Casual elegance
There’s a new kid on the block in the Toowoomba dining scene, and it is making big waves. Owner and head chef Clayton Costigan opened Bergen Toowoomba in Walton Stores in midOctober and the smart casual restaurant is proving a popular destination for foodies seeking quality, fresh food in a relaxed atmosphere.
Clayton brings more than two decades of experience in the Toowoomba restaurant scene, 15 of which was cooking in a fine dining establishment.
Bergen Toowoomba, which is named after the family farm he loved to visit near Armidale in NSW, also means ‘meadow between the mountains’, which Clayton sees as fitting for a Toowoomba restaurant.
Open for lunch and dinner, the menus are an eclectic mix of delicious, clean recipes.
Some favourite dinner items include the sand crab and prawn linguini, the handmade gnocchi and the Kilcoy rib fillet steak.
Clayton says the casual but inviting, relaxed atmosphere is ideal for intimate dining, and it is ideal for business lunches and small groups getting together.
“It’s a small menu at this stage but we have plans to expand it,” Clayton said. “We want to do good food and do it well.”
The intimate nature of Bergen makes it ideal for couples looking to go out for a quiet meal before going to a show or a movie, or to celebrate something.
The venue is a great place for a small gathering for the Christmas party season, with the option of booking for up to 25 in a group, or booking out the entire venue for a larger group.
Clayton’s wife, Katrina, owns Uva Wine bar, also in Walton Stores, so the restaurant has a nice wine list to perfectly complement the food.
The two businesses also tie together nicely, with patrons being able to enjoy a drink at Uva before, or after, their meal at Bergen.