The NSW Central Coast has already taken early points in 2019 as a food region on the move.

John Singleton's ambitious the Bon Pavilion put Gosford in the food news, and Lucky Bee's recent parlaying of its just closed Woy Woy pop-up into a permanent Hardys Bay fixture has brought a little extra colour to the area.

And we're loving Julia and Dan Hughes' Bar Botanica, at the Fragrant Gardens haunt in Erina.

Dan, part of the alumni at Three Blue Ducks in Bronte, has been churning out his award-winning Mr Goaty Gelato from the space for a few years, but the addition of Bar Botanica has put it on the to-do food list.

Central Coast locals and visitors do not live on gelato alone, so it's lucky Hughes has Michelin restaurant experience.

He's punching out a chicken liver parfait, ploughman's lunch and house-baked pastries from the charming mud brick hut.

Open Wed-Sun 10am-4pm.

Bar Botanica, 25 Portsmouth Road, Erina, barbotanica.com.au