Exciting, enticing, sensual and romantic experience
The venue delivers exciting, enticing, sensual and cutting edge Australian cooking in a romantic setting that makes Emerson's Restaurant worthy of the title of Australia's best restaurant in the Hunter Valley.

We stayed at the Crown Plaza and drove to Emerson's at the Casuarina Estate - just 4 minutes from the Hunter Valley Gardens and next door to Keith Tulloch Wines Estate. The setting is unique and somewhat reminds me of Robert's restaurant, surrounded by grape vines and flowers. Romance, romance, romance.

The Restaurant has been awarded an Australian Good Food and Travel Guide Chef Hat for 2011 and "Two Fat Blokes" Connoisseur Food&Wine tours recommended us to dine there - and we were so glad that we did. Owner/Head Chef of Emerson's at Pokolbin, Emerson Rodriguez is Steve Jobs of the restaurant experience, he experiments with the food and has a passion for flavour, creating Spanish style tapas and intimate Contemporary Modern Australian cuisine. Emerson shines as a master-chef having earlier worked with the Peppers Hunter Valley as an Exec Chef and managed several other popular venues in the Hunter.

We dined at Emerson's several times, last being this weekend – again we had the amazing dining experience. The 8-course degustation is a true fine dining and the meals are very generous sized (I'm going to upload photos to TripAdvisor also). experience while the Personally we are very demanding discerning customers who are generally hard to please and who have dined at most restaurants throughout the world. Although the restaurant was booked out including the comfy pre-dinner sit-down area at the bar, the level of service was magnificent. The Emerson's staff of this family run business was friendly and efficient, lead the Chef's wife Samantha, who created an ultimate dining experience noting their Sommelier matched wines to our food perfectly. The wine list is well-balanced and extensive and offers the best from the Hunter Valley and other gourmet region. And again, the Hunter Semillon did it's magic – what a marvellous weekend relaxation and experience! The decor is boutique, the ambiance and atmosphere altogether was exactly what you'd want from the Hunter Valley.

This restaurant is in the most beautiful, romantic setting and the restaurant building itself is wonderful and full of character, especially the courtyard with a Pergola making you feel as if you just traveled to heaven. Emerson's at the Casuarina Estate is the ultimate wedding or a reception destination. With an elegant country atmosphere it makes it easy to relax and enjoy your intimate dining experience.

Approximate cost: $28