top-restaurants-and-foodie-experiences-in-the-riverina

Top Restaurants

Around 60% of people in Griffith are Italian, so there will be many restaurants that celebrate la dolcevita. The Piccolo Family Farm is the source of much of the food served at fine-dining Limone. Zecca offers a daily menu of regional Italian cuisine. There is also a small store where you can buy pasta and other items to take home.

Wagga Wagga and The Oakroom Kitchen & Bar focus on local ingredients. Dishes like Junee Gold Lamb Backstrap with Sumac or pumpkin and ricotta rotolo served with asparagus, chimmi churi, and Mr Lawrence serves up a variety of delicious dishes, including fried Murray Cod burgers with pine nut slaw, sriracha sauce, and sticky Pork Belly Tacos. Pastorale By Meccanico is hidden away in the heritage-listed Riverine Club. The menu changes according to the season.

Magpies’ Nest is located on the outskirts in a beautiful stone stable with views of olive groves. The day can be finished with a drink from Birdhouse Bar.

Café culture

Wagga’s cafe culture is booming. Visit The Blessed Bean, Fitzmaurice Cafe, Artisan Baker, or Trail St Coffee Shop. The Trail Street Coffee Shop brews coffee from Wagga Wagga’s Full Circle Coffee Roasters. You can enjoy The Brew for brunch, lunch, or breakfast.

Bertoldo’s Pasticceria, a fourth-generation bakery in Griffith, offers delicious oven-fresh baked bread, biscotti, and gelato.

Food Festivals

More than 90% of NSW citrus is grown in the Riverina. Griffith Spring Fest is a celebration of abundance every October. You can see 100,000 oranges being transformed into artworks like a castle, grand piano, or robot. Taste Riverina offers a variety of events throughout the year, from farm foraging to long lunches.

The Tumbarumba Tasty Festival is held every year in October. This festival showcases the cool-climate region’s vineyards and local produce. In February, look for Tumbafest, which will showcase Tumbarumba chardonnays, pinot gris, and other local wines in its Wine Courtyard. The market offers local produce as well as tasty snacks.

The Leeton Sunrice Festival is held every second Easter to celebrate this. There is a parade on the street, a long lunch, and other activities.

Food tours and cooking classes

It can be not easy to choose from the many food and wine options available in the Riverina. Book a food and wine tour in Griffith with Bella Vita Riverina Tours if you are unsure where to begin or prefer to have someone else do the driving. You can then relax while a local guide takes you to the best of the region.

A Food I Am Cooking class will teach you local secrets and the best chefs in Australia. The course is held on a hilltop with stunning views of Wagga.

Local Produce & Markets

The retail outlet of Aquna Sustainability Murray Cod in Griffith offers a wide range of gourmet products, including cured meats and smoked or fresh cod. The rich soils of the Riverina produce an abundance of citrus, grapes, hazelnuts, and olives. Take a trip to Catania Fruit Salad Farm in a quirky, open-air bus and sample seasonal fruits and nuts straight from the trees.

Take the scenic route via Coolamon to July for your next culinary adventure. You can learn how to make cheese in a workshop at Coolamon Cheese with cheesemaker Jenn. Or, you can pick up some artisanal cheeses for your picnic.

When you arrive in Junee, give your inner child (or real one) a treat at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. It is housed in an old four-story flour mill from 1930. Enjoy a hot drink at the Millroom Restaurant after a tour of the factory, where you can see organic licorice being made. Visit the Junee Rotary Sunday Market on the first Sunday of each month to find a wide range of delicious, fresh products from the Eastern Riverina.

In Wagga Wagga, the Riverina Producers Market takes place every Thursday at the Showground. You can also meet local farmers and enjoy fresh orange juice made from navel or Valencia oranges. There are a variety of other products available, including juicy lamb and beef cuts, that would be perfect for barbecues. Shop for artisan cheeses and local jerky at The Knights Deli or award-winning olive oil and table olives from Wollundry Grove Olives.