Spend a little time in Mudgee and it quickly becomes clear that wine is only a part of the story. Small producers are scattered across the region, turning out cheese, honey, olive oil, chocolate and spirits in ways that feel charming, local and close to the source. Let’s take a look at the local food experiences and producers in Mudgee doing the most!
Credit: Destination NSW / High Valley Wine and Cheese, Mudgee. 8/5/2016.photo credit – James Horan / Destination NSW
A Different Way to Taste Mudgee
Mudgee’s wine industry is impressive, dating back to the 1850s, when the first vines were planted in the region. That makes it one of Australia’s oldest established wine areas.
There’s no wonder then, that today, it’s well known, especially for varieties like shiraz and cabernet, with the landscape still reflecting that wine-centred history. Vineyards in Mudgee spread across rolling hills and cellar doors form the backbone of most visits. Having said that, alongside wine, a different group of producers has developed over time, working on a much smaller scale and often selling directly from where things are made.
Cheese is produced just outside town at a working farm, honey is sold from a long-running roadside stop on the Castlereagh Highway, olive oil is pressed locally and tasted among the trees, and chocolate and spirits are made in small batches using ingredients sourced from the region. In sum, all the good stuff is produced here.
And because many of these places are close together, it’s easy to plan a weekend around them, stopping in to taste, ask questions and see how things are made.
The Best Farm Gate and Local Food Experiences in Mudgee
These stops highlight some of the most interesting producers and tasting experiences across Mudgee that don’t involve wine.
Credit: Destination NSW / Waitress at High Valley Mudgee Cheese Co. holding a cheese board available for order from the menu.
High Valley Cheese Co.
Out past the vineyards on the edge of Mudgee, High Valley Cheese Co. is a small, family-run operation that shifted from broadacre farming into cheese-making, focusing on a more hands-on, small-batch approach. Production happens on site (using renewable energy!), and visitors can look through into the cheesery to see curds being worked and cheeses moving through different stages.
Tastings here are relaxed and centred around what’s coming out of the kitchen that day; usually a mix of soft goat cheeses, marinated fetta and richer styles, often served with local accompaniments. Find a table on the lawn, with views over the surrounding hills and see goats grazing nearby. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Spencer Cocoa
A small bean-to-bar chocolate maker based in Mudgee, Spencer Cocoa produces chocolate using cocoa beans sourced directly from farming communities in Vanuatu. In fact, since the beginning, they’ve bought beans directly from the same families they started with in 2013.
In terms of making the chocolate, everything happens locally; the beans are roasted, ground and turned into chocolate right there in Mudgee. For tastings, drop in anytime Thursday to Saturday 10am – 3pm. Enjoy a complimentary tastings right in the heart of the chocolate factory!
Credit: Destination NSW / Cheese board available at Honey Haven in Mudgee.
Mudgee Honey Haven
Just outside town on the Castlereagh Highway, Mudgee Honey Haven is the kind of roadside spot where you’ll stop for out of curiosity and stay for longer than expected. The family-run shop focuses on locally produced honey, with a range of varieties to taste, each shaped by the surrounding flora.
Inside the store, shelves are lined with jars, honeycomb and beeswax products, alongside tastings that let you try the differences between lighter, floral honeys and deeper, more robust flavours. Head straight for the honey ice cream, made using local honey and served on site, or stay for their collection of specialised cakes, platters, coffee and delicious breakfast and lunch options.
Mudgee Fine Foods Farmers Market
Although it’s not necessarily a farm gate, the Mudgee Fine Foods Farmers Market is a great place to get a taste of Mudgee, all in one place. It runs on the third Saturday of each month from around 8:30am to 12:30pm, with a separate Makers’ Market on the first Sunday.
Stalls are run by local producers themselves, so everything you see, from honey and olive oil to fresh fruit, baked goods and preserves, has been grown or made within the surrounding region. Browse and taste as you go, chatting directly with producers, picking up things you won’t always find in the shops.
Credit: Destination NSW / Gary Leonard, owner of Mudgee Brewery, with a sample of his product.
Mudgee Brewing Company
If beer is your thing, more so than wine, Mudgee Brewing Company is probably where you’ll want to take a break during your visit to Mudgee. The brewpub makes its beers on site and pours straight from the source!
The range typically includes core styles like pale ale, lager and IPA, alongside seasonal or limited releases, which you can try as a tasting paddle. Then there’s the kitchen which runs alongside the brewery, serving pizzas, burgers and share plates, making it a perfect place to stop for a proper meal as well as a drink.
Fun fact: the brewery is found within an iconic 100 year-old building, home to the (in)famous Mudgee Mud, first poured way back in 1883.
Baker Williams Distillery
Not far from the heart of Mudgee, Baker Williams Distillery produces small-batch spirits using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, including grains grown in the region. The distillery is all about whisky and other spirits (all made on site), with production visible from the tasting area.
Visitors can sample a range of releases during their time here, often including single malt whisky and seasonal spirits, while learning about the distillation process and how local ingredients influence the final flavour.
Be sure to book a tasting!
Pic credit: Parklands Resort
Where to stay in Mudgee
Mudgee Parklands Resort is well placed for getting around, close enough to reach cafés and shops in a few minutes, while still giving you space and plenty of calm between outings and food stops.
The rooms are modern and beautifully furnished, with many opening out onto the gardens. The property itself is spread across landscaped grounds with a pool and tennis courts, so there’s room to slow down between visits.
An on-site restaurant and bar means you can stay in for the evening rather than heading back into town.
Book your stay in Mudgee today!
