Award-winning restaurateur prepares to open highly-anticipated restaurant and bakery

Their customers would drive four hours to eat at their previous restaurant, now a Queensland hospitality family is preparing to welcome diners to their latest offering, set to become a destination eatery for foodies across the state.

After an incredible six months of delays, two of Queensland’s most anticipated eateries are finally set to open this weekend.

European bistro Myrtille and neighbouring bakery and patisserie My Little Blueberry will officially launch this Saturday at the restored 105-year-old Nolan’s Block lifestyle precinct in Crows Nest, near Toowoomba – the work of the much-loved Hinds family.

Famous in the region for their previous restaurant Emeraude, which closed in 2020, Amanda, Larry, Oliver and Sabine Hinds are thrilled to be cooking for old and new customers once again.

My Little Blueberry and Myrtille restaurant at Crows Nest.

“The actual renovation of this 100-year-old-plus very iconic Darling Downs building has been bigger than most of us thought,” said Amanda.

“It’s probably taken us twice as long and twice the amount of money, but I think it’ll be a destination.”

Myrtille will be a 50-70-seater relaxed bistro serving the family’s signature hearty fare using the best of hyper local ingredients. Think goose rillettes using nearby Pittsworth’s Banyard Game Birds, grass and grain-fed beef from Toowoomba’s Mort & Co, Warwick hogget and lamb with Bunnyconnellen saltbush from just up the road.

“We want amazing, friendly country hospitality, we want it to be super relaxed, but with great wine and food,” Amanda said.

“We want food that works with wine – that’s one of the main aims for this restaurant.”

A look inside Myrtille restaurant at Crows Nest.

That means lots of European-style favourites such as chardonnay, semillon, burgundy, tempranillo and more, alongside a fabulous collection of signature cocktails made with local ingredients.

The restaurant has even had its own gin made, with two varieties for guests to try.

As well as lunch and dinner, the venue will be open for breakfast, serving up many old favourites from Emeraude, including their famous doughnuts, plus the likes of slow-cooked hogget on greens, and smokey bacon they’ve been developing with a local butcher.

Meanwhile, next door at My Little Blueberry, the bakery, patisserie and cafe will serve everything from pasties, pies and sausage rolls, to tarts, cakes, doughnuts, eclairs, and plenty of desserts using its namesake fruit.

There will also be specialty breads and filled baguettes – perfect for picnics; plus a range of wines you can buy by the bottle to enjoy there or takeaway.

Jasper coffee will also be on pour, alongside artisan hot chocolate using cocoa from award-winning local chocolatier Metiisto; plus juices, tea and Crows Nest soft drinks.

My Little Blueberry will seat about 50, and is expected to be a hugely popular stop with the drive market.

A small speak-easy-style whisky bar will also soon open at Nolan’s Block, joining a coffee roaster, homewares store, antique shop, plant outlet and more.