Central Coast restaurants: Bar Botanica opens at Fragrant Gardens in Erina

With the coast’s food revolution in full swing, a cafe has emerged in Erina’s Fragrant Gardens that has amazing ‘picnic style’ food and gelato to match. Sit in the courtyard or grab a picnic blanket.

Fiona Killman

less than 2 min read

May 31, 2019 - 9:50AM

Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate

Bar Botanica serves beautiful, not to mention stunning, picnic style food. Picture: Sue Graham

THE Fragrant Gardens holds memories for many coasties from years gone by.

However the much-loved destination in Erina has a new identity, which is full of beauty, character and out of this world flavours.

Bar Botanica has recently opened, operating as a garden cafe serving “picnic style” food, Mr Black coffee and the best gelato on the coast. You can sit in the beautiful courtyard or grab a picnic blanket, order food and enjoy the lush gardens.

Chicken and tarragon sandwich and the most luscious carrot cake. Picture: Sue Graham

The cafe is the creation of Mr Goaty Gelato owners Dan and Julia Hughes who have been producing their gelato out of the premises for the past two years with a dream of opening a cafe.

“It’s been six weeks now and we are doing really well,” Mr Hughes said.

“So many people say they remember this place from years ago, there’s a lot of nostalgia.”

Mr Hughes, who has Michelin star restaurant experience, described the food as picnic style casual dining, based on an old English term “elevenses” referring to a light snack taken at 11am.

Mr Hughes serves up gelato.

We sampled the popular ploughman’s lunch featuring the most soft and delectable gin-spiked cheddar from local producers Little Creek Cheese.

The pork and sage sausage roll was full of flavour, accompanied by a tangy relish, while the chicken and tarragon sandwich was the ideal light lunch packed with flavour.

The business takes advantage of being next door to the distillery, using their amazing products in meals as well as the gelato and sorbet.

Chicken liver parfait. Picture: Sue Graham

The chicken liver parfait features the Distillery Botanica blackcurrant liquor, while Mr Hughes recently used the juice from the distillery’s rare box of wild limes to make the most magnificent wild lime sorbet.

They also take advantage of the herbs from the garden, with gelato flavours such as turmeric and orange and the popular honeycomb and lavender. There’s 14 house-made flavours to choose from, along with pastries, tarts and cakes.

Mr Hughes said down the track they also plan to offer pre-ordered picnic baskets.