Food and drink
For breakfast and coffee BYNG STREET LOCAL STORE
47 Byng Street, Orange byngstreet.com.au
On a residential street, where nostalgic cottages are necklaced by latticework, chef Chris Tudor (ex Victor Churchill in Sydney) plates up modern classics in a cheery space. The Allpress Espresso coffee comes quickly. Seasonal sausages are made in-house and cycled on the menu. Cross your fingers for the luscious fennel-spiced and seared black sausage, balanced with perfect poached eggs and creamed spinach.
For lunch
RACINE RESTAURANT 42 Lake Canobolas Road, Nashdale racinerestaurant.com.au
In this upscale “tin shed”, you can drink in window-framed views of paddock, vine and sky while you dine on regional produce cooked imaginatively and attractively plated. An entrée of tender quail is sweetly earthy with parsnip and robust barley while river trout pops with squid-ink romesco as a main.
For dinner
SWEET SOUR SALT 179 Anson Street, Orange sweetsoursalt.com.au
Make an overworked palate snap back to attention with contemporary Asian served with handmade curry pastes, banging spice mixes and a colourful, electric atmosphere. Chilli-caramel son-in-law eggs are a flavour bomb, skewered beef zings with mint and cashew and wok-kissed greens feel like a tonic when you’ve overdone things a bit.
For taking home
WORD OF MOUTH WINES 42 Wallace Lane, Canobolas wordofmouthwines.com.au
Creative wine man (try the petit manseng) Peter Gibson is also a potter, turning and firing unique ceramics in the studio behind his memorable cellar door. Give yourself one of his finely crafted pieces or make your own at an occasional pottery workshop.