Camperdown’s famed farm-to-table restaurant Acre has put down roots in Artarmon. The impressive new mega venue includes a café, restaurant, bakery and bar, as well as a kitchen garden, kids playground, chicken coop and more, bringing a taste of the countryside to Sydney’s north.

While its location adjacent to Home HQ shopping centre may seem surprising, there’s no denying the area could really use the greenery. Acre has made the most of its 2000m2 plot with potted plants, seedling beds and interactive garden space, which manage to transform the concrete jungle into a lush oasis that feels miles away. The indoor area has been made to feel like a gigantic greenhouse, while outside there are plenty of shaded spots to sit in the sprawling garden.

Whether you’re popping in for a quick pit-stop, or plan to settle in for hours with family and friends, there’s no shortage of dining options. The main restaurant, Acre Italiano, specialises in regional Italian fare, with a focus on fresh and seasonal produce, some of which is grown on-site. The menu is largely made up of share-worthy plates, from local cheeses, cured meats and pickles through to house made pasta, garden-fresh salads and hearty Italian mains. Expect seasonal offerings, from a watermelon panzanella salad through to a spring carbonara with pancetta and zucchini flowers. There’s also dessert plus pavlova ice cream to eat in the sun.

For an early morning caffeine hit, coffee beans are sourced from local Potts Point roaster, Gypsy Espresso. For something stronger, there’s wines, beers and classic Italian cocktails including a barrel-aged Negroni and Garibaldi which uses gin from Finders Gin Distillery just 100m down the road and freshly squeezed orange juice. Our pick is the sgroppino, a summery cocktail made from whipped lemon sorbet with prosecco and fresh lemon verbena picked from the garden.

Acre Artarmon is located at 1 Frederick St, Artarmon. The cafe opens Mon – Sat 7am–5pm and Sun 7am – 3pm, the restaurant and terrace opens Thu 4.30pm–10.30pm, Fri – Sat 12pm–11pm and Sunday 12pm–4pm Sunday. For more details or to book, head to acre-artarmon.com.au.