There was a time when Orange was apparently “the next big thing” in Australian food and wine. So that time is over – Orange has been home to the best restaurants and hotels for years now. Tucked into the cool-climate heart of Central West NSW, this country town has transformed into one of the country’s most exciting gourmet destinations. Here, winemakers rival the best in the business, chefs reimagine regional produce with playful precision, and boutique hotels restore heritage grandeur with a modern, design-led edge.
What makes Orange so irresistible is its blend of sophistication and soul. You’ll find polished dining rooms serving oysters beside live tanks and sparkling wines that give Champagne a run for its money. You’ll stumble across fibro shacks reimagined as soulful osterias, or heritage courtyards buzzing with locals on a Friday night. And when it comes time to turn in, you can choose between a velvet-draped boutique hotel, a stately 19th-century homestead, or a wine estate where the interiors are as memorable as the vintages.
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a longer escape, this is your definitive guide to Orange – where to eat, where to drink, and where to stay. Consider it your ticket to the very best of this flourishing food and wine capital.
STAY: Yallungah Boutique Hotel
The first thing you notice when you roll your suitcase up Yallungah’s tree-lined driveway is the house itself. A stately 19th-century red-brick homestead, built in 1896 by architect William Lamrock, standing proud with twin chimneys, arched verandas and that distinctive symmetry that makes heritage homes feel so commanding. At dusk, when the garden is washed in dusty light, it looks like something plucked straight from a period drama. But beyond the façade, Yallungah is more than a relic – it’s a boutique hotel that’s been boldly reimagined for 2025.
Acquired by the Travellers accommodation group in late 2024, Yallungah has become the crown jewel of a portfolio that also includes properties in Dubbo, Emerald and Bundaberg. The meticulous restoration honours the heritage architecture while adding a sleek modern extension, creating a seamless blend of history and contemporary elegance. “It’s more than a place to stay – it’s a refined, curated experience,” says Travellers Group Managing Director, Craig Smith.
Inside, the interiors are full of surprise. The Guest Lounge offers floor-to-ceiling windows framed by corten steel panels, bathing the space in dappled light. A green velvet sofa sits alongside graphic armchairs and colourful rugs, with shelves dotted with books and ceramics adding layers of personality. At one end, a grand fireplace flickers; at the other, low-slung modern tables invite you to stay and relax.
Across its 22 rooms and suites, Yallungah balances heritage detailing with bold, design-led touches. The main wing features Deluxe King, Queen and Twin Rooms, along with expansive Executive Suites boasting walk-through robes, double ensuites, freestanding soaking tubs and generous lounges. The original homestead houses unique heritage suites, including the distinguished Yallungah Suite with its marble fireplace, stately lounge and private balcony overlooking manicured gardens.
The Dining Room continues this dialogue between old and new. Original cedar details sit alongside contemporary colour, while curated Australian artworks – including a striking textile installation by Natalie Miller – transform the space into something closer to a gallery than a restaurant. By day it’s sunlit and airy; by night, it becomes intimate, hosting everything from high teas to long dinners overlooking the gardens. For business travellers, the Lamrock Boardroom provides an elegant meeting space that stays true to the building’s heritage roots.
Outside, upstairs and downstairs verandas are dressed with wicker lounges and patterned rugs, perfect for slow mornings with coffee or golden-hour wines. Lavender and hedges line the gardens, dotted with quiet nooks made for unhurried conversations. And tucked just off the driveway is Yallungah’s secret weapon: Ferment Wine Centre & Store, a cellar door and late-night bar pouring Orange’s finest cool-climate wines and small-batch gins.
What makes Yallungah feel more than just another boutique hotel is its connection to the community. The hotel works closely with regional artisans and producers to deliver an experience that feels both luxurious and rooted in place. It’s the kind of place you’ll be texting your girlfriends about before you’ve even checked out: the balcony suite, the wine bar, the art-filled dining room. More than a stay, it’s an experience – and a reason all on its own to plan a trip to Orange.
Go to yallungahhotelorange.com.au
EAT: The Union Bank Hotel
Housed in a grand 1857 sandstone building, The Union Bank is both a landmark and a love letter to Orange’s thriving food and wine scene. It’s also well worth driving to Orange just for this dining experience. Since taking the reins in 2019, Executive Chef Dom Aboud and General Manager Sarah Crowley – alumni of Rockpool Bar & Grill – have reimagined the historic bank into a venue that balances heritage with modern Australian dining.
The menu is generous, with share-friendly dishes that sing with spice, citrus, and smoke, underpinned by produce sourced from the surrounding region. Start with Sugar Mill ciabatta with whipped tallow or marinated olives, or more indulgent bites like chicken liver pâté with wine jelly and rhubarb, or bone marrow with salsa macha, cornichon, and chilli. Mains range from whole barramundi with smoked fish cream and prawns, to pork loin chop with char sui glaze, sirloin with miso bagna cauda, and Sir Thomas Beef spare ribs with peperonata. Sides – broccolini with smoked sesame and togarashi, chips with aioli, or mixed leaves with burnt honey – round out a menu designed for sharing and celebration.
Cocktails are equally delicious. Try a Negron-O with Parrot Dry Gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, an Old Fashioned with rye, bitters, and maple syrup, a signature Maggie Loves a Marg (classic, Tommy’s, or spicy), or a Nitro Espresso Martini to finish the night on a kick. Sweet endings include peanut butter brûlée with raspberry jam, an Ice Cream Sambo with orange, wattle seed, and macadamia, or the delicate UB Mille-Feuille with passionfruit and orange blossom.
The Schoolhouse Restaurant has earned a Good Food Guide Chef’s Hat two years running – and you’ll quickly realise why. The award-winning wine list highlights benchmark Orange producers alongside Australian and international classics, making it as much a destination for vinophiles as food lovers. Whether enjoying the leafy courtyard with a local chardonnay, or enjoying an intimate dinner surrounded by history, it offers an unforgettable experience of region, heritage, and heart.
EAT: Printhie Dining
There are winery restaurants, and then there’s Printhie. Driving up through the Orange hills, past rows of vines with Mount Canobolas looming in the background, you already know this is going to be good. By the time you step along the landscaped path and see the sleek, modern cellar door – concrete walls softened by wild grasses and autumnal trees – you’ve decided Printhie won’t let you down. And that’s before a single glass has even been poured.
Inside, the design balances polish with warmth. The dining room is all clean lines and natural light, streaming through vast windows that frame vineyard views. Timber tables are paired with caramel leather chairs, while a striking sculptural ceiling installation ripples above like a soft cloud. Shelves dotted with preserves and greenery add homely detail, while the overall effect is contemporary without being intimidating. It’s the kind of place you can arrive in heels or trainers and feel equally at home.
For those after something more intimate, the private cellar is a design moment all on its own. Tucked away behind concrete walls, a long dining table sits beneath pendant lighting, flanked by shelves stacked with Printhie’s sparkling bottles. It feels secretive, indulgent, and a little bit cinematic – the perfect setting for a long lunch or special celebration.
The menu, meanwhile, is serious about flavour. Everything is seasonal, tied closely to what’s growing in the region (and even in the property’s own veggie patch). But there’s a playfulness in presentation. Starters like lamb shoulder dumplings, braised for two days, are comfort food dressed up as fine dining. The cured rainbow trout cone, served in hand-carved applewood holders from the estate orchard, has become a Printhie signature. Even if you’re not the type to Instagram your food, you’ll have your camera out.
And then, the oysters. Yes – ridiculously fresh oysters in Orange. Instead of outsourcing, Printhie built its own live oyster tank on-site. The custom set-up keeps Sydney Rocks happily bathed in Clyde River water, driven inland every few weeks. They’re shucked to order and served with a floral banksia nectar vinaigrette. Pair them with a glass of Swift’s award-winning 2016 Vintage Sparkling, and you’ve got one of the best food-and-wine matches in the country.
Speaking of sparkling, Printhie’s fizz is a revelation. The 2016 Vintage, aged on lees for eight years, has just picked up trophies in both Sydney and Queensland. It’s layered with citrus, red-fruited pinot depth, and that unmistakable brioche richness – the kind of wine that makes you rethink loyalty to French labels.
But what makes Printhie truly memorable is the way it connects every detail back to place. The flowers on your plate were clipped from the garden that morning. The trout cones sit in holders carved from orchard applewood. Every vineyard block is planted with varietals matched to Orange’s soils and microclimates. Even the oysters tell a story about ambition and innovation.
So yes, the food is outstanding. Yes, the sparkling is world-class. And when you leave Printhie, you’ll spend the rest of your trip reliving the experience and wishing you could do it over and over again.
EAT: The Peacock Room & Bela Vista Bar
There’s a new name to know in Orange dining: Tiziano Botta. Swiss-born, raised on the Aussie west coast, and with a CV that spans Europe, Asia and the Middle East, he’s the new head chef at The Peacock Room and Bela Vista Bar inside the retro-chic Oriana hotel.
The Peacock Room has always been theatrical, but in the best possible way. Step inside and you’re met with a space that feels part old-world supper club, part modern stage set. Jewel-toned velvet chairs line tables decorated with cut-crystal lamps, opulent glass chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and at the centre of it all is a dramatic mural of peacocks in emerald and sapphire hues. Basically, nothing about this room is designed to fade into the background.
There’s an atmosphere here that feels celebratory, even midweek. It’s glamorous, yes, but not intimidating – more like a dinner party where the host is just super fabulous.
Under Botta, the menu matches the drama of the setting. There’s seafood vol-au-vent and lamb saddle roulade which is filled with spinach and water chestnuts, and you won’t forget the twice-baked lemon soufflé which is so light and fluffy. Classic European dishes are reimagined with Orange’s produce.
Next door, the Bela Vista Bar keeps the same spirit – jewel tones, retro glamour, oversized cocktails. It’s where you’ll want to start (or end) the night. What did I think? The Peacock Room is dining turned into theatre. It’s bold, opulent, and totally joyful. Definitely put it on your list.
EAT: Fiorini’s Osteria Italiana
Some restaurants are polished within an inch of their lives – marble counters, mood lighting, Instagram-perfect tableware. You know the type. Fiorini’s is not that. Tucked into what looks like a fibro shack on the outskirts of Orange, this osteria could easily be overlooked. But step inside and you’ll discover one of the warmest, most soulful dining experiences in town.
The sage-green corrugated iron exterior, with its rustic garden beds setting the tone before you even walk through the door. Inside, the intimacy is immediate. Dark green timber panelling frames rustic wooden tables. The walls are dotted with vintage paintings and eclectic artwork, pieces that feel like they were chosen with love rather than by a decorator. Sunlight filters through wide windows. There’s beautiful antique furniture throughout. It feels cosy and simple, as if you’re dining in someone’s home rather than a restaurant (that’s exactly the point).
Hospitality is in Fiorini’s DNA. Originally opened in 2007, the restaurant was revived in 2024 by Kelly Fedeli, who bring a DIY warmth to every detail, from the handpicked antique furniture to the personal welcome at the door. In 2025, the team gained even greater momentum with the arrival of Simonn Hawke, a celebrated chef of Lolli Redini and Birdie fame. With multiple hats to her name and a deep relationship with Orange’s local producers, Hawke’s appointment feels like a coup for the region.
The kitchen is open, both literally and philosophically. From the first clang of pans, you can see the team at work, crafting plates that bridge Italian flavours with the best of local seasonality. Hawke works alongside sous chef Mirko, and together they create food that’s led by a simple philosophy. And that is, if it’s not fresh, it doesn’t make the cut.
On the menu, expect Italian classics reimagined with both respect and creativity. The burrata with melon and prosciutto is creamy, sweet, salty. Lamb cutlets are charred and juicy. With Orange’s cool-climate varietals well represented, there’s also no shortage of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz to pair with hearty fare.
What really sets Fiorini’s apart is the magic is in the details: the paddock to plate approach, the charming antiques, the rustic setting, the sound of the kitchen buzzing in the background, and of course, the fact that everything is homemade and local. It’s a place that invites you to slow down, and of course, to return again and again.
Book at fiorinis.com.au
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