Lily's top five
In my quest to find the perfect wedding venue, I have researched and visited what feels like every semi decent venue in the Canberra region! In no particular order, here's 5 places I highly recommend heading too, some near and some a little further...
Poachers Pantry
I've already raved about Poachers Pantry, but when I first visited Poachers, I couldn't help but imagine one day having my wedding there. It is simply beautiful - the food, wine and atmosphere. Poachers is like heaven on Earth. If I had to pick my last supper, it would likely be the mixed platter.
So when it came to venue shopping, it was definitely up there. My man loved it as well, a definite plus! (Can I also mention the duck salad is devine.)
Pialligo Estate Winery
This is a small winery, located far enough from the heart of the city that it's private but close enough to view the beauty that is Canberra. Situated at the airport end of the lake, the cafe over looks Parliament House, Telstra Tower, the Carillon and Captain Cook Fountain in the distance. The food was stunning, with a seasonal menu that changes week to week. My taste buds thoroughly enjoyed the bubbly and Shiraz, although there are other wines to choose from if these are not to your liking. Do get out there for some breakfast or lunch overlooking the vineyard, pond and view of Canberra. Or simply pop out and try some lovely Canberran cool-climate wines!
PODfood
For the uninitiated, Pialligo is the country town in Canberra. It's full of nurseries, galleries and the cutest cafes. Just before you hit Pialligo Estate, located in the hustle and bustle that is Pialligo on a weekend, is a 1930's cottage - home to PODfood.The cottage and grounds are just gorgeous and the food, well if it wasn't great it wouldn't be on this list! There is a big deck that catches the warmth of the sun on a clear winters day. It's most certainly a well-kept Canberra secret. Now... the secret is out!
Grazing
Ever wondered why anyone would travel to Gundaroo? Ever wondered where on Earth Gundaroo is? Did you even know there was such a place? About a 40min drive from most places in Canberra, off the Federal Highway and down a windy road is a teeny town about two blocks long. Here lies Grazing, a rustic 1865 building housing a restuarant which serves food made with the freshest ingredients possible - (most of it) straight from their gardens! They also have an extensive wine list, full of wines from the region - let me tell you there are some fantastic wines on that list. Nick O'Leary Shiraz is a recent favourite of mine.
Lerida Winery
One of the best views over Lake George, is at the Lerida Winery. The vineyards grow up the hill to the cafe. The cafe has huge glass windows over looking the vines and Lake George. While we didn't eat here, we did rack up quite the bill after wine tasting and buying a lot of their fantastic whites and reds.
There you have it, five places I fully recommend you visit the next time you feel like something a little different...
