Food Safari Hunter Valley

 

To make the most of my time in the Hunter Valley, I recently went on a Dining Safari Experience. This was a specially curated food tour that takes you to 5 different venues where you can taste food with a matching wine or other drink.

The Hunter Valley is known for its wine however, there are really tasty eateries in the region too. This Dining Safari Experience was great because you can visit multiple venues in one day and taste delicious food and wine in one go. The experience includes

• Transport to each venue via a mini bus
• 5 venues with food and wine (or cocktail/sake)
• A distillery tasting
• Small Gift
• $50 voucher per person to spend at one of the venues thereafter

All of this for $250. It's great because you get to try high quality food and wine and/or drink at each venue and you can choose your favourite venue to use a $50 voucher within 7 days. This is also great if you are not a big drinker - the focal point is not just wine.

I was staying at the Leisure Inn in Pokolbin which is in the central part of the Hunter Valley. The minibus picked us up right in front of the hotel.

Stop 1: The first stop is at Gold Fish Restaurant, a modern Australian restaurant. The first tasting was tacos. 

The tacos were huge, one was the flat head fish taco and one was a mushroom taco. The matching drink was a delicious cocktail, a classic margarita. This is a great way to kick off the food safari as the tacos were crispy, fresh and delicious. Who can say no to a margarita?

Stop 2: The next stop is Oishii, a Modern Asian fusion restaurant. I was presented with a beautiful Chef's selection platter. This platter was so flavoursome and a stand out for me. I love how clean and refreshing Japanese food is. The matching drink was sake. I love the intensity of a sake and how well it matched this Japanese chef's platter.

Stop 3: Next up, we are back on the bus and heading to Twine Restaurant which is an upmarket Modern Australian restaurant, known for their amazing views of the vineyard. 

I am spoilt by a rock lobster and prawn ravioli which was so decadently delicious. The matching wine was a Allandale Winery Single Vineyard 2024. What a beautiful match of food and wine. I loved the stunning views as well.

Stop 4: The next stop if the Blaxland Inn which is known for its high quality steaks and meat dishes. If you have a quick wander outside, you will also spot kangaroos and peacocks on the grounds too.

I love a good steak and really enjoyed the 21 day dry aged MB4+ scotch fillet with a potato purree and a red wine jus. This dish was matched with a Peterson House Still Shiraz. The full bodied shiraz highlighted the delicious taste of the scotch fillet.

Stop 5: It's dessert time but I'm sworn to secrecy. 

Stop 6: It's been such a relaxing day so far. We finish off with a distillery tasting at Small Mouth Distillery. There's beautiful glittery bottles of gin, vodka and liquers. You can choose which flavours to taste.  I taste a berry pink gin, a chocolate hazelnut vodka and a watermelon liquer. The others on the tour try multiples gins and vodkas!

Overall it's been such an amazing and relaxing day. I've enjoyed the food and wine (and cocktail/sake). It's been especially curated in a way that you get to experience the local talent in one day.  

I also received a small gift of gin, participation certificate and a $50 voucher to spend at my favourite venue. Amazing.

By the end, I am quite full, tipsy and happy. I am thankful for the transport to all the different venues and then back to the hotel.

I highly recommend, the next one kicks off 31st January 2026. Check it out.