Harvest Cafe & Store — Restaurant in Bathurst

I've been going to Harvest for a few years for breakfast mainly. They used to do a great Eggs Benedict. Then they stopped making their own Hollandaise and started using the awful ready made stuff that tastes nothing like Hollandaise. More like wall paper glue - its the same colour. I stopped going. A week or so ago I met friends there and while waiting to order I noticed an Eggs Benedict - what looked like a real Benedict with real Hollandaise being carried to a table. I asked the young man at the counter about the sauce. He told me it was real, made that morning with fresh eggs and real butter etc. I ordered it and it was absolutely delicious. Best in Bathurst. The young man said that was the only way to serve it. Like I needed to hear that? 50 years working in hospitality taught me a few things. Today I went in and ordered the dish again after asking the woman at the counter about the sauce. She assured me it was made fresh etc. $30 plus dollars for 2 eggs and a hash brown - it better be. What came to the table was eggs napped in wallpaper glue pale pasty manufactuted tasteless stuff mascarading as Hollandaise. I was very disappointed and said so. Someone even came out from the kitchen with a takeaway container of their muck and rattled off a raft of ill-advised excuses. The young lady had no idea and said there was an apprentice in the kitchen. Some buck passing excuse. I admit Hollandaise is tricky to make and has a short shelf life but if a cafe wants to serve Eggs Benedict and charge $30 (with a hash brown) for it and only occasionally serves REAL Hollandaise then thats not on. I won't be bothering to stop...

We stopped in at Harvest Cafe & Store, located in the Bathurst Visitor Centre complex, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Parking was super easy, and we loved that there were both indoor and outdoor seating options – perfect for any weather.

We grabbed a coffee and one of the local soft drinks that the western region is known for – such a great way to get a taste of the area. For lunch, we both had the steak sandwich, which was absolutely delicious and came with crispy, golden fries that were packed with flavour.

The staff were warm and welcoming, and the service was quick without feeling rushed. The attached store is also well worth a look – it’s stocked with a lovely range of local produce, from jams and chutneys to honey, oils, and more of those signature soft drinks.

Whether you’re just passing through or spending some time in Bathurst, Harvest Cafe is a must-visit for a great bite to eat and a real taste...

So we have been here before and enjoyed it for the most part of each visit!

Today, however wasn't the best experience!

While I understand staff may be a little slower due to being in training or their first time in the role, service wasn't that good today!

I had to repeat my order 4 times and it still didn't come as ordered!

Coffee came out and it was lukewarm at best.

Then the food came, I asked for fried eggs sunny side up and they came out well done with no sign of soft yolk.

In fact they looked like had been cooked on/in a pan/hot plate that hadn't been cleaned for a while! It was the same with the grilled chicken on our other meal.

I only ate 1 & 1/2 of the eggs because I was starving!

Although this review seems negative, we enjoyed the space and fresh air seating and will come back to give it...