Here, kitchen gardens aren’t a trend, they’re part of a long-standing respect for the land.
Long before “farm-to-table” became a buzzword, local chefs and growers have been stepping out their kitchen doors to pick what they’d serve that day. Whether it’s grapevines or a kitchen garden, our passion for sustainability and caring for the land is part of who we are. If you’re after some of the freshest produce you’ll taste, venture to these hotspots that are serving fresh food from their own kitchen gardens
Margan Wines and Restaurant
At Margan Restaurant, the menu reads like a map of their garden, with the menu changing based on the fresh produce. Their one-hectare, sustainably farmed garden supports the fruit and vegetable needs of their dining room completely and is located just metres from the kitchen door and dining area. Sustainability and looking after the land guides Margan in everything they do, so it’s no surprise their restaurant is a pioneer of farm-to-table dining in the Hunter Valley, proudly serving farmed food and wine in Broke Fordwich since 2007. Alongside their estate grown wines, Margan presents as a truly unique and iconic dining experience. Lunch is served Thursday to Monday in their sandstone dining room overlooking Lizard Rock, one of the most significant landmarks in Broke. You can even explore the kitchen garden before you eat with their Ultimate Experience which includes an immersive garden experience followed by a three-course a la carte lunch.
”Currently we are using much of our late winter and spring produce; spigarello, romanesco, broad beans, asparagus, fennel, kohlrabi, strawberries, rhubarb and cabbage are all featured on our current menu. The beauty of working with the same garden year in year out (this is now my 6th spring here) is that you hone in on the things that work in the garden, but also on the plate together. For example, our charcoal grilled Murray Cod with asparagus and broad beans, Semillon beurre blanc and herbs is proving to be a popular dish.” - Margan Head Chef Harrison Roese
Harvest at Ridgeview
Another winery extending their sustainability practices to their on-site restaurant is Ridgeview. Named Harvest at Ridgeview after their garden to kitchen philosophy, the winery restaurant utilises estate grown produce from the vegetable patch and orchard throughout their menu. Harvest at Ridgeview serves a selection of modern Australian dishes with Italian flair to be enjoyed with their boutique selection of hand-picked wines. Enjoy a taste of burrata with garden grown vegetable salad and fried basil, butter sauce pan-fried gnocchi with garden vegetables and lamb rack with swede puree and honey glazed carrots picked straight from the garden. And, what would a winery restaurant be without a view, the dining room offers scenic views of the working vineyard below.
Circa 1876
The paddock-to-plate philosophy also guides the menu at Circa 1876. Their French provincial cuisine is deeply influenced by the fresh produce available in the on-site kitchen garden. The full-time gardener works closely with Chef Anthony Fullerton to plan and implement the seasonal planting schedule to match the kitchen’s needs. If you were to walk through their kitchen garden you’d find everything from fresh herbs to a wide range of vegetables including pumpkin, leeks, eggplant, capsicum, corn, and heirloom carrots, as well as strawberries and a variety of heirloom tomatoes. Surrounding the gardens are several lemon, lime and orange trees that provide both fresh fruit for the kitchen and garnishes for the bar. Their commitment to sustainability also extends to circular economy practices like all food scraps from the kitchen are composted and returned to the garden beds to enrich the soil. Their menu boasts popular favourites like seared scallops with cauliflower and crisp chorizo crumb and lobster bisque with Murray cod and prawns, local Adina mixed olives with herb grissini, and vanilla bean crème brûlée.
Locavore Restaurant
Tucked away in the charming grounds of voco Kirkton Park you will find Locavore Restaurant. Their ethos is to celebrate the incredible regional produce through “flavours of the landscape”. From the wine list, to the cheeses, to their onsite kitchen garden everything is about local seasonal produce. A dish that showcases this philosophy is their Binnorie Dairy Burrata, local handmade cheese served with garden-grown heirloom cherry tomatoes, house-made focaccia infused with estate rosemary, and finished with native basil–infused oil - delicious. They are open for dinner Friday and Saturday nights, 5:30pm to 9pm.
This blog was created by Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association.