AN entry in the prestigious Good Food Guide is about way more than just tasty meals, the owner of Vine & Tap, and Dogwood BX say.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
They are the only two Bathurst restaurants to receive an entry in the just-released 2019 guide and both were just one point away from receiving a hat.
Vine & Tap is the newer of the two eateries and only opened its doors in the Brooke Moore Centre just before Christmas last year.
Owners Trish Marino and Stephen Swart said they were surprised and humbled to have received a mention in such a prestigious nationwide restaurant guide.
Weve been open less than a year and its a really good achievement to get in the Good Food Guide, Ms Marino said.
We got 14 out of a possible 20 points, we were just one point off a hat.
Ms Marino said restaurants were judged not only on the food and drinks served, but also customer service, atmosphere and wow factor.
Dogwood BX first opened the doors to its restaurant on Keppel Street in May 2017 and since then owner Evan Stanley said it had become a firm favourite with many diners.
Ive been on tenderhooks for months because I had to confirm details with them, he said after the Good Food Guide first contacted him earlier this year.
Its a big coup for anyone anywhere, theyve raised the minimum points from 12 to 14 [to be listed].
Its such a highly-regarded guide and what I really love about the guide is that weve got just as many eateries in there as Orange.
For those who are yet to dine at Vine & Tap, Ms Marino said it was an Italian spuntini wine bar that served up Italian dishes with a contemporary feel.
Its a casual place where you you can have a few wines, imported beers and just graze, she said.
Vine & Tap has become so popular since it opened, that it recently expanded into the shop nextdoor to be able to cater for more diners
Meanwhile, Mr Stanley said Dogwood BX was a bar as much as it was a restaurant.
Its really important to me to have those two elements mixed together, he said.
Its a higher end diner experience in town with good solid hearty dinner.