Cellar door dining doesn’t get any better than at this regional institution on the grounds of Lowe Family Wine Co. Lunch in the country is pretty convivial when gathered around a communal table laden with seasonal share plates drawn from the surrounding organic and biodynamic gardens. The seasonality chef Kim Currie is celebrated for remains woven throughout Zin House 2.0. Enjoy lunch with a glass or three from Lowe Family Wine Co estate. Tinja Lane, Mudgee; lowefamilywineco.com.au

Licensed as a wine bar for more than a century, Roth’s remains Mudgee’s go-to for a good time. It has evolved to become a wine bar, cellar, bottle shop and live music venue under one roof. It’s a mix that makes for a special kind of alchemy. Choose a bottle of plonk from a concise list of local wines to enjoy while toe-tapping to local acts. Roth’s is also hard to beat for craft beer, wood-fired pizzas and tapas. 30 Market St, Mudgee; rothswinebar.com.au

Bare wood tables and a pergola fringed in pink azaleas give this sprawling restaurant the warm feel of a farmhouse somewhere in rural France. Owners Sophie and Nick Storey swapped Sydney for Mudgee and haven’t looked back, treating the region as an abundant larder. Simple, seasonal produce does the talking here, from lazy breakfasts through to dinner with charm by the tractorload thanks to those bucolic views. 433 Ulsan Road, Mudgee; bluewrenfarm.com

Begin the day with breakfast or brunch at Alby + Esther’s, a charming café arrayed around a stone terrace that has been embedded in the history of the region since 1873 when it was home to a stock and station agent. Sit under the pretty awning of leaves in the courtyard to enjoy the signature locally smoked ham, egg and Swiss cheese jaffle with house-made tomato relish. It’s a Mudgee mainstay. 61 Market St, Mudgee; albyandesthers.com.au

Those chasing a meaningful meal in Mudgee will find it at Gigi’s Restaurant at The Clairfield, one of the best places to stay in Mudgee. Gigi’s opens for breakfast and dinner seven days a week with a menu built around Mudgee’s bounty. Mornings are about smashed avo on sourdough and good coffee; evenings shift to generous share-style plates such as slow-roasted pork shoulder ragù. Expect warm service, regional wines and a room that is a fave with families. 1 Sydney Road, Mudgee; gigismudgee.com.au

Join the crowd fanning out along the footpath outside Althea by Zin where the fragrant aroma of pies, pastries and freshly baked bread fills the air. The cafe, an offshoot of zin food + wine house, is where Mudgee locals go to keep their cravings for croissants and canelés at bay. Pick up some provisions like jam, chutney and relish from the cafe pantry to impress at your next picnic. 131 Church St, Mudgee; lowefamilywineco.com.au

Food tourists might want to pick up a few souvenirs from the High Valley Mudgee Cheese Co. which is known for producing some of the region’s best artisanal cheeses. The milk used to produce the cheese is sourced from the Little Big Dairy Co. in Dubbo. allowing the small-batch cheesemakers to produce the finest quality cheeses. Get your fix of the High Valley Fetta. Or order a wheel or wedge of the Colly Blue when in season. 137 Ulan Rd, Mudgee; highvalley.com.au

Mudgee Brewing Co operates from The Woolstore, a century-old exposed brick-and-timber building in the heart of town with 16 rotating taps of beers brewed onsite. Work through the pale ale, the mid-strength or the west coast IPA before landing on the Mudgee Mud, a legendary drop first poured in 1883. Pub grub, live music and a beardie and Blundstones crowd round out this Mudgee stalwart. 4 Church St, Mudgee; mudgeebrewing.com.au

Grand stone archways, geometric lead lighting and a floor-to-ceiling mural of iconic British singer Elton John give this heritage building – a pharmacy from the 1920s until 1992 – plenty of personality. These days, the menu at Eltons Bar + Bites is not remotely prescriptive, trading in snack plates and craft beers that suit a long lazy lunch in the country. A top spot to get a feel for the pulse of Mudgee. 81 Market St, Mudgee; @eltonsmudgee

Named for his children and born from two decades in fine dining, MillBrie is chef-owner Andy Crestani’s latest chapter and a Mudgee must for brunch during an escape to the country. Trading Tuesday to Saturday from 7am to 3pm, the Market Street kitchen turns out honest, produce-driven dishes with a deft touch: think linguine with prawns, mussels and squid or smoked trout with fennel, orange and cucumber. 89 Market St, Mudgee; millbrie.com.au

Perched at the top of a hill with the vines falling away in every direction, Logan’s Tasting Room is one of the great cellar door settings in the region. Owner and winemaker Peter Logan continues his father Malcolm’s tradition of championing the exceptional fruit of Mudgee and Orange, with five ranges and global reach to show for it. Open seven days, 10am to 5pm, 15 kilometres from town. Bookings recommended on weekends. 1320 Castlereagh St, Mudgee; loganwines.com.au

The sandstone tasting room at De Beaurepaire, once stables to a Melbourne Cup winner, sits 40 minutes south of Mudgee near the charming town of Rylstone. And the wines produced on the limestone-rich property draw inevitable comparisons to Burgundy. Richard and Janet de Beaurepaire and their son Will have been making elegant, French-inspired wines here since 1998. Sit outside if the weather holds. Closed Monday to Wednesday. 182 Cudgegong Rd, Rylstone; debeaurepairewines.com

This multi-award-winning adults-only glamping experience sits 20 minutes from town on 100-odd hectares of bushland. And it’s one of the best glamping experiences to hibernate at over winter in NSW. Australian-made safari-style tents come with king beds, outdoor bathtubs, well-equipped kitchens and fire pits. Add a seasonal pool, yoga deck, roaming wildlife and a sky full of stars and the case for staying in Mudgee over the long weekend is strong. 1345 Lower Piambong Rd, Piambong; sierraescape.com.au

Looking for a last-minute long weekend away in regional NSW? The Clairfield sits at the quiet edge of Mudgee’s town centre and is the region’s most polished full-service hotel. The resort-style property has 56 impeccably designed rooms and suites sit alongside Gigi’s Restaurant and Jila Wellness, the hotel’s onsite wellbeing studio offering sauna and float therapy. The pool carries Palm Springs energy with a country NSW address. Get on the group chat and book immediately. 1 Sydney Road, Mudgee; theclairfieldhotel.com.au

Built within the bones of the 1862 Mechanics Institute, the Perry Street Hotel is all soaring ceilings, original cornices and arched corridors. Part of the Peppertree Collection, it’s one of Mudgee’s best hotels in the heart of town. Thirteen self-contained suites with luxury king beds and contemporary interiors are housed inside a beautifully restored Victorian building, with everything worth doing in Mudgee within easy walking distance. 40 Perry St, Mudgee; peppertreecollection.com.au