Eschalot Restaurant

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535 reviews

#2 of 14 Restaurants in Berrima$$$$, French, Contemporary, Vegetarian friendly

+61 2 4877 1977+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Thu

6:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Fri

12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Sat

12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

535 reviews

#2 of 14 Restaurants in Berrima

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, French, Contemporary, Australian, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options

“... enjoyable evening we had that, “chef and I didn’t necessarily agree on th...”

“I highly recommend this venue for those wanting a fine dining experience.”

“Food was amazing.Like the best pork belly we’ve had in many years .And everyt...”

“The house sourdough and truffle butter were lovely, as was the pork belly ent...”

Location and contact

24 Old Hume Hwy, Berrima, New South Wales 2577 Australia

+61 2 4877 1977

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Can a vegan person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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About

Located in the historic village of Berrima and operating from one of the most significant heritage buildings in the area, Eschalot delivers consistently beautiful cuisine with an elegant and understated sense of occasion. Eschalot has been the recipient of many industry awards including 11 prestigious chef hats. Eschalot is owned and operated by head chef Matthew Roberts and maître d’ Cassandra Wallace. With almost 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, the food and wine duo know the importance of providing stylish and innovative food and service. Our philosophy is to provide fresh produce of the highest quality, locally sourced where possible, and combine it with professional, friendly service in an elegant, relaxed environment.

PRICE RANGE

$7.00 – $42.00

CUISINES

French, Contemporary, Australian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Mastercard, Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

535 reviews

Excellent

389

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

BiteSizeTraveller

Sydney248 contributions

Excellent shared platters at Eschalot Restaurant

Dec 2019 • couples

I had made a reservation for Eschalot a few months prior as we would be dining during the Christmas period and reservations are recommended especially at weekends. We were warmly greeted upon arrival and shown to our table in one of the many rooms of this restaurant. There was a selection of menus to choose between; the standard a la carte menu, a degustation menu or the shared plates menu with chefs feed me choice. We decided to opt for the chefs feed me shared plates as this seemed to be the most reasonably priced at $70per person and we enjoy sharing food. The wine list was equally extensive. Our dishes were brought out in a timely fashion with olives and taramasalata to start with flatbread, followed by chargrilled octopus which was delicious and fish ceviche. Our main share plates included slow cooked lamb which for me was a little greasy, crispy fried chicken which was my favourite and another meat dish accompanied by beetroot and feta cheese and roasted carrots. I was sad that we didn’t have the pork or the roasted duck fat potatoes as this is what we were keen to have but as it was the chefs choice menu we were at the mercy of the chef. Having said that all the food was good and beautifully presented. We decided to have dessert and I went for the soufflé which was super light and again nicely presented. Overall, we had a great meal and all the staff were friendly and attentive. I would definitely come back and try out the lunch menu next time we’re in town.

Written 3 February 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oznickh

Belrose1 contribution

A must do in southern highlands

June 2020 • none

I had lunch with a group of friends over the long weekend and can not recommend Eschalot enough. The location and venue are superb, the staff were friendly and very helpful and the food is phenomenal. I’ve eaten there a few times now and the changes to decor really suit the vibe the owners are going for. We had the Eschalot experience menu which is a must have for any first timer to the restaurant, it allows you to try a few different perfections that the menu offers. And if you’re not driving, the wine list is also worth a look. We told the wait staff we felt like a Rose and the recommendation was priced well and delicious. Cannot wait time be in the area again for another visit

Written 8 June 2020

eschalotrestaurant

Hi oznickh, Thank you for taking the time to review our restaurant. It was a pleasure to host your group and we are so glad you enjoyed yourselves. Looking forward to having you once again. Warm regards, Cass and Matty

Written 21 June 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tomsie1412

Sydney6 contributions

Wonderful afternoon in the Southern highlands...

Feb 2020 • none

We arrived a little early so walked around the streets of this compact old historic village ... The Eschalot Restaurant was a beautifully restored home that was very inviting. When we ordered we shared Platters which included mostly locally sourced ingredients really delicious food selected for quality and simplicity but perfectly complimenting each other... My guests were from overseas and were extremely impressed and satisfied... I would recommend my experience to all.

Written 11 February 2020

Webster27

Canberra1035 contributions

3.5 one of the Highlands finest

Feb 2020 • none

Unfortunately we picked an evening where it was a set menu rather than a la carte. It's a quaint setting in an old sandstone house on the main street with tables set in the smallish rooms. Noise wasn't a major issue. Wait staff were typical of a regional workforce; not overly attentive and somewhat mundane approach in their connection with diners. The food was above average but nothing to rave about although good to know this standard is available in the highlands even if it is metropolitan priced. The starters and the wine took an age to appear (approx 15 minutes) which in a small establishment was pushing the friendship. It has succumbed to the terrible fashions of providing no bread for the table and charged for aerating local water - what is it with this ridiculous craze? If I wanted to drink fluoride water I wouldn't go to the trouble of pumping gas in it. Please, can we serve proper mineral water?? The oyster were terribly fresh but what a pity there were only two...The pork was not much more than two mouth fulls and unnecessarily stingy in portion. The duck was positively under cooked and hence very chewy - nt one of chef's finer plates. The sweees were overly so, a common approach we note in a lot of rural towns, and really the chocolate popcorn was completely unhelpful and added nothing to the dish's construction. Perhaps the least positive was the price of the wines and the smallness of the list. Any serious restaurant that can charge $80:00 for a $15:00 bottle of NZ sauvignon blanc must be out of touch. All in all, its good to know there a white tabled clothed restaurant in the surrounds but we look forward to a much higher standard when we try the a la carte experience.

Written 20 February 2020

SueK

85 contributions

Over-rated

July 2020 • family

We stayed at Berrima and heard this was a hatted restaurant so went there for dinner. We decided to go with feed me chef $85pp (excluding drinks). There were a number of factors that contributed to a disappointing evening. My daughters plate was chipped, then one of the dishes was sealed for pork without telling us which most of our party don’t eat and finally the bill was incorrectly charged for 2 bottles of wine instead of 2 glasses. The waitress very politely corrected all the errors but it wasn’t the fine dining experience that we were expecting. Some dishes were quite nice like the jalapeño cheese croquet, sword fish and slow cooked lamb while others were a way off the mark.

Written 11 July 2020

eschalotrestaurant

Hi Sue Kara , Just in summary - your disappointment came from a chipped plate, a very simple operator error that was immediately and politely fixed and your choice of a menu that is 100% up to the chef what he serves on the night? As is printed on the chef's feed me menu: * the above are example menus only and may vary on the night of your reservation based on the freshest local produce available * dietary requirements can be catered for upon request at time of booking If we were told you didn't eat pork, we wouldn't have served it to you. My staff asked you at the time of ordering if you had any dietary requirements and you said no. You were in fact more than compensated for your dislike of pork with several other dishes being brought to the table. You were also checked on many times during each course to see if everything was to your liking - not a negative word was said. If you wanted a fine dining experience you should have chosen the degustation, not a shared banquet feast perhaps? We are slowly weeding out the entitled with ridiculous expectations... Warmth and happiness your way, you need it. M&C

Written 15 July 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JBN

Bowral1 contribution

Big shoes to fill. Overpriced pub grub!?

July 2020 • none

As locals who regularly frequented Eschalot previously; with its quaint setting and friendly service staff, there certainly is a noticeable difference in quality/value since the new owners took over; as is sometimes the case when businesses change hands. Thankfully at least the setting and friendly/helpful service staff have remained; as already the new owners poor attitude towards any customer feedback is evident judging by their terse defensive response to customers reviews below. We dined at Eschalot recently in support of local business during COVID and unfortunately our expectations were quickly diminished as despite the prompt friendly service our meals of Lamb Shank (pub quality, old Eschalot price tag) and Gnocchi which was rubbery and dry – my Italian relations always cooked it ‘melt in your mouth’. One would think that on deciding to continue with the Eschalot name that the new owners would be aware there will always be comparisons made to previous owners/ & menu. To avoid this, whilst changing the menu then step up and create a new identity and change the trading name as well perhaps?

Written 26 July 2020

eschalotrestaurant

JBN76, We respond accordingly. For too long the hospitality industry has had to listen to garbage like this - who has the right to give business advice to a business they know nothing about?? The entitled. Again, someone else who has not dined at a restaurant in years and expects it to be the same. If you love your relations cooking so much, get them to cook for you! We certainly won't be again. Regards, M & C

Written 29 July 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mahé

11 contributions

Underwhelming experience all round

Aug 2020 • none

From the service to the food, it was nowhere near the reputation it holds - thanks to the previous owner. This isn't fine dining, this is very expensive average food lacking in taste and originality. They're missing the mark at every stage. Even the plates were not appropriate for the food being served. The food comes with no bread, however you'll be charge 10 dollars for a carafe a sodastream water. When the waiter asked us if we enjoyed our degustation menu, we said "no". She asked no further questions. Not interested whatsoever in what can be improved. Save your money and go to Birch in Bowral.

Written 8 August 2020

eschalotrestaurant

Hi Mahe, I note that you and your husband have both taken the time out of your hectic schedules to write a review that does not reflect what we have to offer whatsoever. We have learnt that the Eschalot dining experience is heavily impacted by the customer’s expectations coming in. If you are not a regular diner and do not keep up to date with our website or social media, you may have missed some important information along the way. We are very transparent when it comes to our food philosophy and offerings. When we took over Eschalot a couple of years ago, it was a failing, outdated ‘fine dining’ restaurant that appealed to a very narrow target market. After much hard work and many changes, it is now a restaurant alive with positive energy and a wide variety of people who enjoy fantastic food and wine, without pretence. It is not designed to be a ‘fine dining’ experience whatsoever. We are clearly not to your taste and that's ok. Others love what we do and come back week in, week out. We have learnt it really does all come down to personal opinion. We appreciate the opinions of those who follow us, support us and understand what Eschalot is all about. M&C

Written 12 August 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

tannie24

Sydney273 contributions

Underwhelming and poor service

June 2020 • none

My husband and I decided to visit Eschalot for dinner after hearing about all of the amazing reviews and accolades. We had booked 3-4 weeks in advanced and were thoroughly underwhelmed. I understand it's a difficult time during Covid but the table turn over was an absolute mess - don't expect to get seated at your booking time as the lack of organisation was shocking. We had ordered our wines (once they were able to find a substitute as what was on list was not available), we eventually got our wines by the glass order in and waited a further 20 min (a couple who had sat down after us were tucking into the wine and first course by then). The king fish was flavourless and lacked acidity, the squid was well cooked but the nduja ruined the flavour - the lamb and roast potatoes were the highlight. However, not enough to save the experience. For the price point, I expected top notch service and fine dining. To top it off, we asked for the bill only to be given another table's food and drinks bill, taking another few go's to get it right. What an extremely disappointing experience, we will not be returning.

Written 27 June 2020

eschalotrestaurant

Hi Tannie24 Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience, it's never what we want for our diners. There was a slight delay in seating due to a new online booking system we have implemented, this weekend was the last service where there was a cross over between the physical diary and the online booking system. Unfortunately we had a couple of teething issues that have now been rectified. Apologies it had a negative impact on your night. Warm regards, Cass & Matty

Written 28 June 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

GxxxxP

Canberra44 contributions

Celebrating a special occasion

Mar 2021 • none

Having previously eaten here we had high expectations of the evening. Due to dietary requirements, we elected not for the chef or tasting menus (which we had previously chosen) and chose to pick off the standard al a carte menu. For Entree we had the cured kingfish which was excellent and the seared scallops which was disappointing due to the scallops being no larger than a 10 cent piece. The mains we asked for were the southern fried chicken and wagyu rib eye but the serving staff were insistent that between the two meals it was too much for two people and they encouraged us to choose one or the other. Accepting the recommendation of the wagyu rib eye, we asked for the meal to be cooked rare which again the wait staff outlined in detail the preference of the kitchen to cook the steak medium-rare because of the wagyu marbling and to ensure the fat was cooked. This decision to accept the wait staff's advice turned out to be disappointing as the steak was medium-rare in places and overcooked in other parts. We elected not to have dessert. On leaving the host (manager/owner) asked us about the dining experience and we provided direct and courteous feedback and expressed some disappointment due to our previous experience. I hope the restaurant takes this feedback with goodwill intended and we would be happy to at a later stage revisit Eschalot for another excellent meal.

Written 4 April 2021

Eschalot Restaurant Berrima

GxxxxP, 'We provided direct and courteous feedback and expressed some disappointment due to our previous experience'. Fantastic. That is exactly what we want because while we strive for excellence, we are not perfect. We are completely open to feedback and go above and beyond to accommodate the needs (even if they are changing and completely subjective needs) of our guests. It would have been fantastic if you had mentioned this prior to leaving, perhaps at one of the many, many checkins you received while you were eating. That way we could have rectified the situation there and then - there's an entire kitchen full of food just waiting to be cooked. If something was not to your liking, or you would have liked to add a dish, we could have done that for you immediately. Once you are walking out the door, it is too late. Goodwill intended? No. Not at all. In person, on the night, at a time it can be dealt with = goodwill. Taking it upon yourself to slam us on the internet after an issue has already been brought to our attention (well, kind of because you didn't really mention it until it was too late) = not goodwill. While you would 'be happy at another stage revisit Eschalot for another excellent meal', for us it's kind of like your friend's new partner turning up to your house, pretending to enjoy dinner, telling other people (in this case the whole world, yup, that's right, the whole world) that the people and food were underwhelming (even though they weren't last time) and then expecting to be invited back because 'I guess I'll give them another go'... It just doesn't sit right with us. We are welcoming people into our home when they dine with us, we live here. These are our tables, we made them. The people who sit at them are our people, if not, they only come once. The friend's partner doesn't get invited back. It's awkward now. Just some feedback, we hope you take it with the goodwill intended, of course. Warmth and happiness. M&C

Written 4 April 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

SuzePeth

Sydney50 contributions

Poor value - Really disappointed in the Duck

Jan 2021 • none

Berrima is a lovely place to travel to from Sydney and we were all excited to try Eschalot. Unfortunately, we ordered the duck which was extremely disappointing. The portions were minute it was literally just 2 fingers of duck ( 1cm wide which couldn't possibly be the whole breast) with some cranberries, sauce and 2 onion slices. It looked like the restaurant shared 1 duck breast between 3 of us. Luckily we had also ordered 2 portions of the potatoes and salads. My husband is allergic to onion and we gave the restaurant notice so they could substitute the vegetable. What the restaurant did was to just take off the sauce, cranberries and onion and did not replace it with anything else and they charged us the full price for the dish which was $43. Others in a group that ordered the gnocchi, lamb and beef said it was delicious and their portion/size of their dishes were very generous. Very disappointing with the value of the meal.

Written 11 January 2021

Nat H

Canberra3 contributions

Very disappointing

Sept 2020 • friends

We had travelled from Canberra and were looking forward to going to Eschalot having read all the reviews. We ordered the Chef’s selection @ $85 per head. We needed to keep asking the waiter to fill our wine glasses and selection delivered to the table was grilled fish, crispy chicken and slow cooked lamb - very uninspiring and no distinctive flavours. Desert was lemon meringue in pre made pastry cups!! We all left full but disappointed at the lack of flavours! We thought it was similar to a good pub meal.

Written 22 September 2020

eschalotrestaurant

X2619RLnatalieh Surely if you were in a desert and received lemon meringue pie, you'd be over the moon. Clearly being in the desert made you very thirsty, indicated by how much wine you drank. You also must attend some utterly exceptional pubs, would love some recommendations, nothing better than a good pub meal. Warmth and happiness, you need it. M&C

Written 23 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Catherine T

Sydney23 contributions

How Embarrassing 🙁

Apr 2021 • none

I advised a neighbour of the terrific food at this restaurant . She hosted her sister and partner to a meal at this restaurant on Saturday night of the Easter Weekend 2021. The meal was unsatisfactory and at $300 she was disappointed. Scallop entree was “ meagre “, her fish meal was too oily ( only ate half ) and another guest's “lamb blackstrap “ was burnt. I can not imagine how this could have happened unless a different chef was cooking, I had asked at the end of my own experience if a substitute chef was ever employed to cook and I was assured this did not happen. Thus my recommendation. Only difference was that I ate at lunch while she had her meal at dinner. My neighbour is an excellent cook and judge of food and I have had the experience of eating at a Michelin Star restaurant in the UK. We are just ordinary consumers . Above comments are to explain our interests and expertise in good food. I do wonder if my neighbour actually went to the same restaurant !

Written 4 April 2021

Eschalot Restaurant Berrima

So wait... you weren't even here? In fact when you were here, you decided to recommend us because you enjoyed it that much? You eat at Michelin Star restaurants and recommend us to others? But your neighbour is a good cook and a keyboard warrior so you jump in to continue the bullying behaviour - because that is what this is. Shame. You are now just part of the online troll group before you. Anyone who is reading our reviews can very clearly see that. Warmth and happiness, you clearly need it. M&C

Written 5 April 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

James L

Sydney168 contributions

When in the Southern Highlands feast at Eschalot

Aug 2020 • friends

I’ve read and heard great things about Eschalot, so when an opportunity came up to be close to Berrima I made a detour on my trip to book lunch for a friend and myself. First impressions are of a stunning colonial house, with lots of individual rooms fitting a few tables, most with a nice fire, giving a great ambiance. The service was good, with a special mention to our lovely and knowledgeable waitress Ally (spelling!?). The menu would please all tastes, and my guest and myself enjoyed the ceviche, Tuna tartare, oysters followed by a lovely steak. The servings were generous and very well presented and with a lot of flavour. These lovely courses were complemented by a lovely wine list. Will be back.

Written 30 August 2020

eschalotrestaurant

Hi Jamesmlinton, Thank you for taking the time to leave a lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed your experience, looking forward to having you again. Warm regards, M&C

Written 2 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kfer6

131 contributions

Wonderful atmosphere in old cottage

Oct 2020 • none

We came with a group of 6 and found the food delicious, particularly the ceviche entree and the chicken. Great to have shared plates as servings are more than adequate. Really enjoyed the wine list. Service was terribly slow and it took us 45 minutes to get our first drinks. Busy night. Enjoyed our night, please bring back the crisp white tablecloths!

Written 25 October 2020

Lhene

229 contributions

Pleasant surprise in Berrima

Dec 2019 • couples

Berrima is a good stop between Sydney and Canberra; and we were pleasantly surprised to find Eshallot. The building alone is impressive and preserved in its 19th century design. The interior decor is very pleasing. More importantly, the greetings when we arrived for a late Sunday lunch was very welcoming. We had several shared plates; and, I highly recommend if you wish to have a good taste of several dishes. The shared plate servings are generous and delicious. The staff are very attentive and ensured we were having a good dining experience. The wine complimented our meals.