Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries of the Illawarra
Far out, there are some awesome wineries, breweries and distilleries here in the Illawarra. All of them are kicking some serious goals – whether it be supporting local, focusing on sustainability, or creating some very cool places to hang out – they’re all making and creating some super tasty bevvies for us to partake in.
Here’s your go to list of the wineries, breweries and distilleries you need to visit in the Illawarra. Pronto!
This award-wining winery has cracking views from it’s gorgeous location in the hills west of Gerringong. The amazing property has a restaurant, cellar door, accommodation, is popular for weddings, runs fun live events and has a micro-brewery onsite too. A fab place!
Cellar Door is open Tuesdays to Fridays 10:30am – 5:00 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10:30am – 6:00pm. Bookings are encouraged.
A boutique winery that has operated in Gerringong for over 20 years, Roselea Vineyard offer up award-winning wines. While their tasting room is closed at the moment because of COVID, when they’re open again, swing by to taste test their delicious wines while looking across Rose Valley, Saddleback Mountain and Werri Beach. Beautiful.
Private wine tastings are available for groups of 6 up to 25 by appointment.
IMAGE: NEG Photography
A stunning venue that has it all….we’re not kidding….check this list out. Cellar door for wine tastings, of course.
Accommodation – super handy! It’s a fab spot for private events and gorgeous weddings. There’s a helipad so you can chopper in if you like, cos why not, right? And they have alpacas! See what we mean? Everything!
The property itself is over 150 years old and just minutes away from Berry. And you know what that means, don’t you? Picture perfect views!
While technically not in the Illawarra, Two Figs is only a 20 minute drive from Gerroa and 15 minutes from Berry and we love this family-run winery so thought it would be remiss of us to not include it.
It’s a boutique winery so there aren’t any large groups and noise – book yourself in for a wine tasting and you’ll get yourself a lovely, intimate tasting experience – you can order a cheese plate too – high on the hill overlooking the Shoalhaven River. Gorgeous!
This Wollongong brewery offers a great mix of their own brews and guest beers from the Illawarra brew community (locals supporting locals—what’s not to love?). Happy hour runs from 4 to 6 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and a rotating lineup of food trucks keeps things delicious.
Five Barrels have their regular range of popular craft beer available to taste (we recommend the beer paddle) at their brewery and The Taproom, where you can grab perfect beer fare – burgers and wings and more – four days a week. Special releases happen throughout the year which go pretty quickly too! And we love their merch – drink it then wear it!
Open 7 days Monday to Wednesdays 12-6pm, Thursdays to Saturdays 12-9pm and Sunday 12-6pm. The kitchen is open Thursday to Sunday.
This spot is excellent for unwinding with friends after a day of Illawarra adventures. Enjoy a game of pool, shoot some hoops, and dig into delicious wood-fired pizzas. With live music on weekends, your afternoon and evening plans are officially sorted!
This friendly neighbourhood brewery has a strong eco focus. They’re all about sustainability, solar energy and recycling- very cool! They also host regular live music, fun specials and have a pupper friendly beer garden. Grab something delish from Gringa Tacos the restaurant next door and you’re sorted!
A popular independent brewery and brewpub in Bulli, these self-proclaimed beer geeks renovated and set up shop in the historic Bulli Railway Guest House to create the awesome space we know now. A family-friendly, contemporary spot to catch up with friends, drink some of their delicious small-batch brew and grab something to eat. You had us at Double Cheeseburger….
Founded in 2018 by a father and son team (love!), these guys brew craft beer and cider at their micro-brewery in Gerringong. You can fill up your reusable Growlers and Squealers or pop in and grab some cans.
You’ll find a range of tasty burgers for munching plus options for the kiddos too. Nice!
Principle’s beers are thoughtfully handcrafted using top-quality ingredients. The brewpub’s industrial-style setting makes it a great spot to enjoy a couple of frothy glasses with pals. Pair your drink with a burger from J.Winfield, parked right out front, and you’ll be happily fed and watered.
These local legends are crafting something truly distinctive. Their beers are fermented in ex-wine barrels sourced from far and wide, giving each brew its own unique character. With an ageing process that can take anywhere from four months to four years, the care, dedication, and science behind each bottle is next-level. We’ve honestly never tasted anything quite like it. The Barrel Shepherd Bar + Cellar Door, housed in the historic King Gee warehouse, also offers natural wines and welcomes food vendors most weekends.
So excited this new brewery and taproom in Barrack Heights is officially open! With regular food trucks and quality beers on tap, we can already see this becoming a local hang!
DISTILLERIES
We certainly don’t mind our gin and tonics at The Fold, that’s for sure! And these guys whip up award winning gins and spirits right here in the Illawarra. Their Sublime Gin has been globally recognised – how cool is that? We love their regular range of gins, vodka and liqueurs as well as their concept releases (hello pink gin!). And check out their spirit mixer packs which you can order online. And you can find them at local markets like the Kiama and Berry Farmers Markets.
The distillery opens up as a bar on Fridays and Saturdays too.
Four friends started this awesome local distillery and they’re producing some pretty sensational stuff – yes, we’re looking at you Illawarra Plum Infused Gin. Can’t get much more local than that, right? We’re major fans of their commitment to sustainability as well.
The distillery is open for free tours and tastings every Friday 4-6pm and Sunday 12-4pm.
Wolf and Woman in Bellambi is a popular joint thanks to its AMAZING cocktail menu and lively, fun vibe.
They also offer a ‘Gin School’ where you can learn to make your very own gin and have won some mighty hefty awards for their spirits selection since opening.
A distillery, cafe and vinery all in one… very cool!
They’ve also got an incredible set up on their patch that creates this amazing circular food system.
The café is open daily, and their limited-edition spirits are available online when released. Keep an eye on their socials for the next drop.
