3 reasons to eat locally on the south coast

Now if you ever happen to be on the NSW south coast, cruising down the Princes Highway be sure to stop at the East Lynne service station and pie shop. Yes it’s an unlikely looking place to have the best pies you’ll ever buy…but it’s true. They do.

The best pie you’ll ever buy.

Pebby Beach- photo from shoalhaven city council

It’s just near the Pebbly Beach turn off, so after you have spent the morning snorkling in crystal clear water, watching kangaroos frisk tourists for a loose crumb or two, and dabbling with your kids in rock pools. Please, oh please go and get a big pie. You can buy hot savoury ones or big family fruit ones (cooked or frozen and uncooked- top photo is an uncooked apple pie.) What makes them so good? I think the pastry is the key ingredient, it’s just so good. Buttery with a touch of vanilla.

Mixed berry pie is my absolute favourite, with the apple being a close second. I will fight small children off in order to get to a second piece of the pie…seriously, do yourself and your taste buds a favour…GO BUY THE PIE.

If you are heading to the south coast…

Now if you are heading south from Sydney then before you buy your pie you may as well stop off in Berry. A popular little town, that’s an easy two hours drive from Sydney so sees a lot of weekend people. Two foodie tips for here. One is the Woodfired Sourdough Bakery. A place so funky it hurts. Complete with funky french staff, with funky french accents and coffee that hits just the spot. This place gets busy so be prepared to wait if you want to eat in.

Now the second tip is a little more unusual. At the top of town is the Berry Community Craft shop. It backs on to a lovely park, perfect for a little break. A place where locals donate their hand made goodies, and then are sold to make a little profit for the shop, (like a CWA shop). A great array of jams, chutneys, marmalades and pickles. Wooden children’s toys and more knitted and crocheted goodies than you can poke a stick at. All very reasonably priced.

Three very different places that provide some really great food and you also get to support the local community.