Those hurtling up or down the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne can do the entire road trip in about 10 hours. But we’d recommend taking a few extra days to appreciate the landscape while road tripping between great places to eat and drink. EV drivers who suffer from range anxiety will appreciate the fact the six EV charging stations in Exeter are located near Heatherbrae’s Pies, just 142km from Sydney. Chuck your car on charge and then head in for a Jillaroo (beef, bacon and cheese pie) and vanilla slice to go. But those intent on taking it slow can also point the nose of their car toward The Sir George in Jugiong, just a minute off the Hume Highway some 340km southwest of Sydney. This beautifully restored multi-faceted hotel sits on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River and includes luxury accommodation, a sourdough bakery, pub and beer garden. Eat well here with dishes such as whole local trout with nduja romesco and burnt lime or pub staples such as chicken parmigiana. Stretch your legs along the 4km-long Dog on the Tucker Box Recreational Trail in Gundagai before popping into The Coffee Pedaler for a Buddha bowl and brew. It requires more of a detour to get to Nimbo Fork Lodge some 400km south of Sydney. Arrive at dusk when light brings with it new moods and shadows. This resting stop above the Tumut River in the Snowy Valleys is home to Three Blue Ducks and worth the short drive from the Hume Highway for the peri peri-glazed Gundagai lamb ribs, chimichurri and jus or whole butterflied Snowy Mountains trout. River Deck Café on the banks of the mighty Murray River in Albury is another top spot to enjoy the dark, rich, olive colours of the landscape. Expect pops of colour on your plate, too, from beetroot hummus or pork and pistachio terrine. Norma, Albury’s neighbourhood wine and pasta bar is a restaurant with rooms, with Ken’s Kip an inspired place to stop and revive on a road trip. A meal at Yardbird might necessitate a few extra days in Albury. Road trippers crossing the border into Victoria should also venture off the highway to Kin, at All Saints Estate, one of the recommended winery restaurants in Rutherglen. A Ned Kelly pie at The Beechworth Bakery will also make your road trip more memorable. Bendigo has been named as a Creative City of Gastronomy. The time of year will dictate what fresh-picked produce you’ll find at Peppergreen Farm. Refuel at Percy and Percy or Harvest for the final 100km-long stretch into Melbourne.

Travelling from Melbourne to Adelaide without the surrounding context of its hidden hamlets doesn’t have the same impact on a road trip. Sure, you can pick up a cheap coffee and dog’s eye (pie) from a petrol station. But there are plenty more inspired places to break up the drive. Start as you mean to go on with a bowl of comforting pasta at the Stokehouse St Kilda Beach before your big trip. Bounce along the Great Ocean Road to Torquay for a simple chicken salad sanga at Torquay Larder. Or book ahead for Brae, in Lorne, where the seasons will dictate what and how you eat. Continue inland on your road trip from Melbourne to Adelaide with a detour to Dunkeld to dine at the Royal Mail Hotel. It’s another of Victoria’s highly rated restaurants with rooms. Coffin Sally at Port Fairy is a particularly charming place to pull in. The pizza joint was once home to a coffin maker and you’ll find locals here huddled together enjoying Pig Lover or Pepperoni pizzas. Looking for a pub with a cosy, intimate feel? The Stump, established in 1844, is the oldest continuously licensed pub in Victoria and you can happily spend an hour here enjoying a bucket of prawns and a pint. Continue along the Shipwreck Coast to the coastal town of Portland where you can power up on caffeine before undertaking the 2.5km-long Cape Bridgewater Seal Walk. The Deuce Pigalow alone is a great reason to cross the South Australian border into Mt Gambier where you will find the lively Natural Born Grillers. It’s another hour’s drive onto Coonawarra, which is best known for its rich cabernet sauvignons. Pinball between some 20 cellar doors in the Coonawarra such as Ottelia for fine vine dining or the more low-key Royal Oak Penola, established in 1848, for elevated pub grub such as chilli crab prawn linguine or cabernet-braised beef cheek. The McLaren Vale wine region is also a magnet for foodies for its winery restaurants such as Sensorial Circus at d’Arenberg Cube and restaurant Coriole. Talk about feeling connected to the landscape! It’s just an easy 45-minute drive to Adelaide, where restaurants such as Africola and the Ruby Red Flamingo beckon. Put Press* Food & Wine on your radar for refined fare such as pappardelle with blue-swimmer crab and chilli. And drop a pin on your map app to find the bougie Boulangerie 113, known as SA’s home of the bronut.

Driving from Sydney to Canberra is a cinch. It’s just three and a half hours to the nation’s capital where there are a plethora of great places to eat and drink, from brilliant bakeries to cafes. Start as you mean to go on with dinner at Gowings and an overnight stay at the quirky QT Hotel. Set your alarm for 5am so you can watch the sky streaked with pale pinks and blues as you take the scenic route out of Sydney toward the Southern Highlands. The Press Shop in Bowral and Flour Bar are both top spots to enjoy a hit of caffeine and array of breakfast options. Those on a pie pilgrimage can reward themselves at Samuel Gee Pies & Pastries in the village of Balaclava. The all-day café concept at Exeter General Store is also on point, with preserves and relishes that are so good they are sold at the store. The historic Bendooley Estate in Berrima is also considered a haven for road trippers who want to break up the trip. Those with a bit of extra time up their flouncy sleeves should stay overnight at one of the luxurious cottages so they can linger over dinner at Leo’s by Night. Goulburn is also the go for a filthy-good pie from Trapper’s Bakery. Google Gundaroo and you’ll find it’s another go-to for lunch at Grazing inside the elegantly restored Royal Hotel, built in 1865. Expect some local gems in your glass alongside twice-baked eggplant with macadamia baba ghanoush or Little Joe’s black angus beef flank. Start cranking your 100 Greatest Driving Songs playlist as you leave the dinky little riverside hamlet for the remaining half-hour drive to Canberra. Zigzag your way across the nation’s capital to pick up a loaf of orange and raisin sourdough from Three Mills in the CBD. You should also make a beeline for B-Side, aimed at everyone from caff-fiends to night owls who are drawn to the rich collage of colours on buzzy Lonsdale St. The daytime cafe and eatery morphs into a wine bar at night and the menu changes with the seasons. Lunetta is another lovely option and we reckon Tony Soprano would take the caviar service in the modernist dining room in his stride. Order handmade ravioli dressed up in tomato and fermented chilli with potato, pecorino and ricotta di bufala. Book a stay at East Hotel so you can bounce from Joe’s Bar to Agostini’s. Take your tiramisu back to your suite upstairs to consume in front of Netflix. The Canberra District Wine Region also has some outstanding stops including the Mediterranean-inspired Shaw Estate Restaurant. Pick up a premade picnic box from Pialligo Food Emporium or curate your own chic-nic by sourcing provisions from the weekly Capital Region Farmers Market. You can also opt for the coastal route to Canberra (via A1/B52) before veering west, which takes about four hours and 45 minutes. Pie hounds will want to pinball between Earnest Arthur in Kiama, Hayden’s Ulladulla and the Heritage Bakery, Milton.

Road tripping between Sydney and Brisbane is a rite of passage. Whether you’re hitting the road in the school holidays or cruising the coastal route to Queensland on the run from winter, the journey can be a lot of fun for food lovers. It’s only an hour and a half’s drive but hey, you’re on holidays, so why not book an overnight stay at Bells at Killcare so you can enjoy lunch at The Wildflower Bar & Dining. You’ll want to take some spoils home from both the onsite providore, Bell’s Bakery & Larder, and The Artisan Farmer in nearby Nabiac. The 1000-km-long drive from Sydney to Brisbane includes the Legendary Pacific Coast which is dotted with places you won’t want to miss. Taste stunning wines alongside great food at Bistro Molines, Muse and EXP. in the Hunter Valley or balance the books with a weekend of wellness at Elysia Retreat. Do break up the drive north at 8 at Trinity at Trinity Port Macquarie in Lake Macquarie, Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake. Little Beach Boathouse and Rick Stein at Bannisters Port Stephens should also be on your radar for seafood with a puckering kiss of briny flavour. You’ll have made an uneasy peace with sharing your hot chips with the family by the time you reach Little Nel. So, why not order something they’ll be less inclined to share like fried tofu salad or a lobster hoagie roll. You should also reserve a spot on the grass outside The Hilltop Store in Sawtell, on NSW’s Mid North Coast, for dishes that integrate seasonal ingredients. MaMaMoi should be on the list for Lismore as a playful parlour that dials in the Asian flavours. And while Byron Bay is best known for its iconic eateries such as Raes on Wategos, one can also play spot the Helmsworth at the coastal town’s popular Bayleaf café. Further north in the Gold Coast is where you’ll find local favourites such as Justin Lane in beach-chic Burleigh Heads and Itoshin in Mermaid Beach. Brisbane delivers admirably on the food and wine front too. Our pick for provisions at your final destination at Rosalie Gourmet Market in Paddington. Head to Rise Bakery in Hamilton, Newstead for artisan bread and baked goods paired with some French fizz or Jocelyn’s Provisions in Albion for a beef and red wine pie. It pays to stockpile some lemon meringue tarts for later. Enjoy Brissie’s arty side at Fish Lane one of the city’s fave dining and drinking hubs.

The hippie-chic town of Byron Bay is a magnet for road trippers wanting to escape from Sydney and chase the sun and surf and a different way of life. Stay in the heart of Sydney at Australia Street Suites so you can enjoy a food-focused escape in the heart of hip Newtown before you set off. The two-bedroom apartments are located above four of Sydney’s best restaurants: Flora, Mister Grotto, Osteria Mucca and Continental Deli. Take the scenic route from Sydney to Newcastle with a stop-off at Saddles at Mt White for sustenance. Continue to trace the Legendary Pacific Coast trail to Jana at QT Newcastle which serves as a great launchpad for exploring the city’s electrifying night life. Go for an early morning swim at Nobbys before continuing your journey to connect the dots between Sydney and Byron Bay. You’ll find Coffs Harbour glowing under a concentrated pool of sunlight year-round as the weather in the Mid North Coast city is near perfect. Head to the Peach & Wolf Bakery to pick up the signature Kevin Bacon roll before heading down to the Woolgoolga rock pools for a dip. Try the quiet the whirrings of your mind as you peruse the menu at The Happy Frog which is full of enticing vegetarian options such as falafels and frittatas. BYO reusable container to make your own trail mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Lismore is another lo-fi Northern Rivers alternative where pop-ups like the Lismore Pie Cart have a cult following. Wander Lismore’s Back Alley Gallery where the street art is dappled in watery sunlight and then scrounge around in the console for some small change for a big-as-your-head Bank Burger at The Bank cafe. You’ll see your life as a movie when in Mullumbimby where Scratch Patisserie churns out fresh-baked cakes, tarts, pastries and loaves each day. Keep sashaying north to Byron Bay, which has dialled things up over the past few decades and has a burgeoning list of great places to eat and drink. We love Byron for its buskers belting out Ed Sheeran, its #vanlifers living it up by the sea and even its nepo babies pretending to work on their start-ups. Channel Jacob Elordi and let your toes breathe when walking barefoot into Top Shop in Byron Bay. You’ll also be jazzed by the vibes at The Roady, on the way to Suffolk Park.

Go old school and use a red felt-tip pen to mark dots on your map while barrelling up the highway to the Gold Coast. The views open up to include endless blue skies as soon as you reach Sydney’s city limits. Stay at Skye Suites Parramatta so you can beat the traffic doddering through the city centre at peak hour. Start the morning strong with coffee at The Shed Café, which is known for its fairy-floss topped French toast. Push through to Port Macquarie where you can wine down at the Boathouse Bar & Restaurant at Sails Port Macquarie by Rydges. Find Florence Jones on a bend of the Hastings River before blasting back up the highway to Byron. The dinky deli is a shining beacon for cheese, wine and charcuterie and a celebration of NSW’s bounty. Divert to Doughheads for some interesting snackage so you can arrive in Coffs Harbour in time for lunch at Aanuka Beach House. Sure there are a lot of fast-food chains on the highway between Sydney and the Gold Coast. But it’s worth saving yourself for pizza and sundowners at Stef & Co which is a better than decent waterfront venue or Miquette, a must-visit French café in downtown Coffs Harbour. Hit the eject button early the next day so you can make it Amelia + Toby in Bellingen. The café is led by co-founder of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance Australia Amelia Franklin and the founder of Toby’s Estate, Toby Smith. The foodie road trip to the Gold Coast remains as relevant as ever with a pit stop at Pipit in Pottsville, Paper Daisy in Cabarita Beach and Rob Roy Deli & Drinks in Tweed Heads. Cubby Bakehouse in Chinderah is also a worthy diversion for its almond croissants filled with frangipane and vanilla custard. Old Quarter Coffee Merchants is also ripe for a bit of caffeine-fuelled misadventure in Murwillumbah. The Gold Coast was Australia’s so-called capital of glitz. But this stunning stretch of coastline is now known for glittering restaurants and bars like Latin American-inspired restaurant Norté and rooftop bar Sueño at The Oxley precinct. Hand in the keys to your rental car and take advantage of the Gold Coast’s public transport system with fares of just .50c to get around the Gold Coast. Some of the lesser-known places to eat and drink on the Gold Coast include the Bam Bam Bakehouse, Mermaid Beach and Cora, at Broadbeach.