CafÉs & Restaurants in Leura

The Alexandra

Address: 62 Great Western Highway (just metres beyond The Mall)
Phone: 02 4782 4422

The Alex is a most unusual combination of casual and old Leura dining. Amidst pool tables and rock & roll, the bar serves up whopping burgers and fries. In the original and more formal dining room looking out across Jamison Valley, a spicy Thai Beef Salad and other international dishes are featured on the menu.

It is easy to imagine the grand old hotel, a hundred years ago, crowded with tired workers needing food and drink. This is a great spot for friends to meet and enjoy the new outdoor patio overlooking Leura.

Bakehouse on wentworth

bakehouse LeuraAddress: 206 The Mall
Phone: 02 4784 3588

This Parisian-style café finds life in an old 1917 building – home, in the early days of Leura, to a motor repair garage and petrol station. While the café has been lovingly restored under the watchful eye of Council, the space reveals its early incarnation.  Today old photos alongside new art (for sale) line the walls. Inside or outside, you can enjoy a pastry, a coffee or tea and the morning paper. What better way to start your day.

The bakers turn on the lights and open the doors at 6:30 a.m. Leura locals are often waiting, some sleepy-eyed, others ready for the day. When firemen and policemen show up without an emergency, you know the coffee must be great!

The Bakehouse staff serve up to 200 coffees daily and double that on a weekend day. Delicate pastries are always in high demand! So, it is little surprise that tables fill quickly – the café is brilliantly lit creating a welcoming ambience whether cloudy or sunny. The staff are friendly and fast, which adds to your enjoyment.

Now, returning to those yummy baked goods: specialty pies are also freshly cooked on the premises. The Bakehouse has a great reputation for tasty sourdough bread, Turkish bread and baguettes – pick up some bread or savoury pie for a picnic at nearby Bloom Park or take home a loaf of the fantastic walnut sourdough for dinner.

CafÉ Bon Ton Leura

Address: 192 The Mall
Phone: 02 4782 4377

Bon Ton Café & Restaurant captures a prominent corner of The Mall and Megalong Street. The treed terrace offers a charming shaded ambience for outdoor dining, and dining inside, with the fireplace aglow, is ideal on a winter’s day. When the weather permits, visitors often linger over an unhurried lunch on the terrace. Bon Ton opens daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the menu offers a wide variety of dishes from hearty soups and large salads to full mains and delicate desserts. As one would expect, the staff is courteous and attentive. Read more about Café Bon Ton’s history in the Leura Walking Tour & Guidebook.

bon ton

Hana Japanese Restaurant

Address: 121 The Mall
Phone: 02 4784 1345

The best kept restaurant secret in Leura is hidden away at the top of The Mall near the Great Western Highway intersection. Owner and chef, Shabata Takeshi oversees the small kitchen staff and they serve up traditional Japanese food you won’t want to miss. Attentive staff and great prices are additional benefits. Hana is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. (Credit cards)

Leura Deli

Leura DeliAddress: Arcade, Shop 4, The Mall
Phone: 02 4784 2703

You’re certain this is London! Perhaps you’ve arrived in New York’s Chelsea district? Or, Sydney’s Newtown. Tucked away in the Leura Arcade is a most enticing deli – the kind you rarely find outside these major cities. 

Choices are incredible and oh, so edible – Italian antipasti, pâtés, imported cheese, smoked salmon and aged meats – the makings of a perfect picnic or a fantastic meal in a Leura holiday cottage.

Like rows of uniformed toy soldiers, bottles of pastilles, mustard, pesto and jams stand at attention. Producing a colourful array, Yarra Valley oils and Italian vinegars line the shelves side by side and will impress even the most jaded connoisseur.  The variety that proprietors Julie and Peter Galea offer is remarkable. One last item: ask Julie about the innovative “packaged frozen margaritas or daiquiris” – certainly a conversation piece for any outdoor occasion.

Silk’s Brasserie Leura

Address: 128 The Mall
Phone: 02 4784 2534

If there is ‘upmarket’ on The Mall, Silk’s is it. Sophisticated, yet relaxed, this polished restaurant is famous for its wine list, exquisite food and proprietor Stewart Robinson’s eye for detail and service. The room’s warm ambience and high ceilings seem like a touch of Tuscany, and it is easy to see why legions of visiting Sydneysiders return time and again.

Silk’s is fully licensed and open daily for lunch and dinner. Best make a reservation as private parties or corporate clients often book the restaurant. (Credit cards)

Solitary Kiosk & Restaurant Leura

Address: 90 Cliff Drive
Phone: 02 4782 1164

This terrific spot for a break from the bush has a history stretching back to 1913, when it was known as the Leura Falls Kiosk. The building is heritage listed, and proprietors Georgia Shepherd and John Cross have created an historical museum in the current kiosk. Take a moment to look at the vintage photos, old letters and foodie reviews from years past.

Kiosk favourites among the hungry bushwalkers coming up off the track are a vegetarian plate of frittata, dips, cheese and olives, or a charcuterie plate which includes terrine and cured meats served with an assortment of breads. Those of us more sedentary types will drive over for a morning coffee merely to gaze out at the spectacular view of the escarpment and find ourselves lingering over lunch in the beautiful garden setting.

Now, let’s talk about evening dining at Solitary Restaurant. Listed for multiple awards in the Sydney Morning Herald, Solitary is classy and modern Australian in the best sense of the word. Dinner mains such as blue eye with Moreton Bay bug tails sautéed with ginger, julienne of vegetables and lobster bisque sauce is just one of several scrumptious offerings. Each month proprietor Georgia Shepherd features a “wine of the month” and Solitary patrons expand their exposure to both international and great domestic wines. Desserts are pure pleasure, so plan ahead!

The service is impeccable and reservations are recommended Wednesday to Sunday for dinner and weekends for lunch.

Wayzgoose

Address: 174 The Mall
Phone: 02 4784 1973

A favourite with the locals, Wayzgoose is renowned for its huge ‘Flower Pot Scones’ and ‘Wayzgoose Pot Pie.’ This kid friendly café has outdoor seating, fast friendly service and is open daily. The late afternoon crowd shows up for coffee, sweets and conversation with proprietor Mark Alchin and daughter, Rebecca. (Credit cards)

 

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