Come hungry to this sprawling Southern Highlands farm.
Three Blue Ducks Burradoo has been crowned New Restaurant of the Year at the 42nd Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide awards, held at Sydney’s Carriageworks on Monday.
Set inside a restored 1823 farmhouse on the sprawling 242-hectare Burradoo Park Farm, the paddock-to-plate restaurant opened in June 2026, with a menu shaped by seasonal produce grown onsite. The multi-venue farm is just a five-minute drive from Bowral – recently named Australia’s best country town.
The win comes after Three Blue Ducks Burradoo earned a preview rating of 16.5/20 and two Chef Hats in the Good Food Guide’s September 2026 edition, marking it as one to watch on the NSW dining scene.
Three Blue Ducks Burradoo has won New Restaurant of the Year. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
Since opening its now-closed Bronte café in 2010, the Three Blue Ducks brand has steadily expanded its footprint across Australia, with outposts stretching from Byron Bay to Bellingen. But despite its established presence on the country’s dining scene, Burradoo marks the brand’s first-ever win at the Good Food Guide awards.
The awards celebrate outstanding dining destinations across NSW, with the Guide’s coveted three-hat rating system widely regarded as a benchmark for excellence in Australian dining.
What makes it a winner?
Head chef Rhys Connell and group executive chef Troy Criante. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
A look inside the main dining room, set in a historic farmhouse. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
Farm-to-table is the ethos here. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
Co-owned by Darren Robertson (former Tetsuya’s head chef) and MasterChef Australia winner Andy Allen, Three Blue Ducks Burradoo champions a hearty, regenerative agricultural philosophy expressed through sophisticated techniques.
Following the awards announcement, the Good Food Guide described the restaurant as “One of the most exciting openings of the past 12 months that also has a fresh point of view and captures the moment in the broader restaurant scene."
Former Quay head chef Troy Crisante runs the kitchen here with Rhys Connell, who held senior roles at three-hatted Sepia. The pair’s set-menu experience is crafted around what grows and grazes on the regenerative onsite farm – a tactic that has clearly impressed in-the-know gourmands and produces plates that are as comforting as they are delicious.
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What’s on the menu?
The Cover Crop salad is a clever smaller course. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
Enjoy Australian white lamb with sheep's yogurt and shiso. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
Lavender, quince and rhubarb is for dessert. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
Guests of Three Blue Ducks Burradoo are treated to an ensemble of elevated farm-to-table dishes.
The $210 Harvest Menu, available for lunch and dinner, is an inventive eight-course journey exploring flavours of the land and sea. Think Australian white lamb flavoured with shiso and sheep’s yogurt, sorrel stem with Sydney rock oysters and native pepper, and a lavender dessert with quince and rhubarb. If you happen to still be hungry (the chances are slim), you can choose to add on the likes of dry aged beef with bone marrow and mustard or a final course of honeycomb, hazelnut and Long Paddock cheeses.
The $175 Field Menu (lunch only) is a smaller iteration of the Harvest Menu, with six courses.
And for non-meat eaters, vegetarian menus are available too, featuring kalibos cabbage sprinkled with macadamia, crème fraîche potato with caramel and an entree of puntarelle, parsnip and chilli.
What else can you do at Burradoo Park Farm?
The Burradoo Park Farm is a 600-acre regenerative farm in the NSW Southern Highlands.
While Three Blue Ducks may be the calling card for foodies, there’s a whole day’s worth of family-friendly things to do at Burradoo Park Farm.
Start your morning with coffee and oven-warm sourdough goods at The Bakehouse, learn about sustainable farm as you walk around the working farm and explore the beautiful cut flower garden. Then say hello to the piglets and highland cows in the paddocks before joining an educational gardening workshop or visiting the Insect Institute to discover the essential yet often-overlooked role insects play in farming.
There’s also a nature-inspired playground where kids can burn energy, small-batch scoops at the Gelato Store and hands-on activities at the Innovation Stables.
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How to get to Three Blue Ducks Burradoo
The restaurant is set on a sprawling working farm near Bowral. (Credit: Kitti Gould)
Three Blue Ducks Burradoo is located at 6 Railway Road, Burradoo NSW, just minutes from Bowral and 1.5 hours’ drive from Sydney. Currently, there is no general pedestrian-only access permitted through the front gates; visitors must park in the main car park or use the designated shuttle that departs from the nearby overflow car park. The farm is conveniently located next to Burradoo Train Station, which offers a direct service from Sydney’s Central Station and Canberra Train Station.
Entry to the farm is free, but general admission tickets are required on selected days and events, so check the website before visiting.
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or hunting down Sydney's cosiest cafes.
A great night out doesn’t need a road trip, just the right bar. Swap the long drive for an evening at these standout Sydney venues.
If you’re thinking of a staycation or a long weekend (with foodie benefits), you can’t get much better than the bright lights and beautiful vistas of Sydney. From tucked-away bars to late-night hidden hangs, Australia’s (unofficial) favourite city is packed full of venues that make staying local feel like an adventure.
1. El Vista, Circular Quay
Enjoy tasty cocktails and gorgeous Sydney views. (Credit: Mario Francisco)
This welcoming bar by the Maybe Sammy team offers a fun buzz and jaw-dropping harbour views. Part of the Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, this lounge bar sits above Circular Quay with the harbour on one side and the Botanical Gardens on the other. You may start here for pre-dinner drinks, but you won’t want to leave before the early hours. If the 1960s Acapulco vibe isn’t enough, the views will be – the Sydney Harbour Bridge is so close it hardly fits in the window, while ferries glide by all night.
2. Bar Allora, CBD
Settle in for a taste of Italy.
Inspired by Milan in the 1980s, Bar Allora brings Italian style and culture to the CBD. Although it’s officially part of the Mantra 2 Bond Street hotel, it’s designed to look and feel like you’ve travelled to Italy for all-day dining. Think espresso in the morning, aperitivo in the afternoon and Negronis late into the night. Accompany your liquid diet with Italian-style small plates and pastas with a modern twist.
3. Percy, Pyrmont
Spanish-style tapas and wine is the name of the game. (Credit: Steven Woodburn)
Taking centre stage in the luxe foyer of the Woolstore 1888 Hotel in Pyrmont, Percy is a popular Spanish-style tapas and wine bar serving food that makes you want to linger. The restored 138-year-old wool store creates an atmospheric backdrop to your glass of merlot with exposed timber beams, brick and the echoes of Sydney’s past. With an air of Barcelona, expect low conversations, creative dining and the city moments away.
4. The Crudo Bar at Flaminia, CBD
Seafood lovers should head to The Crudo Bar. (Credit: Nikki To)
Grab a seat at the beautifully designed crudo bar, taking centre stage in Giovanni Pilu’s latest CBD restaurant, Flaminia. Enjoy a glass of chilled Vermentino from Sardinia or prosecco from the hills of Treviso, matched with freshly shucked oysters. Complement your seafood with a range of special dressings, influenced by iconic Italian port cities. It’s the perfect spot for a pre- or post- glass of wine before visiting the Sydney Opera House.
5. Mee So, Sydney Central
Enjoy Japanese-influenced food and drinks.
For something a little different, Mee So is a modern, neon-lit Japanese-influenced bar in the Ibis Sydney Central. Serving bold flavours and umami-heavy dishes alongside sake and yuzu-infused cocktails, this Tokyo-esque venue offers an escape from the busy streets outside. Order steaming ramen, a Japanese whisky, and make a corner of Mee So yours for the night.
6. Bar Morris, Haymarket
Settle into old-world European glamour.
Housed in a 1929 heritage-listed building, Bar Morris brings old-world European glamour to the Hotel Morris Sydney, part of Accor’s Handwritten Collection. More of a destination than a pitstop, this bar leans into its Art Deco past with velvet features, intimate lighting and bold brass finishes. Here you can order smaller plates like burrata, cured meats, and seasonal seafood to match your martini.
7. Pumphouse, Darling Harbour
Enjoy a tipple inside a building from the 1880s.
When you first walk into Pumphouse, you’ll quickly notice the high ceilings, exposed brick and industrial-style decor. Officially part of the busy Novotel Darling Square, this busy local hang doesn’t feel like it; it’s housed inside a former hydraulic pumping station from the 1880s – hence the name – and is a local institution. Grab a seat if you can and order off the classic modern Australian menu, before trying one of the many craft beers on tap to wash it down.
8. Wentworth Bar, CBD
Drink where the celebrities once did.
Designed for big groups and late-night cocktails, this open-air terrace bar is part of the Sydney Sofitel Wentworth – one of Sydney’s most iconic hotels. Once the watering hole of royals and celebrities, this mid-century building has recently been refurbished to be sleek, modern and inviting. The stunning rooftop bar attracts Sydneysiders who love to watch the sunset with a table full of Vietnamese and French-inspired dishes.
9. Monica Rooftop Bar, Paddington
See the city skyline, drink in hand.
Sitting pretty on top of a restored 110-year-old theatre, Monica is a Hollywood-style rooftop bar with views across Paddington and the city skyline. Part of the 25hrs The Olympia hotel, this isn’t a quick drink kind of place; it’s a ‘let’s stay all night’ kind of venue. Weekend DJs will take you from sunset to late-night conversations, while you graze on ceviche, grilled meats or sharing plates.
