If You’re A Fan Of Paddock-To-Plate Dining You Have To Experience This Regional Food Festival
fresh-grown goodness
By Victoria Lewis | 27th July 2026This isn’t your typical food and wine festival.
Take your taste buds on a tantalising journey through the picturesque Tweed region this spring, as Savour The Tweed returns with an ambitious lineup of gourmet feasts spanning fish painting, art gallery breakfasts, and creative cuisine collaborations – and that’s only just the beginning.
Set to take place in late October, Savour the Tweed 2026 builds on its glorious reputation as one of the best regional food and beverage festivals, with over 25 foodie events to sink your teeth into across a five-day program. Taking place in one of the most unexpectedly picturesque regions in Australia, this is one foodie event you’ll wish you found sooner.
What is Savour The Tweed?
Get ready to soak up the hinterland views, indulge in some deliciously unorthodox foodie events, and immerse yourself in a true paddock-to-plate experience with community and sustainability at its heart. Co-curated by Tweed-based chef and author Christine Manfield and Northern NSW food advocate Amy Colli, Savour The Tweed will take over the region from Wednesday, 21 October to Sunday, 25 October.
Long-table feasts, intimate producer experiences, hearty breakfasts surrounded by art – there is truly something enticingly unique about the events at Savour The Tweed. Highlight names to be featured in the 2026 program include proud Bundjalung chef Mindy Woods, author and TV presenter Palisa Anderson, Le Cordon Bleu Master Samantha Gowing and Sydney-based Syrian chef Sharon Salloum, alongside local heavyweights including Pipit’s Ben Devlin, Paper Daisy’s Baxter Newstead, and Bistro Livi’s Dani Wilson and Ewen Crawford.
In a sea of over 25 unique events, the program highlights are almost too tough to narrow down, but we gave it a shot below.
What’s on the program?
Gyotaku Fish Art and Dining, Pipit Restaurant, Pottsville
Have you ever painted a fish before? Well, now is a good time as any. Gyotaku is an ancient Japanese painting ritual used by fishermen to record prized catches. A tradition that, since 2020, the award-winning Tweed restaurant Pipit has mastered, as the only restaurant in Australia to do so.
At this iconic merging of art, fine dining, and seasonal produce, guests will watch Pipit Chef and co-owner Ben Devlin demonstrate this unique art form, share stories of sustainable food, and enjoy a 5-course seafood tasting menu.
This event is designed to be extremely intimate, capped at just 10 seats, so be sure to book your spot here before it’s too late.
Two unique Taste Trails
To celebrate Savour the Tweed, Murwillumbah Farmers Market has created a dedicated Tweed Taste Trail, inviting you to wander through artisan goods and local produce at your leisure. From 8am on Wednesday, 21 October, make a morning of meeting local farmers, producers, and stallholders, with interactive tastings along the way.
Savour the Trail is another must-do on the festival program – a free, self-guided tasting tour along the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Simply register for your free pass online to unlock complimentary tastings at five coveted dining destinations. Starting from Murwillumbah Railway Station, from 10am to 2pm on Sunday, 25 October, journey through the glorious countryside and tuck into a series of delicious treats.
The Chef and the Distiller, Husk Distillery, Tumbulgum
This ain’t your average dinner party. Hosted by the ever-iconic Husk Distillery in collaboration with the Executive Chef at Paper Daisy (Halcyon House), this long-table dining experience promises an unforgettable evening of free-flowing drinks, collaborative cuisine, all set within a magical hinterland setting.
Starting at golden hour on the lawn, guests will then make their way into the Rum Barrel House, where an elegant evening awaits. Held on Friday 23 October 2026, the unforgettable experience is $150 per person and includes a four-course dinner, a curated See Saw Wine pairing, and two signature rum cocktails – one on arrival and one served alongside dessert.
Hinterland Harvest, Potager Kitchen Garden, Carool
Indulge in a four-course, produce-led lunch as you’ve never tasted before with Potager’s Hinterland Harvest. Starting with a guided tour of the restaurant’s flourishing kitchen garden to see the full scale of their regenerative, zero-waste farming, then take in the breathtaking hinterland views as you indulge in some of the best produce the Tweed has to offer. Take it from someone who has dined here before: nothing compares to their peak-season produce picked straight from the garden.
On this occasion, Potager’s Head Chef Luis do Carmo is collaborating with leading sustainability champion Jez Wick, most recently head chef at Oz Harvest’s Refettorio, to transform surplus ingredients from farms and supermarkets into delicious dishes for vulnerable communities.
Wollumbin Sunrise Breakfast, Apex Dining at Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so don’t leave it out of your Savour theTweed experience. Head to Apex Dining within Tweed Regional Gallery for a sunrise feast complete with expansive views across the valley to Wollumbin and the Border Ranges.
Work your way through an artisanal breakfast menu curated by Hannah Setchell and her team – we are talking sourdough crumpets, handmade jams and preserves, fresh fruit from Tropical Fruit World, Tweed Valley pork, local farm eggs, and house-made pastries, and of course, fresh fruit juice, tea, and coffee to wash it down with. Once you’ve finished your leisurely meal, take the opportunity to wander through the Tweed Regional Gallery’s latest exhibitions. Breakfast and art, why that’s two of our favourite things.
Feast of the Beast, Coolamon Station, Palmvale
Set in the hidden hinterland retreat of Coolamon Station, Feast of the Beast is your ultimate chance to reconnect with nature. This lavish, long-table dinner on the wool shed veranda will combine the finest produce, most premium cuts, and expert technique, and give you an experience that will give you a deeper connection to your food.
With meats caught by wild game hunter Ryan Smith of Fair Game Wild Meats, cooked over coals in collaboration with Bundjalung star chef Mindy Woods, Feast of the Beast combines connection, culture and culinary expertise for one night of total immersion in nature. Plus, innovative mead maker Louis Costa will be there with her small-batch still, sparkling, and vintage wines, so you can get ready to sip slower and linger longer.
Arabesque Tapas & Tunes, Bar Bruto, Casuarina
For one-night-only, Sydney-based Syrian chef Sharon Salloum, acclaimed for her signature Arabic and Levant flavours, is joining the Bar Bruto team for an iconic evening of dance, DJs, and dining. In this unique dining collaboration, Bar Bruto will transition from their typical tapas menu to serve up bold Middle Eastern meze share plates, while still championing local ingredients. Then, as the night progresses, get the party started with JJDJ spinning some funky Arabic-inspired tunes.
Entwined – Faces of the Tweed, M|Arts Precinct
Offering something a little unorthodox for the opening of Savour The Tweed, Entwined invites guests to celebrate those behind what’s on the plate with a major photographic exhibition by acclaimed Australian photographer Rob Palmer. Showcasing moving portraits of the growers, producers and culinary talents across the Tweed region, the exhibition acts as the perfect welcome to a festival dedicated to uplifting the community.
Experience curated artist and producer conversations, hosted by the talented and engaging Magdalena Roze as MC, listen to local DJ tunes, and ponder the stories of those who shape the Tweed’s thriving culinary culture.
Francisco’s Twilight Feast, Farm & Co, Cudgen
Roaming restaurant chef Francisco Smoje finds home at the iconic Farm & Co for an evening of life’s simple pleasures – thoughtful, produce-led dining and spending time in lush farm surrounds.
Discover the story of the Northern Rivers on a plate through Francisco’s signature flavours, rooted in simplicity, seasonality and connection. A joyous expression of Francisco’s love for food, this Twilight Feast is where you can sit down, soak up the relaxed atmosphere, and let your flavours take your breath away.
Make a trip of it
The Tweed is one of those pockets that’s all too overlooked in the list of Gold Coast holiday destinations. Take Savour the Tweed as your opportunity to discover this hidden oasis of the world, less than 2 hours away from Brisbane. Give yourself the kind of getaway you deserve with a hinterland stay at the elegant Hillside Carool.
You’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into a dreamscape looking at the view, overlooking the expansive hinterland, while inside, elevated yet eclectic styling adds charm and character to your stay. With a pickleball court, a cold plunge and sauna, a games room, and plenty of space to simply lounge about, it doesn’t get much better than Hillside Carool.
This is your sign to gather your nearest and dearest and take that trip you’ve always talked about. Savour the Tweed’s full program, as well as tickets to each of their delicious events, can be found on their website here.
Imagery: Cara Sophie Large / Bar Bruto / @savourthetweed
