The Best Set Menus & Deals Under $100 in the Southern Highlands
So, what are the best cheap eats in the Southern Highlands?
The likes of Bowral and Berrima aren’t exactly known for being a cheap place to eat, however there still are plenty of affordable restaurants in the Southern Highlands, and if you look a beyond the hatted tables, you’ll discover a fine selection of excellent Southern Highlands restaurant deals.
We're talking express lunches at some of Bowral's best restaurants, early dining menus at the coolest French eatery in town, pub specials, pizza nights and set menus that let you experience excellent Southern Highlands restaurants for under $100 per person.
So, whether you're looking for affordable restaurants in Bowral, a good-value date night or simply want to eat exceptionally well without the special-occasion price tag, these are the deals worth knowing about.
Need a little extra planning help? We’ve put together our ideal 48 hours, where to eat, where to stay and exactly what to do. Jump straight there: Weekend Itinerary
11 Affordable Restaurants & Dining Deals in the Southern Highlands
1. Julienne – $35 Express Lunch
Best for: A weekday lunch that feels considerably more expensive than it is
Price: $35pp express lunch
At just $35 per person, Julienne's weekday express lunch is one of the first places we'd look when searching for good-value restaurants in the Southern Highlands.
Rather than compromising on where you eat, the trick here is when you eat. Julienne gives you a chance to experience one of the area's best dining rooms at lunchtime for considerably less than you might expect to spend over a long dinner.
2. Lucette at 5 – $45pp
Best for: Affordable date night
Price: $45pp
Here's another secret to eating well in the Highlands for less: embrace the early dinner.
Lucette's Lucette at 5 offering comes in at $45 per person, making it an excellent option when you want a proper night out without turning dinner into a major financial event.
And frankly, we're more than happy to eat at five if this is the reward.
3. Divaa Indian – $62pp
Best for: Groups and sharing
Price: $62pp
When you're eating with friends, an Indian feast is almost always a good idea. In the up-and-coming town of Moss Vale and at $62 per person, Divaa offers one of the more approachable set-menu options in the Highlands.
Come hungry and bring people who like to share.
4. Eccetera Trattoria – From $65pp
Best for: Italian date night
Price: Around $65–$85pp
Eccetera Trattoria proves that a proper Southern Highlands dinner doesn't automatically require a three-figure budget.
With options sitting around the $65–$85 mark, this is one to save when the brief is good Italian, a bottle of wine and a cosy night out.
Looking for the Best Restaurants in the Southern Highlands for a Special Occasion → click here!
5. Sondara Estate – $69pp
Best for: A relaxed country lunch, date day, wine lovers
Price: $69pp
One of the pleasures of eating around the Southern Highlands is escaping town entirely.
At $69 per person, Sondara Estate offers a Gather and Graze share platter for two which you can enjoy on winery grounds. Delicious, intimate and something that feels extra special without the extra price tag.
6. Paste Australia – $80pp
Best for: Serious food lovers on a budget
Price: $80pp
No, $80 isn't the cheapest lunch, but when it gets you into one of the Southern Highlands' most celebrated restaurants for less than $100 per person, we think it belongs firmly on this list.
Paste brings refined, multi-award winning Thai cooking to Mittagong and is exactly the sort of place serious foodies on a budget should be visiting.
7. The Hastings – $89 Bottomless Banquet
Best for: Girls' weekends
Price: $89pp
Sometimes value isn't about finding the absolute cheapest meal - sometimes, it's about getting lunch and drinks bundled together in what can only be described as the ultimate girl math equation.
Enter The Hasting's $89 bottomless banquet offering.
This is the one we'd bookmark for birthdays, girls' weekends and celebratory lunches where you know the crew was going to order another bottle anyway.
For a bonus meal deal - The Hastings also does a $25 Wednesday Night Steak Night.
The Local Compass verdict: Best value for a boozy lunch.
Want to know all the best places to eat in rural NSW? → click here!
8. Eschalot – $95pp
Best for: Anniversaries, date nights and making $95 feel very well spent.
Price: $95pp
Southern Highlands dining under $100 just got seriously interesting. At Eschalot you’ll experience one of the region's best-known restaurants for only $95 per person.
Set inside a beautiful heritage cottage in Berrima, the Chef’s ‘feed me’ menu is ever-evolving based on the latest produce and what’s in season. Sit back, relax and enjoy a glass of red because with this set menu, you don’t have to pick a thing!
9. Centennial Vineyards – $98pp
Best for: Big groups of friends
Price: $98pp
If you are travelling with a big group of friends or family, then we highly recommend your Southern Highlands weekend lunch overlooks the vines at Centennial Vineyards. This set menu is only applicable for groups of 11 or more, however we still very much feel it’s worth a mention. Part of the appeal is the quintessential Highlands combination of cool-climate wine, countryside and a long afternoon spent overlooking the vineyard, and at $98 per person it’s not just an experience, but it’s incredible value.
Best Southern Highlands Pub & Pizza Deals
Not every good-value meal needs to involve a set menu. In fact, some of the best cheap eats in the Southern Highlands come from knowing which local specials to look for.
10. Sutton Forest Inn – Pub Specials
Best for: Families, casual country lunch
Price: Specials vary
There are few things more satisfying than finding a genuinely good country-pub special. Between their Monday Roast and their Tuesday Schnitty (not to mention their later week Happy Hour deals!) the Sutton Forest Inn is one to keep in mind when you want to eat out without making a splash. Check the current weekly specials before you visit, then settle in for a relaxed pub meal.
11. Briars – Wood-Fired Pizza Weekends
Best for: Warmer months, casual date night or family lunch
Price: Varies
Looking for arguably the best pub in Bowral? Enter The Briars. Now looking for a meal deal? Enter wood-fired pizzas. The Briars does relaxed, alfresco dining the best in the Southern Highlands, and their offer of wood-fired pizza’s from the beer garden every Friday, Saturday and Sunday makes this the perfect place for families or groups just wanting to relax and share some food in the sun.
It's casual, easy and a great way to spend an afternoon in the warmer months.
Make a weekend of it!
If you're currently planning your itinerary, here are our recommendations:
Saturday
Morning – Coffee + Bowral shopping
Start with coffee and breakfast at The Press Shop or Plantation Cafe, then spend the morning wandering Bowral's boutiques. Make your way up and down Bong Bong Street and allow plenty of time to rummage around Dirty Janes for vintage furniture, antiques and homewares.
Lunch – French dining
Head to Julienne or Lucette for lunch to keep yourself fuelled for the rest of the day’s activities.
Afternoon – Wine tasting
Head to the cellar door at Bendooley Estate any time before 3pm for a relaxed tasting of Southern Highlands cool-climate wines, then browse the second-hand books at the infamous Book Barn. Bookings are essential!
Evening – Dinner
Choose another restaurant from our cheap-eats list for dinner – perhaps something light after a day of eating like Paste in the neighbouring Mittagong (a mere 10 minute drive from Bowral) or you can travel a little further to Eschalot.
Sunday
Morning – Walk + breakfast
Start with a walk around Mount Gibraltar Reserve before heading back into Bowral for breakfast. Franquette Crêperie is always a wonderful option. Before carrying on your way, drop in at Gumnut Patisserie or Bowral's Sweets & Treats just up the road and pick up some goodies for the drive home.
Late morning – Berrima
Take the 10-minute drive to historic Berrima and spend an hour wandering the village's boutiques, galleries and old sandstone buildings.
Pub Lunch – Briars, Sutton Forest Inn or Mittagong Hotel
Kick back, relax and enjoy a good pub steak or schnitty in the beer garden before your drive home.
Need more? We've got plenty of ideas for your trip.
Where to Eat
The Best Special-Occasion Restaurants in the Southern Highlands
Moss Vale Food Guide: The Best Cafés, Bakeries & Restaurants
What to Do
Where to Stay
FAQs: Affordable Dining in the Southern Highlands
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For inexpensive restaurant dining, look for express lunches, early dining menus and pub specials. Julienne's express lunch and Lucette's early dining offering are particularly good options for eating out for under $50 per person, while local pubs can offer even cheaper weekly specials.
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There are several ways to experience Bowral's restaurant scene without spending more than $100 per person. Look for early dining and express menus, as well as set menus at restaurants that would ordinarily be considered special-occasion dining.
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Options for dining under $100 per person include Julienne, Lucette, Divaa Indian, Sondara Estate, Eccetera Trattoria, Paste, Eschalot and Centennial Vineyards. Prices and set-menu availability can change, so check current offers when booking.
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Yes. While Bowral has a reputation for high-end dining, you can find good-value meals by looking beyond standard Friday and Saturday dinner menus. Express lunches, early dining offers, pub specials and pizza nights are some of the easiest ways to eat well for less.
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Bottomless lunch packages are particularly good value for groups when drinks are included. The Hasting is one option to consider, while set menus at Divaa Indian and Sondara Estate also work well for groups.
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It varies enormously. Casual cafes and pubs can be relatively inexpensive, while destination restaurants and multi-course menus can easily exceed $100 per person. However, several well-regarded Southern Highlands restaurants offer express, early dining or set menus for around $35–$100 per person.
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