It’s been there all along - beckoning us to hit ‘go’ on weekend getaways and offering respite from the city hubbub. The Central Coast is a place where you can sit amongst nature, sample local great quality produce and cool your feet in the lapping ocean inlets. And now, after fires, droughts and pandemics, there’s never been a better time to visit and support our regional towns, producers and industry. Here’s why booking a table, and taking a city break has never felt better. delicious. is proud to partner with Yalumba to encourage readers to venture out and support regional local businesses.
Our very own editorial director, Kerrie McCallum, ventured to Bells, in partnership with Yalumba’s initiative ‘Book a table, embrace Australia’ in support of local businesses. See her chat with Bells owner, Brian Barry, and culinary director, Sean Connolly, above.
The Central Coast is the weekender destination that waits patiently. A mere 90-minute drive north of the Sydney CBD, it makes for the perfect seaside escape. Towns and local businesses dot the bushland and coast, and whether you’re after a paddle and bushwalk in Bouddi National Park, fish and chips down at Woy Woy Fishermen’s Wharf, or handmade cheeses in Wyong, these businesses are waiting with arms wide open. And our pick of the best place to stop, dine and recline? Boutique hotel and restaurant Bells at Killcare.
The restaurant, Wild Flower Bar & Dining, is helmed by culinary director Sean Connolly. And the menu is designed around simplicity; the idea being that great produce is best shared over relaxed convivial conversation. Vegies are sourced from the on-site kitchen garden, and the seafood, which includes oysters, pearl meat and crayfish is all locally harvested. It’s a win-win for the team. They’re not only picking, cooking and serving up the freshest possible ingredients, they’re also supporting local business. It’s a mantra that’s ingrained in the everyday workings of Bells, and a welcome collaborative effort in a time where locals really need the support.
So what would lunch at Bells look like? Think mud crab and oyster pearl paella; a Jacks Creek and stout ragu, semolina gnocchi; and a bistecca alla fiorentina. For the mud crab, Connolly recommends pairing it with Yalumba Barossa Bush Vine Grenache. The palate is richly textured, fleshy, round and supple, with a red juiciness that merges into velvety tannins.
The gnocchi is best enjoyed with a Yalumba Barossa Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s rich and very generous, yet soft and supple, with balanced flavours that linger throughout the long finish.
And for the bistecca, Connolly suggests the Yalumba Barossa Shiraz – a full-bodied, classic wine. On the palate, purple fruits, liquorice and violets are followed by pepper and spice.
After sipping and grazing, de-stress and bliss-out at the Bells Day Spa. Enjoy the purest grade essential oils, and the highest quality products made from native plants, flowers, fruits and muds. Looking for something that’ll get your heart pumping instead? Before lunch, work up an appetite as you explore some of the local coastal bush walks, snorkel and dive in nearby coves, or take a guided Aboriginal sensory tour on the Bouddi Peninsula.
The last twelve months have been incredibly tough on our much loved travel and dining industries. Now is the time for everyone to help out by booking a table and raising a glass with Yalumba to the future.
This article is brought to you by Yalumba.
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