NINETEEN Hunter Valley
The easy option after a round: Australian classics, a more elevated bistro menu and wood-fired pizza, with a sports bar and beer garden. Family and dog friendly. Walk in; bookings are only needed for groups of ten or more.
Home / Long lunch guide
A long lunch is half the reason to come to the Hunter. The catch is that many of the best restaurants only serve lunch on certain days, and some only on Saturday. Use the table below to see what's open on your days before you book.
Drive times are from The Vintage and don't allow for traffic. Hours were checked on each restaurant's website in October 2026, so confirm when you book.
At a glance
Who's serving lunch, which day
| Restaurant | Drive | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NINETEEN | 3 min | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mezze (brunch to 2pm) | 3 min | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Esca, Bimbadgen | 6 min | – | – | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| EXP. | 12 min | – | – | – | – | – | ● | – |
| Muse, Hungerford Hill | 14 min | – | – | – | – | – | ● | – |
| Café Enzo | 15 min | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Restaurant Botanica | 17 min | – | – | – | – | – | ● | ● |
| Twine, Wynwood Estate | 20 min | – | – | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Margan, Broke | 27 min | ● | – | – | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bistro Molines | 35 min | ● | – | – | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Inside The Vintage · 3 minutes
No driving required
Mezze Hunter Valley
Modern Mediterranean share plates in a relaxed room above NINETEEN. There's no separate lunch sitting: brunch runs until 2pm and dinner starts at 3pm, so it suits a late breakfast or an early dinner.
Under 15 minutes
Best long lunch nearby
Two hats
Two hats
Close by, and worth booking
Esca, Bimbadgen
The closest proper long lunch to the house: modern Australian with an Asian edge, Bimbadgen's own wines and views over the vines. The Sunday sitting runs until 6pm, which suits a slow afternoon.
EXP. Restaurant
A 28-seat degustation room built around ferments made in-house. Two chef's hats and Regional Restaurant of the Year in the SMH Good Food Guide 2026. Saturday is the only lunch sitting, and with so few seats, book early.
Muse, Hungerford Hill
A seasonal set menu built around the chef's kitchen garden and local produce. Awarded two hats in the Good Food Guide announced in October 2025. Lunch is Saturday only; dinner Wednesday to Saturday.
Café Enzo
A casual vineyard café with homemade food, open every day. Bookings are for up to six, so it's an easy midweek lunch when the hatted rooms are closed.
15 to 35 minutes
One hat
Worth the drive
Restaurant Botanica
Regional produce with vineyard views, at the Spicers estate. A weekend-only lunch.
Twine, Wynwood Estate
Lunch in a vineyard courtyard, with menus built on local produce. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Margan, Broke
"Agri-dining" on a terrace, cooked from the estate's own kitchen garden, à la carte or set menu. Chef's hatted every year from 2017 to 2025. The drive out to Broke is part of the day.
Bistro Molines
French provincial cooking in a courtyard over the vines at Mount View. One hat in the Good Food Guide announced in October 2025. Bookings are essential, with a two-course minimum.
Getting home: most of these are a drive, and Hunter roads are dark at night. Choose a designated driver, or ask when you book whether the restaurant can recommend a local transfer.
Lunch in, lunch out
Or stay home and light the barbecue.
Timespace has a fully stocked kitchen, a covered alfresco table for the whole group and a pool to finish the afternoon.