Life with Bees

Simex has friends coming to Canberra. I haven't posted to the blog in a while. So here's a list of suggestions for places to eat as you take a visiting friend around the capital. Most of the places are picturesque, slightly glam (by Canberra standards) or in lovely surroundings such as the national institutions. Those that aren't have been chosen for passably pleasant food. Making the list is good practice for when friends come to visit from interstate or abroad. Yes, there are too many places to eat than most people will have time for. But hopefully there are enough options to work with any Canberra itinerary, so no matter what you do you'll find a nice place to eat alongside it.


In the Parliamentary Triangle
- Friday night drinks at the meat market (OPH courtyard)
- Brunch and shopping at Old Bus Depot Markets and then Kingston Glassworks
- Coffee on the outdoor terrace at Bookplate Cafe in National Library
- Sculpture Garden and Regard cafe or restaurant at the NGA
- Parly and Manuka – cafes on the Lawns, Verve, Pangaea or Ginseng
- Drinks at the Belgian Beer Cafe, Realm or Press Club (the Chair Sniffer cocktail)
- Lennox Gardens and long elegant high tea at the Hyatt
- The Oaks Brasserie at Yarralumla nursery if you like trees
- Views from Onred, Red Hill
- Feel smug at Silo Bakery, Kingston
- The Brodburger van at Bowen Park, on the lakeside


City
- Floriade, including High Tea at the Lotus Lounge and don't forget NightFest
- Ice cream martinis and desserts at Koko Black
- Tapas and drinks at Parlour Wine Room, New Acton and more drinks at Wig and Pen
- National Museum and coffee on the terrace at Axis
- Lunch at Alto, Black Mountain Tower, or cheaper view and food at Mt Ainslie cafe


The Poachers Way
- Smokehouse Cafe at Poachers Pantry and Germanic goodness at Country Guesthouse Schonegg, Murrumbateman
- All the wineries: Clonakilla, Shaw, Lambert, Wily Trout (at Poachers Pantry), Helm, Dionysus
- And the randomness of Gold Creek on the way out to Hall/Murrumbateman
- Murrumbateman Moving Feast in October long weekend.


Outside Canberra: Bungendore and Goulburn
- Beer at the Carrington Inn, Bungendore
- French food at Le Tres Bon, Bungendore
- Lark Hill, Bungendore's biodynamic winery
- Cute at the Roses Cafe or greasy spoon at the Paragon Diner, Goulburn
- Mulled wine and coffee at Lerida Estate, Lake George


The Southern Highlands
- Lunch at the faux colonial Elephant Boy Cafe, Bowral
- High tea and wine tasting at Centennial Vineyards, Bowral
- Super posh dinner at Horderns, Milton Park Hotel, Bowral
- Or more posh dinner at Katers, Peppers Manor House, Sutton Forest
- The giant barn at Berkelouw Books, Berrima
- Walk: Fitzroy, Carrington, Belmore Falls