Biota Dining

Beautiful space, very unique decoration. Flavors in dishes are well ballanced to enhance the natural taste of ingredients. The sourdough is a pure craft. The best sourdough I have ever had. Complemented with cultured butter, it could be a meal by itself. Definitely worth to drive there.

Biota held a pop up at Chippendale and we had an amazing time. Their modern Australian, rustic, delicious meals are designed to be eaten with your hands and create an intimate dining experience. We had an amazing time over dinner with whimsical waitresses and moorish food. The only thing I could fault was the lack of wait staff and parking but that didn’t affect the meal or experience.

Where to begin...? I had been looking forward to this for weeks! Suffice to say, you need to book weeks in advance. Our table was perfect, far enough from others and the quiet atmosphere allowed for my partner and I to engage in great discussions (unlike most loud eateries). You know we’re enjoying a restaurant when it becomes an addition to our list of potential wedding reception venues. The host and waiters are delightful. A great balance of interaction and non-intrusiveness. Ash (the host) was an absolute blessing. She tended to our every need and ensured there was always a drink in my hand. The waiters comprehensively inform you of every ingredient in every dish and leaves you salivating before they’ve finished speaking. And you know a bartender is talented when they make an impressive espresso martini! The chefs also runs food which adds to the experience and emphasises their team culture. We decided to bump up to the 7-course set menu. It wasn’t the most consistent menu, but there was some winners! i.e., kangaroo jaffles, 48hour roasted pears and the delectable assortment of entrees. There is a variety of locally sourced wines and inventive cocktails... something for everyone. The elderflower cocktail is a great palate cleanser to start the celebrations. For those who complain about pricing... do your research first. It is expected, and there is no way you can enjoy yourself if you are enveloped with such inhibitions. We don’t do this very often, so I would like to thank Ash & the Biota Team for a lovely, memorable and delicious evening. JG.

For a fine dine restaurant I'd expect there's no flies inside especially at my table. They were everywhere, made the experience horrible. Entree was average, I'd prefer a bit more sauce as it was a bit dry. Mains, the fish was horrible, it was bitter and too dry despite the oil at presentation, no taste. Requested no dairy but my main had a big blob of cream underneath all the food. I'd expect a bit more for a hatted restaurant. Won't come back again for sure.

If you want to try some delicious and slightly experimental meals, this is for you. Not all dishes were winners, but each one is exciting and interesting, and you can tell that a lot of effort went into them. The dish we both liked most at dinner was the Kangaroo Jaffles, but the baked eggs for breakfast were phenomenal. The cocktails are likewise very intriguing and highly recommended. Staff were fantastic, and the ambience was great. The breakfast was also amazing, and if you need a place to stay in Bowral then the rooms attached to the restaurant were very comfortable and beautifully decorated (although the shower floods the bathroom).

I loved everything but I just wished there was MORE of it! Or rather, a-la-carte options. Perhaps it was because we visited on Easter Friday but I’d def come back if their regular dinner menu is not a tasting menu. Although this was a SPECTACULAR tasting menu. $100 per head + extras

Such a delightful place almost in the heart of Bowral. Food was magnificent and the service was delightful. A perfect place for a celebration or an intimate dinner. The chefs menu was divine and it was very handy to have neat and comfortable accommodation on site. Would recommend to anyone that asks.

Biota is easily one of my top 5 favourite restaurants in the world. I’ve dined here over a dozen times for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even just for drinks at the bar. Biota is also where my wife and I held our wedding reception, so this restaurant is a very special to venue to us. Their new EMD menu is superb, and the quality of produce is second-to-none. The creativity behind each dish is extraordinary. FOH staff are friendly and hospitable. To sum it, Biota is worth the long pilgrimage drive, and a place I will always return to.

Most romantic place I have ever been , the drive there as well as the atmosphere is just spot on. The dishes are well presented and taste super delicious . I felt the service was just right to be not intrusive but helpful. The interior design of the place is just amazing has a modern urban touch . I loved it would definitely go back :) The drive down is a time alone with the lover or the friend , and the scenery along the way just breath taking , it will be really beautiful for it a sunny day .

I didn't get to go the restaurant, but I did get to try some of Biota's food at the NSW Food & Wine Festival. I had their braised beef brisket sandwich on a brioche bun with local cucumbers and biota garden lettuce. There was some sort of cheese on the sandwich, too, but it wasn't mentioned on their sign so I don't know what it was. For $10, this was a really, really good sandwich. Glad I randomly decided to try this place, not knowing they were a 5* business on Yelp. Maybe I'll have to go dine here sometime.

Who would have thought a restaurant of such a high calibre would be out in Bowral. Loved everything about this restaurant especially our very attentive and helpful waiter. The restaurant was packed to capacity and although this was the case, it certainly did not affect the service provided by the waiters. The food was unusual in pairing but surprisingly, all dishes ordered were delicious. I was glad I ordered the spatchcock, the most amazing paste consisting of hazelnuts and italian sherry, reduced to a very thick paste. For dessert, I highly recommend the poached quince with yogurt gelato - just quietly, I was not coping in the slightest. I could have sat there all night slowly eating through that dessert. I haven't stopped recommending this restaurant to friends and family. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed and will certainly be back (perhaps in Summer).

Biota dining was a real revelation. We were travelling from Sydney to Canberra and wanted a nice place to eat, and happened to stumble upon Biota. It's around 1/3 to 1/2 of the way to Canberra, you take an exit off the highway to Bowral, it's just past the town center there. Outside is a little lake, and a greenhouse where they grow their own little herby bits. There's a bar section with a separate menu, we went into the main dining area where there's an interesting atmosphere of minimalist art and sciencey looking glassware. The food is a real highlight, it's very modern, very pretty, and super tasty. We started with a bizarrely presented fried anchovy, on the end of a wire attached to a lump of pink quartz. More normal was the delicious break roll we got no, wait, the butter is served on a smooth rock with the butterknife embedded into it. Thankfully the food lives up to this showmanship, delicious modern dishes cooked in an open kitchen right next to the dining area. My main was a jet-black pork cheek, the sauce was a japanese stock reduction combined with squid ink for an amazing flavour. This is great fine dining, and it's not cheap except when you compare it to Sydney prices, you'll get a great deal on a special meal if you're up for one on the way to canberra (or if you live in the area!)

Biota is a dining experience not to be missed. The menu is a series of small plates that are described by their ingredient, because it's the ingredients that are the star. The restaurant has a huge garden where much of the produce is grown. They are all about showing of local and carefully selected produce. We has made to trip out to Bowral, so we went for the gluttonous 7 courses with matching wines. Each dish was expertly matched with a generous pour of wine chosen from regions around the world. Higlights included the squid, burrawong duck and sheep's milk curd (to be honest everything was divine). The seven course experience was a leisurely 3 hour affair. It is great value for fine dining at $195 a head including the matching wines. Book ahead if you want to do the fine dining thing, otherwise there is also a walk-in bar area with a completely different menu - I'll have to give that a go next time and report back.

Went to Biota dining for a late Sunday lunch. It was a nicely styled space with seating outdoors as well. It was a sunny day so we sat outside with a nice view of the pond. Took a little while for the waiter came out but when he did, came out and engaged with a quirky and sarcastic tone, but funny. Because we were here for a late lunch, we ordered a few beverages; fresh mocktails (a fruity one and a lime and mint) and the boys got a whisky and beer. We didn't eat from the degustation menu, rather the bar snacks and got a few to share. First we got the salt and vinegar home fries; nice flavour but could have been crispier. We got the smoked cheeseburger which was also nicely flavoured on a soft bun, the meat was just a tad overlooked. We got the bowl of roasted chokes which were a generous serving on a purée. Then the fried pork katsu terrine (which was essentially a pork katsu sandwich with mayo) and nice, but again a little overlooked. We also got the home made tarama that came with potato chips. Really nice dip with the roe sitting on top. Another smaller dish we got was a bowl of fried chicken and pickles - three wings that had a bit of kick, smoked paprika to them. From the larger dish menu we got the Mac and cheese which had a fried rye through it - very tasty.

Had dinner at Biota on Valentines Day 2015 and it was amazing. Set menu of 5 courses matched with beautiful wines, most locally produced. We were lucky enough to have a table near the kitchen, and with its open plan could watch the chef's in action . Food and service were both perfect and i can not think of anything they could have done better. If you are in the area, do yourself a favour, book dinner at this restaurant, it is worth every cent.

We chose to stop for lunch here en route to the South Coast. With a choice of 3, 5 or 7 courses a friend & I decided we wanted 4 courses for lunch - this was very happily accommodated. The restaurant was about half full, but this did not detract from the ambience. Service was friendly and competent. Highlights of the meal for me were the "beef - molasses - native berries - saltbush" and the dessert of "apples and blossoms - frozen meringue - chocolate sorbet" which was a perfect way to end a meal - sweet but not too chocolately. Coffee was good too. I would definitely go back.

Found this restaurant through Lime and Tonic and wasn't disappointed. Food was creative and delicious as you would expect given it's reputation. Surrounding garden is really nice and makes you feel at home rather than a 2-chef hat restaurant. Great service and the staff are extremely friendly. Definitely worth it!

Staff amazing. Ambiance is very warm and intimate for couples. The food is truly fantastic. Out of the 7 dishes I could not fault a single one. Having eaten at a lot of other well established restaurants this seriously contends with any other hatted restaurant. This is a place for real foodies.

The atmosphere is lovely, staff are friendly and food is yum. It's a little on the expensive side so if come back for a special occasion next time

Awesome food and service, We had a Christmas Party here and the pork was excellent, the drinks were excellent and the service was excellent. Ben the manager was very helpful in all aspects of making sure we had a great night.

Eating at Biota is a really unique experience that I highly recommend. I visited Bowral over a long weekend, just an easy hour drive down south from Sydney, and was lucky enough to visit the 2 chef hatted Biota. This restaurant specializes in their molecular gastronomy tasting menu. It is a block just outside of the main town and nothing special from the outside, but the inside has a very modernized cozy feel. The open kitchen allows you to feel like you are a part of the excitement of the creation of the incredible bites that are delivered in segments to your table. You can choose if you would like three, five or seven courses, and then pick out which options you would like to try. I chose to have three courses and felt completely full by the end of the show. Yes, I referred to it as a show because it was an experience. I went with my partner so luckily I was able to have a bite of each of his three dishes as well. Each table also got to try and little starter of salmon jerky, served on a wire floating out of a crystal of rock salt. Beautiful and delicious. The bread was warm and melted in your mouth with the freshly churned butter. Here is what we had: hen yolk - cooked curds - rye - chickpea potato - onions - fresh cheese - pigs skin pork - parsnip - squid arms - chestnut beef - molasses - native berries - saltbush lamb breast - dried lactose - fresh & cooked oats malt sponge - milk icecream - burnt hay custard - camomile Each of these dishes were very small portions just to give you a taste of these unique combinations. Although all were incredible, the lamb was truly out of this world, I closed my eyes and tasted every bite and couldn't help but smile. The dishes are made with fresh local produce, mainly grown in their garden, and you can taste the passion that goes into each plate.

We stopped in here for a late lunch. A great setting, a stylish looking restaurant. It was a nice sunny day so we chose to sit outside. We were seated overlooking tge duck pond. The waiter was a little sarcastic, which we thought was quite funny. It worked for us but may not be to everyones taste. Anyway, on to what we came here for, the food. We ordered a number of small meals from the snack menu to share, this menu was reasonably priced. We ordered the salt and vinegar home cut fries which were nice but needed some crunch, the potato chips with a delicious tarama, Fried chicken wings with a smokey paprika. A tasty mac and cheese with rye, which added some texture to this dish. A smoked cheeseburger, it had nice flavour, but the meat was a overcooked. The same goes for the pork katsu terrine, pretty much a pork katsu sandwich. It was tasty but the meat a little dry and overcooked. Last up my favourite dish of the meal the roasted artichoke. In all it was a good dining experience, I will have to save and return to try the degustation menu

Most over rated restaurant in the Highlands. Service extremely poor and some food dishes inedible!

Though I found the food and drinks very expensive, the food was enjoyable and like nothing I have eaten before ... Each dish an event and the space and big table that fitted 20 of us. Worth a visit regardless of whether the intricate food deserves a return trip.

Well worth visiting on a weekend getaway. The food, staff, fit out and wine list are all a standout...especially for the Southern Highlands. Always makes a difference when the owner of the venue is also the chef sending the food out. They do all of the little things right here and it make for a great experience. I know the restaurant gets all of the attention but make sure to sneak in a few 'bar snacks' and test out the brunch menu.