8 Unforgettable Orange Wine Tours - Australian Traveller

Be guided through Orange’s top drops on a wine tour that puts you in the passenger seat.

Embarking on a solo exploration of the nooks and crannies of such a beautifully rounded and well-developed wine region as Orange takes time and planning. And unless you have a willing volunteer to drive, you can easily and regrettably miss out on some of the most spectacular hidden gems. If you’re visiting for the weekend or a short break, often the most efficient and carefree way to enjoy as much as possible is to join a tour. With plenty of operators ferrying wine lovers about town, it’s easy to find one to suit your style. From airborne to open-air vehicles and long lunches to quick edits of the best, these Orange wine tours have you covered.

1. Orange Wine Tours

Sip and savour both the wines and scenery of Orange with tours that tick off a hit-list of wineries. Choose from a half-day morning or afternoon tour, a full-day, or a private VIP tour. Full days are a marathon for the palate but well-paced with time for lunch amid the four wineries, which may include Philip Shaw, Ross Hill or Printhie Wines.

Group enjoying food and wine tasting on a tour with Orange Wine Tours

Embrace a marathon of winery visits with a full-day tour. (Image: Destination NSW)

Half-day-trippers get to experience three stops over four well-spent hours. Get the low down on the region with entertaining and informative guides as you’re bussed about in a comfortable van. Our tip is to gather a group of friends and opt for the private tour for a fun day in the vines.

Group enjoying a tour with Orange Wine Tours in Orange

The tours will give you access to informative guides and hosts on the day. (Image: Destination NSW)

Details: Private VIP tours from $145 for half-day; half-day tours from $125; full-day tours from $165.

2. Winery Experiences Orange

With more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and tourism, your vino adventures are in good hands with Winery Experiences Orange. Hitch your wagon to theirs and choose from half- or full-day tours sipping the cool climate varietals Orange is renowned for. Catering for two to six guests, your personalised tour may include a picnic lunch at one of the idyllic vineyards or lunch at a winery, where you’ll also enjoy wine-tasting and pairing experiences. From small boutique producers to the big names, they’re able to curate an itinerary to suit your palate and even offer an Ultimate Wine and Food Flight, where you ascend over Orange and Millthorpe in a helicopter for a bird’s-eye view.

Winery Experiences Orange's tour bus parked at a winery

Winery Experiences Orange caters for two to six guests on a personalised tour.

Details: Full- or half-day tours from $100 per person for a half-day. The Ultimate Wine and Heli Tour starts from $450 per person.

3. Uncork Orange Wine Tours

Insider intel makes these laidback wine tours a truly pleasurable way for oenophiles to unravel Orange’s cool climate drops. Whether you’re clued into the nuances of varietals or simply know what you like when you taste it, you’ll have fun on this entirely unstuffy tour. Operating on weekends only, you can join a half-day morning or afternoon tour or a full-day exploration of the region. Included are transfers, a picnic basket with snacking provisions, commentary and three cellar doors for the half-days and four for the full-day.

A small Uncork Orange tour group at a wine tasting in Orange

Embrace a laidback wine tour with Uncork Orange.

Details: Full-day (5 hours) $189 and half-day (3 hours) $149, including all entry fees to cellar doors.

4. Orange Trike Tours

Some enjoy the air-conditioned environment of a minibus, while others prefer the feeling of the wind in their hair. If you’re of the latter persuasion, you’d be best fit for a wine-tasting tour by trike. You and your biker bestie will join an experienced guide for a half-day tasting tour for two sipping at three of Orange’s top vineyards and chatting to winemakers while being chauffeured around on a German-made Boom Mustang trike.

Two people enjoying an Orange Trike Tour

Experience the best wine in Orange by trike.

Details: Half-day tour from $439.

5. Country Food Trails

Bringing a food-lovers focus to their tours, Country Food Trails is all about local knowledge and hidden gems. Join a small group of up to seven fellow sippers on the Wine Trail for tastings and one food pairing at three Orange vineyards, where you’ll meet winemakers and be guided through their top drops.

Friends explore food and wine offerings during a Country Food Trails

Get your fill of local knowledge and hidden gems on a Country Food Trails tour. (Image: Destination NSW)

Or cast your net a little wider and take the Millthorpe Village Tour, 25 minutes from Orange, which includes a wine-tasting at either Tamburlaine Organic Wines, Slow Wine Co or Angullong Wines, as well as a guided walk through the village, lunch and a scenic drive.

Details: Wine Trail from $180 per person; Millthorpe Village Tour from $190 per person.

6. Orange Wine Shuttle Tour

This tour is halfway between guided and DIY and perfect for those keen to be driven but prefer not to be locked into a structured itinerary. The shuttle is a hop-in-hop-out scenario where you can be the master of your own day. Departing hourly every Saturday from 10.30am and visiting up to 20 vineyards, including Borrodell Vineyard, Philip Shaw Wines, Small Acres Cider, Swinging Bridge and Heifer Station, this is perhaps the best way to autonomously tour the vineyards without having to designate a driver. If you’re stopping for lunch, just be sure to allocate one to two hours and make a reservation.

Details: $66 per person.

7. Swinging Bridge, Ultimate Winery Experiences

While this tour is only at Swinging Bridge, what it lacks in diversity it makes up for in immersion. The experience begins with a guided walking tour of the beautiful Hill Park Vineyard before guests embark upon a deep dive into all the label’s wines.

The scenic grounds of Swinging Bridge Wines, Orange.

The scenic grounds of Swinging Bridge Wines need to be experienced. (Image: Destination NSW)

Following the tasting is a well-finessed four-course degustation lunch elegantly paired with wines by the in-house sommelier. The beauty of a singular tour like this is the absence of any immediate hurry to get to the next cellar door. Simply sit with the wine and enjoy your time with fellow oenophiles.

A deep dive into all the label’s wines and a four-course degustation awaits.

Details: From 11am, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; $150 per person.

8. Printhie Wines, Ultimate Winery Experiences

Take flight for this exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experience at Printhie Wines, which begins with a chauffeured transfer to the label’s cellar door before you’re whisked off to the winery in a helicopter. Once there, the journey of the grape unravels on a tour that meanders through the details of picking, processing and fermenting. Of course, there’ll be ferments to taste and samples to sip directly from the barrel, too. After you’ve savoured the minutia of winemaking, alight the chopper again for the 15-minute return journey to the cellar door, where you’ll be guided through a tasting of Printhie’s flagship drops and seated for an incredible three-course lunch with matching wines.

Two women enjoying a platter while on Printhie Helicopter Ultimate Winery Tour

Don’t miss the exceptional Ultimate Winery Experience at Printhie Wines. (Image: Destination NSW)

Details: Thursday to Sunday from 10am; $1350 per person.

For more ways to taste the region, read our guide to the top restaurants in Orange, start your day at the town’s best cafes and visit a brewery or distillery door.

You’re never too far from a well-brewed coffee and delicious meal in Orange.

It’s no great revelation that the fertile lands surrounding Orange are a magnet for food lovers, who come to relish the locally grown produce and world-class wines. Beyond the city limits there’s a virtual buffet of wonderful restaurants to discover at wineries and cellar doors, but you’ll also find an excellent peppering of incredible cafes and coffee joints in and about town. Inspired by seasonal harvests and energised by a perpetual parade of city visitors and relocators, there’s a ravenous energy in Orange’s cafe scene. Here’s our pick of the top spots.

1. Good Eddy

Best for: Creative coffee.

Get your coffee with a side order of city chic at this town centre cafe that grinds Reuben Hills beans in its light and bright digs.

The light-filled digs at Good Eddy is the perfect place to start your day.

Set yourself up at the window and watch Orange open up for the day as you savour your cuppa and tuck into cafe classics such as a bacon and egg roll, toastie and bagel. The kids will go (hazel) nuts for the Nutella milkshake.

Good Eddy serves Rueben Hills coffee beans at its store.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Casual, trendy, and artistic
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 6.50am–1.45pm Monday to Friday.
Location: 187 Lords Place

2. Anything Grows

Best for: Outdoor dining.

Take tea in the country-chic courtyard amid blooms and branches at this nursery and cafe near Cook Park.

the cafe exterior of Anything Grows, Orange

Anything Grows exudes country charm.

From something sweet to accompany your brew to larger plates of baked eggs and chicken wraps, you can pop into Anything Grows until 2pm for a meal, and enjoy afternoon tea of coffee and cake until 3pm.

There’s also a gift shop, so you can leave with a posy tucked under your arm or a new pair of gumboots.

a close-up of two people consuming their meals at Anything Grows, Orange

The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Lush, peaceful and laid-back
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 8am–3pm Tuesday to Friday; 8am–2pm Saturday and Sunday.
Location: 54 Summer St

3. Lakeside Kiosk and Cafe

Best for: Lake views and family-friendly dining.

Lake Canobolas, just 10 minutes from Orange, is perhaps one of the most picturesque spots for a morning cup of coffee. Pop into the Lakeside Kiosk & Cafe to caffeinate for a gentle stroll by the lake or pre-order your picnic provisions.

Baked custard from Lakeside Kiosk & Cafe in Orange NSW

Pop into the Lakeside Kiosk & Cafe for incredible food with a view.

If you’d rather take in the serene view as you enjoy a leisurely sit-down lunch, the cafe will service your needs with a menu ranging from duck breast to gruyere croquettes.

Duck with eggplant from Lakeside Kiosk & Cafe in Orange NSW

Tasty dishes like duck with eggplant are on the menu.

Average price: $–$$
Atmosphere: Relaxed, scenic and family-friendly
Review: 4/5
Opening hours: Kiosk 8am–3pm; Cafe 8am–2.30pm Tuesday to Sunday.
Location: 145 Lake Canobolas Rd

4. Millthorpe Providore

Best for: Gourmet local produce.

If you’re in the vicinity of Orange, it’s almost mandatory to take the 25-minute drive to charming Millthorpe to peruse its heritage loveliness and antique stores.

While you’re there, grab yourself a coffee and a little something from the local favourite, Millthorpe Providore.

Millthorpe Providore cafe exterior near Orange

Grab yourself a coffee and a little something from Millthorpe Providore. (Image: Supplied)

Average price: $-$$
Atmosphere: Rustic and inviting
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 6am–3pm Monday to Friday; 7am–3pm Saturday and Sunday.
Location: 23 Victoria St, Millthorpe

5. Byng Street Local Store

Best for: Brunch with a twist.

For more than a decade this all-rounder cafe has been firing up the espresso machine to fortify customers with their daily brews, just as they like it.

Find a spot to sit out front to enjoy brunch at Byng Street.

Serving breakfast, lunch and quick takeaways, the bright-red door is always open for locals and visitors alike.

Settle in at a communal table, perch at the window or mill about outside having a chat – this beloved corner cafe is here for it all.

the cafe interior of Byng Street Local Store

Try this beloved corner cafe for yourself.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Cosy, family-friendly and welcoming
Review: 5/5
Opening hours: 7am–3pm daily.
Location: 47 Byng St

6. Groundstone Cafe

Best for: Alfresco dining.

If you’ve allocated time to take in the town’s museum and cultural precinct, be sure to build in a couple of hours to sit and savour at this light-flooded, glasshouse-like eatery.

It’s a hive of activity inside this light-flooded cafe.

With a considered focus on local produce and seasonal ingredients, breakfast lunch or brunch here is an exercise worth lingering over. From a son-in-law egg salad to sweet and savoury crumpets or a more robust peri peri chicken burger, the flavours are bright and finessed.

Take your time to enjoy the atmosphere over brunch or lunch. (Image: Emily Murphy)

Average price: $-$$
Atmosphere: Bright, airy and dog-friendly
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 7.30am–3pm Monday to Friday; 8am–2pm Saturday and Sunday.
Location: 151a Byng St

7. The Village Bakehouse

Best for: Classic Aussie bakery fare.

Fortify for a day touring Orange’s agrarian beauty and celebrated cellar doors with a stop at this bakery cafe. Bread has been the business here since 1918, so one can be assured they’ll rise to the occasion when it comes to baked goods.

Breakfast is available until a leisurely 1pm to catch those late risers and may be as simple as sourdough toast or a ‘stella’ smoked bacon and egg roll with trimmings of Swiss cheese, caramelised onion and chilli jam.

Devour some baked goods at The Village Bakehouse.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Bustling, friendly and casual
Review: 4/5
Opening hours: 5.30am–5pm Monday to Friday; 5.30am–4pm Saturday; 6am–3pm Sunday.
Location: 208 Peisley St

8. Academy Coffee Roasters

Best for: Artisan coffee lovers.

It’s all about the bean at this specialty coffee roastery, which has been extracting the best for the Central West of NSW since 2015.

Pop into their Woodward Street digs for a cup of consciously and carefully sourced coffee and a small bite, from toast to toasties and a pastry treat. If you’re fond of a sweet riff on your usual order, try the Biscoff latte.

Academy Coffee Roasters interior in Orange, NSW

Try the Biscoff latte at Academy Coffee Roasters.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Industrial-chic, modern, and minimalist
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 6am–1.30pm Monday to Friday; 8am–12.25pm Saturday.
Location: 145 Woodward St

9. Bills Beans East Orange

Best for: Serious coffee drinkers.

If you’re in the east of Orange and hankering for a well-made coffee, you’ll find Bills Beans at the heritage corner digs of the former Hackett’s Butcher Shop.

two cups of latte at Bills Beans East Orange cafe

Start your day with a good coffee.

Here the brews have a golden crema and you’ll be well-supplied with a fresh menu from breakfast through to lunch.

a blurry image of a man walking in front of Bills Beans East Orange cafe

Order your coffee to go at Bills Beans East Orange.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Minimalist, intimate and cosy
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 6am–4pm Monday to Friday; 7am–1pm Saturday; 8am–1pm Sunday.
Location: 148 McLachlan St

10. Factory Espresso

Best for: Industrial-chic vibes.

Sporting an array of personalities as a cafe, a comedy club and a roastery for Kite Coffee, Factory Espresso’s vast, industrial-style digs makes it well-suited to all three versions of itself.

the cafe exterior of Factory Espresso in Orange

Factory Espresso is the perfect place to start (or end) the day.

There’s a rotating roster of some of Australia’s best comedians, but if that doesn’t suit your jam, you can also just come along and watch the coffee roasting in action as you sip the end result.

Muesli and coffee at Factory Espresso in Orange

The breakfast menu hits all the right notes.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Industrial-chic, trendy and vibrant
Review: 4/5
Opening hours: 6am–2.30pm Monday to Friday; 7.30am–2pm Saturday; 7.30am–1pm Sunday.
Location: 135 Kite St

11. Racine Bakery

Best for: Freshly baked pastries.

While many have heard of Orange’s much-adored Racine Restaurant, now sadly closed, less know of its spin-off bakery. Firing up the oven in 2012 to shape handmade loaves for the restaurant and other small businesses in town, the bakery soon moved into its own bricks-and-mortar digs in town.

Stop by for beautifully bubbled organic sourdough, all-butter pastries, cakes and biscuits and, of course, excellent coffee. You can also order whole cakes, flans and tarts to enjoy at home.

Don’t miss the pastries from Racine Bakery. (Image: Destination NSW)

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Charming, relaxed and family-friendly
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 7am–2pm Monday to Friday; 7am–1pm Saturday; 8am–1pm Sunday.
Location: 142 Summer St

12. Spilt Milk Bar

Best for: Ice cream and desserts.

One for the sweet-toothed lickers and lovers of creamy goodness, this Aussie gelateria churns local and fresh ingredients to make their icy scoops incredibly delicious and opens until later for those post-dinner cravings. They also have milk bars in Canberra and Tamworth.

a hand holding a cone of gelato from Spilt Milk Bar

Gelato is always a good idea.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Fun, casual, nd family-friendly
Review: 5/5
Opening hours: 2pm–9pm Monday to Wednesday; 2pm–10pm Thursday to Friday; 12pm–10pm Saturday; 12pm–9pm Sunday.
Location: 45 Sale St

13. The Agrestic Grocer

Best for: Sustainable, farm-to-table dining.

The Agrestic Grocer is more than just a cafe – it’s a local institution dedicated to promoting organic produce and sustainable farming practices. The menu is wholesome and hearty, featuring locally sourced ingredients that are transformed into delicious, rustic meals. You can also browse their farm shop for fresh produce to take home. The relaxed, earthy vibe, paired with excellent coffee, makes it a go-to for a laid-back breakfast or lunch.

Average price: $-$$
Atmosphere: Rustic, earthy and relaxed
Review: 4/5
Opening hours: 8.30am–4pm daily.
Location: 426 Mitchell Hwy

14. Birdie Noshery & Drinking Est.

Best for: Weekend vibes.

Birdie Noshery is all about weekend brunch, with an extensive coffee menu and a selection of delicious dishes that keep people coming back. The bright, open space creates a lively atmosphere, making it a great spot for friends to gather. Whether you’re in the mood for something light or a more substantial meal, Birdie Noshery has something for everyone.

Birdie Noshery & Drinking Est. exterior cafe in Orange

Birdie Noshery is all about weekend brunch. (Image: Supplied)

Average price: $-$$
Atmosphere: Lively, open and welcoming
Review: 5/5
Opening hours: 11.30am–3pm and 5.30pm–9pm Tuesday to Thursday; 8.30am–3pm and 5.30pm–10pm Friday and Saturday; 8.30am–11.30am Sunday.
Location: 120-122 Summer St,

15. The Sugar Mill

Best for: Sweet treats.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, The Sugar Mill is your go-to cafe. Known for its indulgent cakes, pastries, and desserts, this cafe is a must-visit for anyone craving something sugary and delicious. Their coffee complements the sweet treats perfectly, making it a great spot for afternoon tea. The cozy and casual atmosphere is perfect for catching up with friends over a slice of cake, or simply treating yourself after a long day.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Casual, fun, and inviting
Review: 4.5/5
Opening hours: 8am–3pm Monday to Saturday.
Location: 26B Sale St

16. Cafe Latte

Best for: Quick coffee stop.

Cafe Latte is a small but popular spot for those needing a quick coffee fix. With its simple decor and efficient service, it’s the go-to place for locals who need a caffeine hit on the run. Despite its size, the cafe has a loyal following thanks to its consistently great coffee and friendly service. It’s a perfect spot for grabbing a takeaway or sitting down for a quick chat and a snack.

Average price: $
Atmosphere: Cosy, intimate and efficient
Review: 3/5
Opening hours: 5am–5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 5am–11am Wednesday; 5am–2pm Saturday.
Location: 217 Anson St

Sit back and relax on these 8 unforgettable Orange wine tours