Eschalot Restaurant — Restaurant in Berrima

One of my absolute favourite places in the Southern Highlands.

Eschalot is truly one of my favourite places to go — for birthdays, anniversaries, or just a special dinner with my husband. Both my birthday and anniversary fall in July, which means it’s usually freezing cold here in the Highlands. Most restaurants in the area are chilly in winter, so I’m often forced to prioritise warmth over elegance — but not here.

At Eschalot, I can dress beautifully, wear an elegant dress, and actually feel amazing without worrying about the weather. I take off my winter coat at the door and instantly feel warm, comfortable, and, most importantly, special. That really matters on a day like your birthday or anniversary — feeling like your best self.

The atmosphere is stunning. The old house with its small rooms reminds me of my childhood in cold rural Russia, where every grandmother’s house had a handful of little rooms with a warm fire burning in the stove. Eschalot brings me that same nostalgic comfort — both physically and emotionally. Each room only has a few tables, so you never feel crowded, and the space stays quiet and intimate. You don’t need to talk over the noise; you can actually enjoy a proper conversation.

The service has always been exceptional. We’ve been going here for years and never once had a bad experience. The team always greets us with smiles, often helps with coats, and makes us feel genuinely welcome. You’re treated like a lady — like someone who’s meant to be there and deserves a beautiful evening.

One of the things I truly admire about Eschalot is their commitment to fresh, homegrown produce. Many of the vegetables used in their dishes are grown right there on site, in their own garden. You can truly taste the difference — everything is incredibly fresh, vibrant, and full of flavour. There’s something deeply special about knowing that what’s on your plate was nurtured just steps away. That level of care and sustainability is rare, and it makes the dining experience feel even more meaningful.

As for the food… I don’t even want to start or I’ll get hungry just writing this! I absolutely love good food — it’s my priority when dining out, even more than wine. For me, it’s not about price; it’s about the experience. And at Eschalot, the experience is worth every cent.

We often go for the “Feed Me by the Chef” menu — and I highly recommend it. It always feels like a surprise, something exciting and new. The portions may look small at first, but there are many courses, and we always leave full and completely satisfied. Not once have we left hungry or disappointed.

Every single dish I’ve ever had there has been cooked to perfection. Nothing overcooked, underdone, or dry — just perfectly balanced flavours and textures. The chef’s talent shines in every bite. The sauces, the spices, the way everything is plated — it’s just exquisite. You take a bite, close your eyes, and truly savour the moment.

To top it all off, Eschalot is a small, family-owned local business — and that matters to me. I love supporting local, independent restaurants, especially when they deliver such consistently excellent experiences.

Highly, highly recommended. If you haven’t been — go. It’s one of the gems of the...

My recent experience at Escolate restaurant was, unfortunately, a letdown, especially considering it was our second visit. We had originally booked a 12:15 PM seating online for the outdoor pavilion, looking forward to a relaxed lunch in the sun without the 2 hour time constraint. However, the morning of our reservation, we received a phone call informing us that we would have to dine inside instead, thinking that they must not be that busy today. While we understood that changes can happen, it was disappointing not to enjoy the outdoor atmosphere we had anticipated. The lunch itself was semi decent. Prawns were over cooked and the pork belly was dry, the crackling half crunchy half rubbery. However, towards the end of our meal, we decided to order coffees with dessert to cap off our experience. Much to our surprise and disappointment, just two minutes after placing our order, the waitress informed us that we could not have our coffees because we had exceeded our 2-hour seating limit by 23 minutes. Our previous visit had included a similar time constraint, but we knew this because we booked to dine inside that time around and were made aware of it beforehand, which made the experience much smoother. To compound our frustration, another waitress approached us and rather abruptly tossed the bill onto our table, then walked off. We still had just got our desserts. This lacked the warmth and attentiveness one would expect from a restaurant of Escolate’s so called caliber. Overall, this experience left us feeling rushed and unwelcome during what was meant to be a leisurely meal. It's unfortunate, as we had higher expectations based on our first visit. While we appreciate that restaurants often have to manage table turnover, better communication about time limits and a more courteous approach from the staff would significantly enhance the dining experience. I did speak with the manager but he was interruptive and rude. I was informed it was at their discretion where they seat diners and that the pavilion was not opened today only to see people having drinks in there when i left. If you like being treated like an inconvenience then by all means dine here, but I will not...

We came to Eschalot Restaurant to celebrate my mum’s 80th birthday on Sunday 19 May 2024. Anticipation was high as we selected this restaurant above others due to personal recommendations, restaurant reputation and google reviews. I’m sad to say that we all (party of 8) were disappointed with the standard of service and the room that was designated for us. Thankfully the food quality was of a high standard. The restaurant has a strict policy regarding arrival time and a 2hr sitting time. For us it was 12pm-2pm. We arrived before opening time and were seated shortly after. The room that was allocated to us was quite dingy and after having a look around, the worst space available. This was given to us despite my mum calling and being told we would have a seat by the window and me calling and being told that they would provide us with the best available. Our booking was made well in advance, so it was highly disappointing to be lumped with the room we were given, especially for such a special occasion. As a table of 7 or more we had the set menu (we chose the signature menu, despite the waiter not being able to tell us the difference between menu’s). The staff had no idea what was on the menu, weren’t even able to tell us what course we were on, and food was left on the table without any description of what it was. Despite the strict 2hr dining time, we didn’t finish eating until 4pm. To infuriate us further, other patrons who were seated after us, finished well before. I assume this was as their table was to be rotated for next service. Clearly our table wasn’t to be rotated so we were left bereft of food for extended periods of time with no idea what was coming next (if anything). After making polite complaints, we were told that they were short staffed and offered some recompense for our poor experience (which was appreciated). Considering the reputation of the restaurant, the overall experience was very poor with only the quality of the food providing some relief. What was meant to be a special occasion for mum’s 80th turned into a bit...