Destination fine diner Biota has closed its doors following a horror bushfire season and Covid-19, from which the regional restaurant was unable to recover.

The Bowral fine diner was operated by one of Australia’s most respected young chefs,  James Viles. It was renowned for its seasonal menu, which showcased the best in Southern Highlands produce, with many ingredients plucked from the restaurant’s generous kitchen garden, orchards and beehives, or foraged from surrounding fields.

The restaurant was ranked 23 in the delicious 100 for 2019. “It’s clever food without being tricked up, designed to challenge our palates and teach us something. Biota is the way forward,” the review stated.