The Best Hunter Valley Restaurant to Visit During Your Next Getaway

As the cold weather sets in, there's nothing quite like enjoying a warm and hearty meal with a glass of red wine in hand. And if you're looking for the best restaurants in the Hunter Valley to do just that, you won't want to miss the dining options at Brokenwood Wines.

Here, we explore everything about drinks and dinner Hunter Valley style, including: 

• The Wood Restaurant’s new menu
• Seasonally paired wines
• Inspiration from Executive Chef Sean Townsend
• Cosy corners to enjoy a bite and sip at Cellar Door
• Private Dining Rooms for bespoke functions

The Wood Restaurant

If you're looking for cosy and intimate Hunter Valley restaurants, look no further than The Wood Restaurant located in our Cellar Door. With an open kitchen, warm lighting and comfortable seating overlooking the lush lawns of our Cellar Door, this restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a delicious meal with loved ones. 

Opening Hours

The Wood Restaurant is now open for lunch Friday-Tuesday from 11am, and for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 6pm. 

For guests visiting for lunch on Wednesday or Thursday, Terrace Wine Bar has you covered for all your wining and dining needs.

New Seasonal Menu

Wondering where to eat in the Hunter Valley? You’ve come to the right place. Yet another reason to visit our Cellar Door this winter is The Wood’s revamped seasonal menu – but it doesn’t stop there. We’ve taken a step back from our traditional set four course menu and opened up a whole table full of scrumptious possibilities to suit every palate. Our expert sommeliers are of course still here to take the pressure out of pairing, so all you need to do is select your delicious dishes and we’ll do the rest.

Dinner in the Hunter Valley includes:

• Small plates
• Large plates
• Sides
• Desserts
• Executive Chef-selected a la carte menu

The Wood Restaurant’s new winter menu is truly a fine diner’s version of heaven, and features some of the best food the Hunter Valley has to offer. ‘Our philosophy is curating an authentic farm-to-table experience,’ says Executive Chef Sean Townsend. ‘We want to showcase the local producers and ingredients to craft the best seasonal dishes for our guests.’

Whet your appetite with some of our favourites from this season’s menu, including their perfect Hunter Valley wine pairings:

Seasonal Menu Dish	Pair With
Sydney Rock Oysters	2022 Hunter Valley Semillon
Hand rolled potato gnocchi	2022 Chardonnay
Grilled Hunter Valley Spatchcock with hazelnuts, thyme and lemon	2021 Indigo Vineyard Pinot Noir
Wood fired Armidale Barnsley Chop with roasted beetroots and salsa verde	2022 Tempranillo
Daintree chocolate mousse with raspberries and hazelnuts	2017 Sticky Wicket Semillon

You can view the full menu here.

Inspiration from Executive Chef Sean Townsend

At the heart of Brokenwood's dining scene, the man behind the magic, is Executive Chef Sean Townsend. With a passion for using the freshest locally sourced ingredients, Sean creates dishes that not only look as picture perfect as the rolling vineyards outside, but that also showcase the unique and often unparalleled flavours of the region. 

Bring in Senior Winemaker Stuart Hordern to tweak and suggest according to our best-in-season wines, and you've got the recipe for one of the best Hunter Valley restaurants.

'Stuart and I have worked closely together for months,' says Sean. 'Certainly at Brokenwood, you can't have great food without great wine. Pairings are what we do best, and we want to showcase that.'

For Sean, inspiration comes from a variety of sources. Sometimes it's the ingredients themselves that spark an idea, while other times he draws inspiration from the changing seasons and the vast Hunter Valley landscape. He's also constantly exploring new cooking techniques to accompany his masterful French cuisine skills, as well as unique flavour combinations to keep his menus fresh and exciting. Sean exudes culinary innovation at its finest, and there’s a reason he produces some of the best food the Hunter Valley has to offer. 

Curiously, one of Sean’s favourite ingredients to work with is the humble carrot. 'Carrots are just so versatile,' he insists. 'You can roast them, braise them, pickle them, even make a carrot cake.' 

This is just one example of the pride and joy Sean, and in fact all of us at Brokenwood feel towards the on-site Chef's Gardens. Sean has played a major role in amping up our sustainability practices by using homegrown herbs and vegetables from our three carefully tended plots. 'It adds something more to a dish,' says Sean. 'You can taste the farm-to-table experience there on your plate.'

Cosy Corners at Cellar Door

If you're looking for a more intimate setting, our Cellar Door has you covered. Whether seeking a secluded spot on our Terrace Wine Bar to drink in views of the sweeping vineyards, or preferring to cosy up in the warmth on one of our plush sofas, our Pokolbin home is the perfect place to get toasty with a glass of your favourite.

Keep a lookout for these extra cosy corners during your next visit, all in close proximity to one of the best restaurants in the Hunter Valley:

• Sofa by the fireplace
• Secluded lounge overlooking the barrel room
• Private dining rooms for intimate gatherings
• Brokenwood museum upstairs, currently transformed into our Twenty70 tasting loft apartment 

Take a Seat by the Fireplace

Wander inside our Cellar Door, order a glass or two of your favourite wine, and stroll towards The Wood Restaurant. Look to the right and you’ll see a beautiful fireplace and sofa right in front of the crackling warmth. With floor-to-ceiling windows beyond that overlook our lawns and spectacular Hunter Valley sky, this little spot is the definition of cosy!

Private Dining Rooms

Planning something special? We highly recommend reserving one of our Halliday & Beeston Private Dining Rooms for the ultimate bespoke Brokenwood experience. The rooms offer picturesque views of the working barrel room and the Brokenwood museum. 

These areas can be easily customised according to your event requirements and serve as an ideal intimate setting for private dining or corporate meetings. Whether you're planning a sit-down meal or a stand-up event, these versatile spaces can be modified to suit your needs.

Step outside and be welcomed by yet another tucked away gem. Our lounge area is situated directly above the barrel room, and with some of the cosiest armchairs around, you’ll be hard pressed to leave!

Visit the Best Hunter Valley Restaurant

If you're planning a getaway to the beautiful Hunter Valley this season, we can't recommend a visit to our Cellar Door enough! Indulge your senses at The Wood Restaurant with a brand new modern seasonal menu and perfectly paired wines. Sink into cosy corners for a glass of vino by the fire, or book an intimate function in one of our Private Dining Rooms to really get to know our wines and culture. 

From the beautiful scenery to the incredible food and wine, there's something for everyone at Brokenwood Wines. So come on down and experience the magic of the best restaurants the Hunter Valley has to offer!