Let the forest’s signature scent of eucalyptus wash over you as you set off on a section of the new Grand Cliff Top Walk. The air is all sharp and Granny smith crisp, which will help you work up an appetite for breakfast at Little Sista. The focaccia and coffee bar was born from filoxenia, the Greek belief that hospitality is a responsibility, not a gesture. Handmade focaccia, vinyl spinning all day, great coffee. Forget trends; Little Sista is built for connections and community. 4/130-138 Megalong St, Leura; littlesista.com.au

The main attraction at Embers is, as the name suggests, the joy of a flame-kissed feast. Hunker down fireside in the grand stone dining room of the Fairmont Resort, where chatter, clatter and warmth fill the space. Face off against the 450g rib-eye on the bone – grain-fed for 120 days – paired with a few nice glasses of red. Break your long weekend in Leura down into bullet points: Eat, Sleep, Bush Walk, Repeat. Sublime Point Rd, Leura; fairmontresort.com.au

Fairmont Resort is one of the best places to stay in the Blue Mountains. A diverse range of holidaymakers are drawn to the 224-room resort as a starting point for exploring the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. Couples can relax at the Ubika Day Spa, while families glide between the ice-skating rink, KidsZone, jungle gym and indoor and outdoor pools. The hotel does a cracking Christmas in July. Sublime Point Rd, Leura; fairmontresort.com.au

It’s unlikely you will be able to bulkbill your visit to Two Doctors Whiskey Bar. But you can definitely indulge in a few Old Fashioneds for medicinal purposes. Tucked into the basement of the Fairmont Resort, this quirky, intimate tavern is the brainchild of two prominent Sydney doctors who also happen to distil their own Hunter Valley single malt. Sink into a leather chesterfield and enjoy the ambience in the basement bar, Two Doctors Whiskey in hand. 1 Sublime Point Rd, Leura; fairmontresortbluemountains.com.au

A wayzgoose was a traditional feast thrown together for printing house employees. The name pays homage to the fact the peppermint-green and bubble-gum-pink diner occupies Leura’s oldest commercial building, a former printing press. Everything is made from scratch with local produce. Skip church and meet your mates for the fried chicken and waffles, or the Big Mountain Breakfast, and then set out to earn your Strava badge on the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. 174 Leura Mall; thewayzgoosediner.com

From the street, Leura Gourmet Café & Deli looks modest. But any gourmand worth their salt knows that this is the place in Leura to pick up provisions for your picnic. Pick up some peppermint bark hand-crafted by Batch by Batch, a packet of artisan Filotea pasta or a jar of fiercely spiced Six Eyed Scorpion Crispy Chilli Oil. Sit near to the floor-to-ceiling windows in the lime-green café to enjoy village views. Order a sando to go before heading out into the other-worldly mountain landscape. 159 Leura Mall; @leuragourmet

This much-loved local institution is the kind of place that makes you want to start crocheting a colourful beanie and plotting your move to the mountains. The cafe has a leafy courtyard where you can enjoy a post-hike latte and banter with that bloke you met on your early morning bushwalk. Try the smoked rainbow trout salad with lentils, rocket and a poached egg or the zucchini and feta fritters to fuel the day’s adventures. 134 Leura Mall; @reddoorcafeleura

Built in the 1920s by Danish landscape gardener Paul Sorensen and tucked down a lovely tree-lined backstreet, this striking glass-walled nursery-cafe is Leura at its most magical. Like a contemporary imagining of a fairy’s grotto. The cafe leans into the seasons and is one of many reasons Leura is considered one of the best towns to visit in winter. Give the shakshuka and scones or gardener’s breakfast a shake. 8 Herbert St; @sorensensglasshouse

Think of the best feast you had in the Philippines. Then smoosh it together with some street food from Mexico City. The back story for this Filipino-Mexican fusion restaurant is the ultimate meet-cute with owners Jackie and Gabby marrying their heritage to create something entirely singular. Take a leisurely stroll down the main strip of Leura in the Blue Mountains to find the colourful cantina, where margaritas and music are also on the menu. 117A Leura Mall; sunburstfg.com.au

There’s an entire section on the Jiggle website dedicated to ‘the Jiggle experience’. And we are so here for it. In Korean, jiggle refers to the sizzling sound that food makes when it hits the grill. Lean into the primal pleasure of cooking thinly sliced Australian wagyu beef over charcoal to enjoy with banchan (side dishes) like kimchi and KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) at Jiggle, which has been designed in the style of a traditional hanok. Nab a seat on the balcony for mountain views. Suite 2, 118-124 Leura Mall; jigglebbqleura.com

The gospel according to coffee geeks starts with a double-shot flat white. After that, it’s a choose-your-own- adventure kind of menu with everything from exceptional sandwiches – think Peking pork, cucumber, carrot, coriander and hot chilli mayo – or mango and white chocolate muffins. Like the leaves on the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, the menu at The Laneway changes with the seasons. 4/146 Leura Mall; @thelanewayleura

Complete the Leura Cascades loop, then pull up a chair at Fairways Restaurant & Bar at Comfort Resort Leura Gardens. The freshly reimagined dining room is sitting pretty beside the local golf course and heritage gardens. Head chef Emilio Llausas folds his Filipino heritage into the menu which celebrates the bounty of the Blue Mountains. The list of signature cocktails and premium wines has also been designed to delight. Comfort Resort Leura Gardens, 20-28 Fitzroy St; leuragardens.com.au

A magnet for hikers carb-loading before hitting the trails, Azzurro’s tables are reliably packed with punters working their way through lamb ragù pappardelle, risotto with mushroom and truffle, or wood-fired pizza pulled straight from the oven. The food here is rustic, generous and reliably good. Escape to Italy without leaving the mountains. Azzuro means ‘sky blue’ in Italian, the exact colour enamelled over the mountains on a clear day. Sublime Point Rd; fairmontresortbluemountains.com.au

There’s no Wi-Fi at Tiny Billy. Avoid technology withdrawals by packing your pocket-sized travel edition of Dumb Questions to Ask Your Partner when you head for the Blue Mountains. Set on historic Zig Zag Railway land, just a half-hour drive from Leura, this charming tiny home is one of seven family-built properties in the Into The Wild Escapes portfolio. Watch wallabies graze at dusk, soak in the wood-fire hot tub under a sky spattered with stars and enjoy one of the most romantic escapes in the region. Clarence; intothewildescapes.com

Leura Gardens are the focal point at this historic resort, established in the 1920s by Lady Mabel Fairfax and renowned gardener Hector Hood. The manicured grounds are dotted with mature trees and pops of colour that shift with the seasons in the Blue Mountains. The resort relaunched early 2026 under the Comfort brand with 92 renovated rooms (and 100 more on the way) and the freshly reimagined Fairways Restaurant and Bar. Perfectly placed for the annual Leura Gardens Festival in October. 20-28 Fitzroy St; leuragardensresort.com.au