Pialligo Estate Garden Pavilions

Garden Pavilions at Pialligo Estate

You must have already read how spellbound Joseph and I were when we first visited Pialligo Estate. It may come as no surprise if we tell you, it was yet another mesmeric experience when we visited the Garden Pavilions recently. We completely forgot that we were in Canberra, it felt as if we were in the beautiful country side where fields of lavender grow.

There are fig trees on one side, an olive grove on another. There’s a vineyard on one side and a herb garden and an orchard on another. Were we in a gorgeous province somewhere in Italy? The recycled timber pavilions are climate controlled and provide clear views of a signature skyline which confirms that you are indeed in beautiful and serene Canberra.

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A visit to the Garden Pavilions doesn’t just stop at wining and dining but it also provides an opportunity for a nerve-calming stroll across their estate that has a long history of farming in Canberra which began in the 1820s. I love it when you can make a dinner date into a mini exploration…

The temperature had suddenly dropped, as it always does in Canberra and for a brief moment, I enjoyed the wind in my hair. I stayed out a bit longer to soak in the tranquil surroundings and when I finally entered the garden pavilion to join the rest of my friends, I was pleasantly surprised to find it nice and warm.

“We scatter a few tables outside, however most people choose to be seated inside,” said Emelia Vimalasiri, Sales and Marketing Manager, Pialligo Estate. “We open the Pavilions right up so that diners feel like they are eating in the garden,” she added.

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Garden Pavilions has its own kitchen which you will notice when you walk towards the pitched shingle roofed buildings. My dining experience is always heightened when I get to see the kitchen, even more so when the chef talks to you about the cooking process.

“Culinary austerity is an important artistic expression,” said Sean Keating, Executive Chef of Phoenix and the Wolf in Tasmania, who is currently at Pialligo Estate focusing on cooking with open fire to produce freshly smoked food during service.

While Pialligo’s olive grove consists of four hundred Coriggiola olive trees, a Tuscan variety well suited to the region, their vineyard has a wide range of grape varieties – from Riesling and Chardonnay to Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Sangiovese and Tempranillo.

“All our ingredients are either grown within the estate or supplied by local producers,” said Jan Gundlach, Pialligo Estate’s Culinary Director.”

It is these factors and more that make dining at the Garden Pavilions all that more special. You know for sure, that much thought has been put into the way the dishes are made and the effort behind it. And so our evening began…

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Open for breakfast at 8am on Sunday, for lunch from 12pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and for dinner from 6pm from Thursday, Friday and Saturday; Garden Pavilions at Pialligo Estate is located at 1/18 Kallaroo Rd, Canberra ACT 2609.

*Travel and Beyond were guests at Pialligo Estate Garden Pavilions. All opinions are our own.

Rose

Welcome to Travel and Beyond where the art of exploration intertwines with the allure of history, gastronomy, and culture.

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