Letting these ingredients speak for themselves is a no-brainer – and when the sustainably focused and audaciously inventive mind of chef Ben Devlin comes into the equation, the results are as avantgarde as they are utterly moreish.

Like most of the Northern Rivers, Pottsville is characteristically tranquil, making it an unspoilt canvas on which Pipit can work its magic. The decor leans towards rustic and minimalistic but with the added warmth of earthy tones and a completely open-plan kitchen that gives diners a frontrow ticket to the action.

The nine-course set menu dives into canapes with buckwheat waffles and charred cucumber topped with salted bonito, before punctuating the experience with thoughtful and meticulous odes to seafood like scorched squid with dried mushroom and mustard leaf. Duck breast bedded beside kohlrabi and drizzled with pear and yuzu is a delight, while tangy mandarin sorbet with whey meringue is fittingly refreshing.

An all-Australian drinks list showcases single-vineyard, wild-fermented and new-age drops from fiercely passionate and lesser-known producers, so inviting that you might need to reconsider how you’re going to travel home.

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