As I write this, Greater Sydney is in lockdown again. The surrounding areas of Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour are also included in restrictions. Sooo being housebound for a while, I thought I’d share some of the lovely spots around Sydney where we’ve enjoyed a scenic lunch (in between 3 lockdowns) this past year. These would all make great places to head to for a bit of a treat out in the fresh air, whenever things start to reopen.

HAWKESBURY RIVER OYSTER SHED

Mooney Mooney on the Hawkesbury River, is a suburb in the Central Coast region of New South Wales. It’s only a 1 hr drive away if you live in the north of Sydney like JJ and I. Hawkesbury River Oyster Shed was one of the first places we dined at after COVID restrictions eased in mid-2020. All seating at the shed is outdoors and luckily I’d booked our table on a beautiful sunny late-winter day.

Their simple menu consists of fresh, high-quality oysters from the Hawkesbury River, prawns, lobsters, crabs, scallops and in-house smoked fish. There’s also a selection of sides, dressings and soft drinks available (BYO alcohol). After your seafood extravaganza, shells are collected to either be given to fish farms or returned back to nature. Usual opening hours are Friday to Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm and I can’t wait to revisit!

THE BOATHOUSE PALM BEACH

This waterside cafe and wedding venue located on Pittwater in Palm Beach is one of Sydney’s iconic restaurants with a view. Palm Beach is around an hour’s drive north of Sydney CBD, from my house it takes 40 mins. Fans of Aussie soap ‘Home and Away’ might recognise The Boathouse exterior as Alf’s Bait Shop.

With a varied menu to suit any appetite, casual atmosphere and a stunning setting, The Boathouse keeps me coming back time after time. It’s open 7 am – 4 pm daily (no bookings), be prepared to wait for a table on weekends. If you haven’t had too much of a boozy lunch, I recommend walking to Barrenjoey Lighthouse afterwards. My nieces loved this trek and did so well making their own way up the steep hill. Us grown-ups always enjoy the calorie burn too 🙂

COTTAGE POINT INN

A meal at Cottage Point Inn is amazing for special occasions. Situated on the northern edge of Sydney about a 50-minute drive from the city, this fine dining restaurant is also accessible by water and air. JJ and I gifted each other a Sydney by Seaplane ‘Fly and Dine’ experience for Christmas 2020. After being in lockdown #2 during the December holidays, this day trip was a fantastic belated new year’s celebration for us.

We chose four courses with wine pairings which were all seriously delicious. Service was excellent and every dish had exciting, mouthwatering flavour combinations. The outlook from Cottage Point across Cowan Creek towards Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park is just perfection. Our scenic flight to and from the restaurant was breathtaking as well, 10/10! Normally open for lunch and dinner, check their website for specific days and timings as they differ between summer and winter seasons.

It sounds so clichéd, but these travel restrictions have certainly made JJ and I more motivated to explore our home region. Now more than ever we appreciate all that Sydney and the State of New South Wales have to offer. There are worse places to be locked down for sure and I’m looking forward to being able to support local businesses again soon.

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