19 of the best restaurants in Bowral (and beyond)

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Whether you are road-tripping with the family, or looking for romance, here are the best Bowral restaurants to book before you escape for your weekend getaway.

The best restaurants in Bowral have become a beacon in the Southern Highlands for everyone from couples looking for a romantic escape to families celebrating special occasions. The little village is now on the map for its incredible cuisine thanks in large part to an influx of sophisticated holidaymakers and well-heeled tree changers who came here for a winter escape and stayed.

These days, the best way to experience the brilliance of a weekend dining out in Bowral is to bounce back and forth on multiple weekends away. Here is our guide to the best places to eat and drink in Bowral and its immediate surrounds.

1. Flour Bar

Don’t be fooled by the name. Flour Bar is so much more than a bakery. In addition to the everyday indulgences on offer here, such as potato buns, herb and garlic focaccia loaves and sourdough baguettes, head chef Guy Hammerton and head baker Tim West know best when it comes to breakfast, lunch and dinner.

people dining at Flour Bar, Bowral

More than a bakery, Flour Bar is a perfect spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Image: Flour Bar/Christopher Pearce)

Flour Bar is all things to all people. Open from 6am for breakfast, it then pivots to lunch and dims the light for dinner. Put simply, it’s the best place in the Southern Highlands for a cocktail, glass of wine and elevated bar bites.

the glass panels at Flour Bar, Bowral

Have a tipple at Flour Bar. (Image: Flour Bar/Christopher Pearce)

The menu at Flour Bar is designed to share. Think cured meats and cheeses. Duck rillettes with pickled fruit paste and sourdough toast. Or mushroom ragu with gnocchi for something more substantial. This is made-from-scratch soul food at its finest. There’s also a takeaway bottle shop with more than 200 wines, as well as a deli inside an old bank vault with cheeses and charcuterie.

a plate of food at Flour Bar, Bowral

The menu at Flour Bar is designed to share. (Image: Flour Bar/Christopher Pearce)

Address: 386 Argyle St, Moss Vale

2. Dinah’s @ Osborn House

Best for: Taking your Hinge romance to the next level.

Dinah’s offers a contemporary take on the whole Escape to the Country experience. Like Osborn House itself, it’s both playful and unexpected and has burst into national prominence as one of the best places to eat in the Southern Highlands. Dinah’s, open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday, is tucked away in a pristine wooded pocket of Bundanoon, one of the Southern Highland’s most unsung villages.

Recharge after walking to one of the local waterfalls with a stay at this heritage house where, once you’ve arrived, you’ll never want to leave. Seasonal five-course set menus are the thing at Dinah’s, one of the best places for fine dining in the Southern Highlands. Enjoy a seriously dreamy outlook while enjoying share plates of kingfish crudo and seasonal citrus,  Gundagai lamb backstrap and summer greens pesto with almonds and lemon all delivered with poise by the stylish staff.

It’s worth returning in the cooler months for the Osborn House Fire Feast.

the elegant dining interior of Dinah’s @ Osborn House, Bowral

Dinah’s is one of the best places for fine dining in the Southern Highlands.

Address: 96 Osborn Ave, Bundanoon

3. George’s @ Osborn House

Best for: A casual meal in the heart of the Southern Highlands.

George’s is the more casual dining option at the sumptuous Osborn House, which dates back to the 1890s. This restaurant with rooms in the picture-postcard village of Bundanoon is known for its easy-going charm. But you don’t have to be a guest to dine at George’s, which is open for lunch and dinner and has a bar that operates between 3 and 6pm for casual bites.

the casual dining space at George’s @ Osborn House

Opt for a more casual dining option at the sumptuous Osborn House.

Forget dark nooks and heavy furniture. The interiors at George’s draw from a palette of earthy olives, timber, turmeric and thyme tones. Like Osborn House itself, the restaurant is both playful and unexpected.

the exterior of George’s @ Osborn House

Enjoy views over Morton National Park.

Take a seat at a table in the dining room or on the terrace, where you will enjoy views over Morton National Park. The restaurant offers everything from charcuterie to sandwiches and cheeseburgers. Keen hikers will also appreciate heftier mains such as truffled mac and cheese or wagyu Milanese.

the earthy interior at George’s @ Osborn House

The interiors at George’s draw from a palette of earthy olives, timber, turmeric and thyme tones.

Address: 96 Osborn Avenue, Bundanoon

What to order: Rigatoni vodka with spicy sauce, tomato cream and parmesan.

4. Bistro Sociale @ The Berida Hotel

Best for: A social occasion

Head to Berida Hotel to sample elevated pub at its European-style bistro. Bistro Sociale is popular with those who have booked accommodation in Bowral and want to outsource lunch or dinner.

the dining interior of Berida Hotel, Bowral

Book a table in Berida Hotel’s light-filled and elegant dining room.

Head chef Nathan Jackson changes the menu according to the seasons and it’s worth gunning it up the highway from Sydney for his house-baked bread with cultured French butter and cassoulet with confit duck, smoked pork, Toulouse sausage, white beans and tomato.

Earn brownie points with your Bowral buddies by booking lunch on the sun-drenched terrace where you can start with cocktails or a glass of local wine.

a look inside Berida Hotel, Bowral

Step into the handsome boutique hotel. (Image: Destination NSW)

Address: 6 David Street, Bowral

What to order: Prawn linguine with spinach, chilli and garlic butter.

Best for: A stylish stay with the extended family.

Take a 1920s homestead in the Southern Highlands and apply a few splashes of colour to give it a thoroughly modern update. The restaurant, Ethos, at Links House has rounded out the experience of a stay at the Links House with a paddock-to-plate menu curated by acclaimed chef Jason Hughes.

While Links House is popular as a conference facility, it also attracts families and groups of friends who want to enjoy a bit of respite in the country. First-time visitors to the Southern Highlands will be reminded why this  restaurant is included on every Bowral itinerary.

Try the duck breast with fig, honey, bitter greens and walnut. And, for something on the sweet side, opt for lemon curd with mascarpone and savoiardi biscuits.

What to order: Beef tartare, with capers and cornichons followed by lamb shoulder with fennel, cinnamon, couscous and dukkah.

Address: 17 Links Rd, Bowral

6. Onesta Cucina

Best for: A special anniversary

Onesta Cucina is another reason to linger in this Highlands hamlet. The family-owned restaurant is known for its focus on hyperlocal food and a menu that changes with the seasons.

Check the restaurant’s Instagram ahead of your booking to see what takes your fancy. Will it be fried zucchini flowers with five Italian cheeses? Or perhaps the Mooloolaba king prawn insalata. The lasagna al forno is one to enjoy all to yourself. We can’t say we’d blame you.

Gnocci from Onesta Cucina, Bowral

Head to Onesta Cucina for moreish gnocchi.

Address: 5 Boolwey St, Bowral.

What to order: Start with the imported buffalo mozzarella with pickled beetroot insalata. Or the egg tagliatelle with white reef fish, prawns, squid and scallops flecked with herbs.   ‘

7. The Lotus Bowral

Best for: Bowral locals who want to impress their big-city friends.

The Lotus Group have landed in Bowral. The restaurant is located within the stylish Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral, one of the best places to stay in the Southern Highlands. Treat yourself to a mid-week getaway with a stay at this ‘restaurant with rooms’ known for its savoury dumplings, fresh seafood and kung pao chicken.

a close-up of food at The Lotus Bowral

Indulge in contemporary Australian cuisine and street-cart Chinese food. (Image: Alana Dimou)

The menu at this atmospheric restaurant is a happy collision between contemporary Australian cuisine and the street-cart Chinese food that inspired it. Build your own Chinese banquet by ordering a mix of the duck pancakes, pork chops, crispy honey eggplant and duck fried rice.

a spread of food at The Lotus Bowral

Build your own Chinese banquet. (Image: Alana Dimou)

Address: 7 Boronia St, Bowral

What to order: Dumplings, of course. The flavour-filled parcels of dough are made fresh at the chic and edgy eatery each day.

8. Harry’s on Green Lane

Best for: Sophisticated city slickers.

Harry’s is named in honour of the renowned British horticulturalist and founder of the famed Chelsea Flower Show. Sir Harry Veitch was also known for dispatching nurserymen to foreign lands to find exotic treasures for his well-to-do London clientele. Like Sir Harry’s plants, the restaurant has grown quite organically and, in doing so, has won the hearts of Bowral locals.

a look inside the Harry’s on Green Lane restaurant, Bowral

Be surrounded by plants at this quaint Bowral restaurant.

Regarded as one of the best places to dine in Bowral, Harry’s is a hub for green thumbs as well as a space for lovers of provincial cuisine. First-time visitors to the restaurant will be struck by the book-lined walls and dramatic high ceilings. There are also vintage photographs of the botanists charged with collecting seeds from some of the world’s prettiest plants.

Harry’s on Green Lane is surrounded by as many beautiful plants and flowers as you’d expect in a nursery.  The simple menu of dishes includes winners such as duck terrine. Or signature roast chicken drizzled in lemon myrtle oil. Don’t forget to peruse the nursery next door and Plantation Cafe. It’s open for two sittings from noon to 2.15pm seven days a week and for dinner Fridays and Saturday nights with two sittings at 6pm and 8pm.

a dining setup next to a bookshelf at Harry’s on Green Lane, Bowral

Harry’s is a hub for green thumbs and a space for lovers of provincial cuisine.

Address: 15-17 Banyette St, Bowral

What to order: All of the above, as well as the ever-popular crab linguine. Hands down.

9. Julien’s Bowral Brasserie

Best for: French fare

You will get a big bonjour et bienvenue at French restaurant Julian’s Bowral Brasserie. Located at the aptly named ‘Paris end’ of Bowral, Julien’s Bowral Brasserie has both indoor and outdoor dining.

Check the specials blackboard for oh-so-French dishes such as pork, veal and duck terrine. Or the seared scallops and Dijon mustard tomato tart. Head chef Julien Viel was born in France and holds his heritage close when curating a menu of classic French cuisine.

Address: 1 Wingecarribee St, Bowral

What to order: Start with assiette de charcuterie, snails in shell and chicken liver parfait. The herb-crusted lamb backstrap and duck confit a l’orange are also dishes that keep this Bowral bistro buzzing.

10. Paste Bangkok, Mittagong

Best for: Lovers of Southeast Asian cuisine.

It’s eight minutes as the crow flies from Bowral to Mittagong. That’s where you’ll find Michelin-starred chefs Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun and husband Jason Bailey, of Paste Australia. Together, the husband-and-wife team have devised an array of inviting dishes that deliver a series of roundhouse muay Thai kicks of flavour to the chops. The pair met in Thailand, where their first restaurant in Bangkok earned a coveted Michelin star.

Shorthorn tenderloin from Paste Australia in Mittagong

Try the dishes from Michelin-starred chefs Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun and Jason Bailey at Paste.

The so-called Queen Bee of Thai cuisine was awarded Asia’s best female chef by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. You might understand why when you enter the dining room where the fragrant aroma of spices fills the air. The unassuming decor in the dining room is pared-back, allowing the focus to be placed firmly on the food. Eating at this hatted regional restaurant is a thrilling experience thanks to Bee’s contemporary take on traditional Thai.

Dry Southern Curry from Paste Australia in Mittagong.

The menu is a contemporary take on traditional Thai.

What to order: Save your money on a trip to Thailand; the rock lobster with preserved plums, ginger, smoked pork stock and liquorice root is a must.

Address: 105 Main St, Mittagong

11. Cheese etc

Best for: Romantics looking to impress a first date

Cheese etc is the brainchild of cheesemonger Hugh Nicholas, who started with a pop-up shop in North Sydney before relocating to the Southern Highlands and, more recently, the main drag of Bowral.

Interior of Cheese.Etc in Bowral

The cheese and wine are sourced from all over the world.

This is one of the most sophisticated places to eat and drink in Bowral. The cheese and wine are sourced from all around the world – some direct from farmers, some from major importers. And you will be spoilt for choice when you prop yourself up at the bar here where it’s easy to get ‘whey’-laid enjoying artisan cheeses ranging from brie to blue vein.

Settle in at the fully licensed space to enjoy local cheeses sourced from Pecora Dairy in Robertson or The Pines in Kiama. Alternatively, you can book in for a sommelier-led wine and cheese tasting. Or order the perfect platter for a picnic.

Ordering cheese from Cheese.Etc in Bowral

Order a selection of artisan cheeses.

Address: Shop 4, High Street, Bowral

What to order: The popular signature three-cheese toastie with a Highlander Pale Ale brewed in nearby Robertson.

12. The Dining Room @ Dormie House

Best for: Golfers who want to eat, play and stay.

Dormie House is the perfect country retreat. Built in 1934, this reimagined restaurant with rooms in the Southern Highlands is all cosy corners, roaring log fires and elegant interiors. Built in the 1900s, Dormie House overlooks the manicured lawns of the Moss Vale Golf Course, making it a great place to relax and unwind.

The Dining Room at Dormie is designed to enhance your luxurious getaway over a lazy lunch, an indulgent high tea in the Highlands or a decadent dinner. Savour garden-fresh veggies and slow-cooked beef cheeks with Paris mash, green beans, parsley and garlic. Wrap up the experience with date and macadamia tart with vanilla ice cream. There’s also the more casual option of bar bites such as cheeseburgers, toasted ham and cheese sandwiches and pork, tomato and fennel rigatoni.

What to order: Lamb shoulder, fennel, cinnamon, couscous and dukkah    

Address: 38 Arthur Street, Moss Vale

13. Taylor’s Crown Inn @ Berrima Vault House

Best for: Those partial to a good ghost story.

Taylor’s Crown Inn is open to the public and Highlands community seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is despite the fact it’s housed in a private members club. The Inn was built by convicts in 1844 using hand-hewn local sandstone in the vernacular architecture of a traditional English village. And it’s come full circle after morphing from a public house to a private house, art gallery, bakery, restaurant and back again.

In short, Taylor’s Crown Inn is a great example of the sophisticated culinary scene providing visitors with a different kind of Southern Highlands experience. The homey public house has lured visitors for generations and remains a mainstay of village life. Order corn-fed chicken with grilled cos lettuce, Caesar dressing with crispy pancetta and Mussett Farm mushrooms. Head to Hank & Molly’s, the bar named in honour of Molly the ghost to enquire about membership.

friends dining at Berrima Vault House

Sample sophisticated culinary offerings at Berrima Vault House. (Image: Destination NSW)

What to order: Chateaubriand with Robertson fondant potatoes.

Address: 11 Old Hume Hwy, Berrima

14. Eschalot

Best for: A uniquely Southern Highlands dining experience.

It’s worth dropping a pin on Berrima, just 10 minutes from Bowral, during your road trip around the Southern Highlands. It’s there you will find restaurant Eschalot, which has long been emblematic of the dining scene here. Housed in a heritage-listed sandstone cottage, the restaurant screams country charm.

the Eschalot signage, Bowral

Eschalot is housed in a heritage-listed sandstone cottage. (Image: Destination NSW)

Is it any wonder, then, that the tables are full of locals looking so smug? This is formal country dining at its best. Chef Matty Roberts shows off his technique with dishes that are like a succession of flavours, textures and temperatures while his wife Cass Wallace works the floor.

Make sure to either walk or get dropped off so you can enjoy the 10-course fine-dining banquet with paired wines and not have to drive back to your boutique accommodation.

food in a bowl at Eschalot, Bowral

Enjoy formal country dining at its best. (Image: Destination NSW)

What to order: If you’re not up for the ‘feed me’ menu, plump for the Southern fried chicken with honey and sriracha glaze. The king prawns with harissa butter and samphire is also a good bet.

Address: 24 Old Hume Highway, Berrima

15. Leila’s at the Grand

Best for: Families and group gathos

Leila’s at the Grand is one of the best restaurants in Bowral. The Lebanese restaurant has found a niche in the Southern Highlands where the smell of slow-cooked meats and garlicky kofta stops visitors in their tracks.

The restaurant is run by Michael and Raye Abouchabake, who moved to the Southern Highlands nearly three decades ago to open Café Rocco, one of the best cafes in Bowral. Leila’s at the Grand pays homage to Michael’s mum, Leila, who did all the cooking at the sister café, three doors down in Bong Bong Street, Bowral, before she sadly passed away.

Everything on the menu at Leila’s would make Michael’s mum proud. The restaurant is housed in a section of the old Grand Hotel, which was developed into an arcade in the 1980s. Make your way through the menu of traditional Lebanese mezze starting with lubbye (a green bean stew) and shawarma with hummus.
Address: The Grand Arcade, 295-297 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Lebanese dips and salads from Leila's at the Grand in Bowral

For top-notch Lebanese, look no further than Leila’s.

What to order: Trust us: order the mixed grill platter, which reads like a list of Leila’s greatest hits including grilled lamb and kofta, tabouli, hummus, baba ghanoush, mixed pickles and garlic bread.

Address: The Grand Arcade, 295/297 Bong Bong St

16. Bendooley Estate

Best for: Bookish types and road-trippers

It was likely Bendooley Estate that helped herald a new chapter for the Southern Highlands. The atmospheric bookshop has given road-trippers from Sydney and Canberra a reason to pull off the highway for the past four decades.

the Bendooley Estate scenic landscape in Bowral

The grand Georgian homestead is tucked into the rolling hills. (Image: Destination NSW)

The Berrima book barn is of course best known for its collection of secondhand, rare and antiquarian books. But the grand Georgian homestead built on a tract of land granted to Governor Lachlan Macquarie more than two centuries ago also has a fabulous restaurant and bar.

Four minimalist plates from Bendooley Estate in Berrima

The Bendooley Estate kitchen serves delectable dishes.

Start with a glass of wine and charcuterie plate in the cellar door then bunker down in the cosy book barn for Tuscan panzanella, or Margherita pizza with a mixed leaf salad on the side. Head to Leo’s Bar for a pre- or post-dinner drink.

Meat, potatoes and salads from bendooley Estate in berrima.

From small to large plates, Bendooley Estate has something for everyone.

What to order: The slow-cooked beef short ribs with parmesan polenta, herb-roasted carrots, chimichurri sauce and parsnip crisps.

Address: 3020 Old Hume Hwy, Berrima

17. Artemis Wines

Best for: Galloping gourmands

Artemis Wines is not just for lovers of great wines. The estate also offers a lunch of light platters (think cheeseboards) on the lawn from Monday to Friday as well as the occasional pop-up BYO vinyl nights for holidaying hipsters.

pouring wine into a glass at Artemis Wines

Enjoy a glass or two at Artemis Wines.

The winery is known for its cool-climate wines and offers wood-fired pizzas on Saturdays and Sundays.

wood-fired pizza at Artemis Wines

Artemis Wines serves up wood-fired pizzas.

What more do you need when on holiday in the Southern Highlands than a cheese plate and a glass of wine?  Ideally located for those whose country boltholes are just minutes away.

the dining interior of Artemis Wines

Sit down for a cheese plate and a glass of wine.

What to order: Cheese and charcuterie.

Address: 46 Sir Charles Moses Lane

18. Toshi’s Japanese Restaurant

Best for: The best sushi and sashimi in the Southern Highlands.

Toshi’s is a Southern Highlands institution. The family-run restaurant has been going strong in Mittagong for more than three decades and is led by chef and restaurateur Toshi San. The thoughtfully curated menu is Toshi San’s love letter to Japan. It’s not the newest place in the Southern Highlands. But it’s endured for a multitude of reasons.

The Japanese proverb kuru mono kaeru ga gotoshi offers an insight into what to expect at Toshi’s. It translates to ‘relax like at home’, which is what this old-school place aims to achieve. Customers at Toshi’s come to be transported back to the Tokyo prefecture and there’s a patina and warmth here in this dimly lit dining room that cannot be contrived.

Expect the very precise kind of dishes that Toshi San has been cooking for decades and order a procession of them.

What to order: Spicy lobster roll.

Address: Beaumont Gardens, 60 Bowral Rd, Mittagong

19. Josh’s Cafe

Best for: A laid-back eatery serving classic Mediterranean fare.

Dishes like risotto al funghi, slow-roasted beef brisket with slaw and sriracha chilli mayo, and confit duck leg with a warm kipfler potato and watercress salad with juniper berry jus offer plenty for diners on the hunt for comforting country classics.

Josh’s has been built a fervent following since it opened in 2016,. Here, the soundtrack is heavy on pop and the menu is flat-out Mediterranean. What also leaves an impression on visitors is the warm, attentive service. This cafe by day, restaurant by night feels more like a friend’s home and is filled primarily with locals. It’s got chairs that recall your Mittagong mate’s place. Framed photos on the walls. And is BYO on Thursdays bro.

Josh’s is all about nostalgia, which guarantees you can have a good time here.

What to order: Pork belly with green papaya salad and orange caramel, ginger sauce.

Address:
9 Old Hume Highway, Berrima

Discover the best cafes in Bowral

Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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Top 15 places to stay in Bowral and beyond

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The best Bowral accommodation ranges from weatherboard cottages to an Airbnb on the outskirts of town to all manner of elegant country estates.

The best places to stay in Bowral offer guests a great base to soak up all the region has to offer in terms of cafe culture, antique trawling, wine tasting, nature and history. Be it elegant manors, cottages or coach houses and other unique stays, a trip to the NSW Southern Highlands makes for the ideal country.

Bowral, the main hub of the Southern Highlands, was established as a fashionable summer retreat for Sydney’s gentry in the 1880s. Well over a century later, many of the great estates that were established now operate as unique hotel stays. Here’s our pick of the best places to stay in Bowral and beyond.

1. Black Barn Bowral

Best for: Fashionistas

the dining interior of Black Barn Bowral

The farmhouse was established as a charming countryside retreat.

Experience the seasons unfolding in style with a stay at this exclusive farmhouse renovated by designer Collette Dinnigan. Black Barn Bowral is decked out in Dinnigan’s inimitable style with a lot of upcycled materials and a warm and inviting vibe.

Fun fact: the floorboards are made from reclaimed Danish wood and the light fittings were sourced from Italy. Exposed beams and whitewashed walls are complemented by a carefully curated mix of occasional pieces tricked up with textures and subtle signature Dinnigan detail.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom farmhouse sleeps six and is just minutes away from Bowral. Prefer to stay in? The Black Barn features the finest Italian bed linen and Australian-made Leif amenities. Now everyone do a little happy dance that Dinnigan has shifted her focus to include interior design.

Address: Alderley Edge, 2 Orchard Rd, Bowral

2. Peppers Manor House

Best for: Wedding parties

the Peppers Manor House in Bowral

The quintessential Southern Highlands country retreat experience can be found at Peppers Manor House.

Check into Peppers Manor House for the quintessential Southern Highlands country retreat experience. A 15-minute drive from Bowral in Sutton Forest, this elegant manor built in 1926 has been fashionably repurposed while retaining its heritage charm and old-world appeal. It has 43 rooms and suites plus a range of inviting common spaces you’ll want to linger in.

Make yourself at home next to the roaring open fireplace in the Great Hall over winter. Or station yourself beside the pool, cocktail in hand, over summer. The hotel is home to Katers Restaurant, which makes the most of local produce. While you’re there, you can also indulge in such gentile pursuits as billiards, badminton, croquet or perfect the fine art of drinking tea.

Address: 72 Kater Rd, Sutton Forest

3. Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral

Best for: Suits and ties in conference mode

the foyer at Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral

The entrance foyer exudes elegance and a sense of spaciousness.

History and location have helped shape Park Proxi Gibraltar Bowral, which has an onsite golf course that is about 70 years old. The 18-hole course has long been one of the draws to Bowral’s largest hotel, which has been taken over by Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts and given a refresh. The luxury escape has 78 suites, a private indoor pool, a gym and a golf course. It’s also just a 10-minute meander to the boutiques and cafes that make Bowral such a magnet for Sydneysiders and Canberrans.

Food-focused travellers will be thrilled to hear that the Lotus Dining Group has taken up residence at the hotel. Give those Lazy Susans a workout under the weight of the signature xiao long bao (steamed pork soup dumplings), dan dan noodles and XO scallops on the shell. It’s one of the best places to eat, stay and play in Bowral.

Address: 7 Boronia St, Bowral

4. The Sebel Bowral Heritage Park 

Best for: Active types

the ensuite bath at The Sebel Bowral Heritage Park 

Each room is equipped with a bath.

The Sebel Bowral Heritage Park has been built around an original 1920s federation manor. And while it’s not considered new accommodation in the Southern Highlands, it’s certainly been reinvented. Shortlist this Bowral accommodation for the fact it offers easy access to a nearby golf course, horse riding tours, hiking trails and Bowral boutiques.

Don’t want to leave your studio suite hotel with a kitchenette and dining area? There are cycling trails onsite as well as an indoor pool and health club. While Bowral is popular with visitors year-round for its striking restaurant scene, and list of great things to do, it’s worth booking a stay to coincide with the annual Tulip Festival.

5. Maison de May

Best for: Babymooners or your first family holiday

the cottage exterior at MaIson de May, Bowral

This idyllic cottage offers the perfect cosy stay.

Someone flip the Dulux colour chart to Lilac Fluff. We have ourselves a violet undertone! Bowral has become a very desired locale for a weekend getaway from Sydney and Canberra. And this take on the whole dinky cottage experience has us forgetting all about roughing it in the great outdoors. Hell yeah we want to stay in the middle of nature but with our creature comforts, please/

As well as being near trails with riveting views, it’s a breeze to walk from the weatherboard cottage into Bowral. Just follow the curves of Cherry Tree Walk along the rivulet that runs from Maison de May into Bowral (pronounced Bahral dahling). In spring, the walk is awash in blossoms and people show up in their droves to Instagram them. The two-bedder (with portable cot) has a gas fireplace, wi-fi, chef’s kitchen and coffee machine.

Address: 17 Shepherd St, Bowral

6. Milton Park Country House Hotel

Best for: City slickers trying on a tree change for size.

Few NSW towns can rival the romance of Bowral in the Southern Highlands. Tiptoe through the tulips during the annual festival before bunkering down at the Milton Park Country House Hotel. Find a prime perch to watch the night settle over the landscape at dusk in bands of pink. Then head to Hordens Restaurant for mod Oz fare paired with exquisite Australian wines.

The hotel opens out onto manicured gardens filled with flowers and plants. There’s also a champagne high tea on offer overlooking the heritage-listed gardens.

7. Peppers Craigieburn Bowral

Best for: Golfing enthusiasts.

an elegant country estate at Peppers Craigieburn

Peppers Craigieburn offers a luxurious country experience.

Craigieburn is another elegant old country estate that’s part of the Peppers portfolio and just an easy five-minute drive from the centre of Bowral. It has 72 guestrooms across the arboreally named Elms and Morton wings. While some guestrooms have gorgeous French doors that open onto shaded balconies, others offer views of the golf course – which is a star attraction in its own right.

The nine-hole Craigieburn Hickory Golf Course is more than 100 years old and guests can look to resident golfing pros for help perfecting their swing. You can also try the hybrid game of foot golf, enjoy a round of tennis or play a game of billiards. And, when you’ve worked up an appetite, dine in Hickory’s Restaurant and Bar. Or arrange a laid-back picnic to be set up for you on the gracious grounds.

Address: Centennial Road, Bowral

8. Seidler House

Best for: Architecture buffs.

the Seidler House with panoramic bush views

Seidler House masters the art of indoor-outdoor living.

Seidler House is the most iconic private home built by the late Harry Seidler – Australia’s great modernist architect. Seidler House is built into rock face in the old Southern Highlands ghost town of Joadja, once a thriving mining town, 30 minutes’ drive west of Bowral.

Accommodating up to eight people, the sculptural accommodation masters the art of indoor-outdoor living. A member of the Contemporary Hotels portfolio, it has open-plan interiors with floor-to-ceiling windows affording dramatic views of the gorge below. There are also open fireplaces, expansive decks, gardens and a swimming pool.

Address: 612 Richards Ln, Joadja

9. The Old Bank Boutique Hotel

Best for: An escape to the country.

the interior of The Old Bank Boutique Hotel in Bowral

Stay in an old bank reimagined as a boutique hotel.

Stay in an old bank reimagined as a boutique hotel in the historic town of Mittagong, a few minutes’ drive from Bowral. The Old Bank Hotel, circa 1892, has six heritage-styled suites in the main building. Two come complete with balconies and each has an en suite, underfloor heating and individually designed woollen floor rugs. There are further digs in the shape of self-contained cottages and stables at the back of the property.

There’s plenty to explore on your doorstep in Mittagong by way of boutique stores and cafes. The Old Bank’s inviting chill-out spaces and dining room might just stop you in your tracks. This charming Bowral accommodation is filled to the brim with plump Chesterfield couches and armchairs, cosy fireplaces and eclectic rugs and furnishings.

Address: 83 Main Street, Mittagong

Best for: A weekend getaway for groups of foodies.

a close-up shot of the bed at Links House Hotel, Bowral

Links House was built in 1928 as a country guesthouse and was the first in Australia to have en suite bathrooms.

Links House was built in 1928 as a country guesthouse and was the first in Australia to have en suite bathrooms. In its latter-day incarnation as a small boutique hotel, it still offers the same relaxing experience today – albeit with updated facilities.

Links House, on the leafy fringes of town, has a range of rooms from king to family to pet-friendly and accessible suites. The styling is clean and contemporary, the decor by local designers and a stay at this Bowral hotel supremely comfortable. You’ll love the Australian-made mattresses with bamboo-made sheets. Guests at Links House can enjoy dinner at Ethos, one of the best restaurants in Bowral. The in-house eatery serves a seasonal menu and there are yoga sessions on Monday and Saturday mornings.

Address: 17 Links Road, Bowral

11. Little Black Cottage Studio, Mittagong

Best for: A romantic weekend away.

the entrance to the Little Black Cottage studio in Bowral

Retreat into a stylish studio with a dedicated workspace for digital nomads.

The Little Black Cottage Studio has character and charm in spades. The stylish studio is a standalone, retreat with garden views and lots of lovely nooks to relax in. The self-contained studio is part of a 114-year-old cottage property in a convenient location just a short walk from Mittagong Village and the train station.

The fact there are nature trails on the newly renovated studio’s doorstep makes the newly renovated Airbnb near Bowral one of the best places to stay in the Southern Highlands. There’s also a cute kitchenette, views of Mt Alexandria, a dedicated workspace for digital nomads and speedy wi-fi. The light and airy studio has a comfy sitting room and French doors that give way to a secluded courtyard with reclining sun chairs.

12. Bendooley Estate

Best for: Budding novelists or bookworms

the Bendooley Estate in Bowral

Opt for a lush stay in the countryside. (Image: Destination NSW)

You’ve probably heard of the Book Barn. It’s Berkelouw’s iconic home located on the geographically blessed Bendooley Estate with its sweeping Southern Highlands views. Here, an atmospheric cafe and restaurant reside among shelves of tomes old, new, rare and antiquarian with a big stone fireplace to boot.

But did you know you can also stay onsite? There’s a clutch of accommodation available to book: four individually designed studio cottages, a two-bedroom Book Barn Cottage – originally the gatekeeper’s lodge of the 1839 Bendooley Homestead – and the three-bedroom May Gibbs Cottage, which channels a contemporary style via its bespoke wallpaper and artwork, heated handmade tiles and deep free-standing bathtubs.

Address: 3020 Old Hume Hwy, Berrima

13. The Coach House at The Rift Estate

Best for: Equestrian enthusiasts.

The Coach House at The Rift Estate with a fireplace

Settle into a charming country estate.

Check into The Coach House at The Rift Estate for a luxurious stay that blends heritage with modern country chic. The former stables of a grand Victorian Italianate mansion are set at the base of Mt Gibraltar in Bowral.

Accommodating 13 people across six bedrooms and four bathrooms, this is the ultimate spot for special celebrations with family or friends. It has a fully equipped chef’s kitchen, and an al fresco entertaining area with barbecue and cosy fireplaces. Bathrooms boast claw-foot baths and underfloor heating.

When you’re not exploring Bowral, spend your days playing bocce and croquet on the lawn and wandering gardens ripe with fruit and veggies, herbs and flowers against a backdrop of rambling countryside.

14. Berida Hotel

Best for: A pampering stay.

an open door in the bedroom at Berida Hotel, Bowral

Historic elegance meets modern luxury.

With 43 rooms, this ivy-clad boutique hotel was built as a generously proportioned home in 1925 and is just a short walking distance to Bowral’s main street. It has all the hallmarks of a great Bowral stay: luxe guestrooms with a heritage flavour, elegant gardens to wander, open fireplaces, a library to curl up in with a good book and a tennis court and games room. But Berida Hotel also ups the ante with an indoor heated pool, spa and sauna.

There is a wide range of traditional pampering treatments at Berida Day Spa as well as some state-of-the-art technology.

Address: 6 David St, Bowral

15. The Hidden Door Bowral Cottage

Best for: A romantic weekend away.

the lounge area at The Hidden Door Bowral Cottage

This cosy cottage offers the perfect country escape.

The Hidden Door Bowral Cottage right in the centre of Bowral will steal your heart before you even cross the threshold with its chocolate-box-cute facade.

A century old and beautifully updated, this delightful little weatherboard cottage has one main bedroom with a king bed and a smaller second bedroom with a queen bed – all dressed in sumptuous linen. Its sister property, The Hidden Door Bowral Villa, can be booked alongside the cottage to accommodate groups of up to eight and is just as cosy and beautifully appointed.

Address: 17 Bundaroo St, Bowral

Discover the best restaurants to dine at while you’re in Bowral.