Hugely popular restaurant Emeraude to reopen at Crows Nest

After its surprise closure last month after a septic tank issue, the hugely successful Emeraude will again start serving customers - but things won’t be quite the same as they were before.

ITS shock closure last month (August) sparked an outpouring of grief among the community and loyal diners, but acclaimed eatery Emeraude in Hampton is reopening in fresh new digs.

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After being forced to shut over a septic tank issue, the hugely popular restaurant near Toowoomba will launch a pop-up venue at nearby Crows Nest in the home of olive grove and vineyard Bunnyconnellen.

“It’s super exciting,” said Emeraude owner and chef Amanda Hinds. “It’s a beautiful spot and there’s plenty of room for people to spread right out and breathe that beautiful fresh air.”

Sabine, Amanda, Oliver and Larry Hinds at Bunnyconnellon in Crows Nest where they will open a pop-up restaurant. Picture: Venus and Harley

The cafe will sit inside the vineyard’s current tasting room, offering Hinds’s signature comfort food with a modern spin.

“We want to do a bit more of our food on the inside and then maybe fish and chips on the grass,” said Hinds.

The chef will be joined by husband Larry and daughter Sabine in the kitchen, as well as former Jam Pantry owner and Wandering Cooks food and drink manager Naomi “Nims” Zavackas. While Bunnyconnellen’s Kate Stewart-Moore will run front of house, alongside

Amanda Hinds will be using much of the produce grown onsite at Bunnyconnellen for the new restaurant. Picture: Venus and Harley

Hinds’s son Oliver, and Zavackas’s husband Gideon and daughter Mimi.

“[It’ll be] a huge amount of fun and fabulous heartfelt food,” said Hinds, who plans to use the expansive kitchen garden on the 200 acre property for much of the produce, as well as its lamb, hogget and mutton, plus meat from the local area.

With an bed and breakfast on site and a fabulous gift shop, Hinds hopes it will become a destination venue, much like the original Emeraude.

The pop-up will run from September 18 to October 18 to coincide with Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers, with the potential to become a more permanent fixture if things go well.