valrhona Azélia chocolate sauce. ⁣

2. The Place

the Fullerton Hotel the place dining — Dine in the stunning GPO atrium.

On level one of The Fullerton Hotel Sydney lives The Place – the hotel’s restaurant, in an atrium overlooking the former GPO. Here, dine on Modern Australian cuisine – think fresh, local seafood and a Riverina steak sandwich – along with a touch of Singaporean signature dishes, like Thai-style green curry or chicken satay. All in the shadow of the GPO clock tower, enjoying the GPO atrium’s natural light.

3. Local gelato

Couple enjoying ice-creams at First Fleet Park, The Rocks — Enjoy ice cream in the sunshine. (Image: Destination NSW)

What is summer without ice cream and/or gelato? Luckily, there are plenty of options just a short walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, whether you’re craving a midday pick-me-up or an after-sun treat.

What to do/see

1. GPO Heritage Tour

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney lobby — Be awed by the building’s history.

Want to know more about the building you’re staying in? The Fullerton Hotel Sydney offers a complimentary 90-minute GPO Heritage Tour. Follow a knowledgeable tour guide to discover the stories, tales and legends of the former Sydney General Post Office building.

From the iconic clock tower (completed in 1891) to the black-and-white tiled staircase at 1 Martin Place, which was once the main entrance to the GPO and today serves as a prominent feature of the building to the 24 stone faces (mascarons) on the Martin Place side of the building. Part of the 1880s-era facade (designed by architect James Barnet), each represents different states, countries and continents.

2. Circular Quay

aerial of circular quay sydney — Catch a ferry from Circular Quay. (Image: Destination NSW)

An easy walk or light rail ride away from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, lies the bustling Circular Quay. Here, you can sit for a drink and nibbles at the Opera Bar, or head into the iconic house itself for a show. It’s also a major ferry port, becoming your gateway to Sydney’s beaches, Luna Park and even Sydney Zoo.

3. Royal Botanic Gardens

view of circular quay from Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden — Wander through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. (Image: Destination NSW)

Just beyond Circular Quay, discover Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. Wander through this 30-hectare, heritage-listed, botanical garden – exploring its differing sections, from Australian native botanicals to garden beds of vibrant flowers to towering groves of international trees.

It’s also the perfect place for a picnic, so pick up supplies before you come and enjoy a spot on the grassy meadow looking out into the harbour.

4. Theatre Royal

Just a one-minute walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, take in a show at Theatre Royal. Built in 1976, the theatre has been offering a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. Expect a show roster that ranges from the classics (like Cats) to the modern) like Pretty Woman: The Musical).

Start planning a summer stay in Sydney worth remembering at fullertonhotels.com/fullerton-hotel-sydney.

11 excellent Katoomba restaurants to dine at now

Whether you fancy a fine dining affair or a more low-key night out, you’ll find a menu to whet your appetite in the beautiful mountain-side town of Katoomba.

The shortlist

1. Darley’s Restaurant

2. Echoes Restaurant and Bar

3. Jamison Views Restaurant

4. Tempus

5. The Bootlegger Bar

6. Bowery

7. Boiler Haus Restaurant

8. Wintergarden Restaurant

9. Avalon Restaurant

10. Miss Lilian

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Your guide to a summer staycation in Sydney

Discover the magic of a Sydney staycation in summer at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.