The Picnic at Burwood is a whimsical elevation of the humble outdoor dining experience. The outdoor cafe is located inside a pavilion in a park in Burwood, a few metres from a large, fenced in playground. The location is a big part of the appeal for families and has lead to its popularity among with parents who like great food, but who have small kids who like to swing on things.
Another drawcard is picnic-inspired design, with a white and yellow colour scheme and plenty of greenery through out the gazebo. It feels like al fresco dining in Europe, yet is a stones through from a huge Westfields, in the middle of suburban Sydney.
The Picnic doesn’t take bookings on weekends, so expect to wait around 30 minutes in peak times. Arrive early for a shorter wait time. We turned up at 10am, were told there would be a 15 minutes wait for our party of 3, but our table was ready five minutes later. Don’t be turned off by given a lengthy wait time – you’ll be put on their waitlist and send an SMS when your table is ready, meaning you can head up to the playground and let your kids run their steam off before their meal, which is a win in my book.
If you don’t fancy waiting at all, you can borrow a picnic rug and order food from the kiosk.
The menu is broken up into Breakfast (until 12pm) and Lunch (from 12pm). We are in time for brekkie and order the Pavlova Hotcake ($18.50, soft pancake with house made coconut crumble, berries, meringue, lemon curd, passionfruit cream and mango sorbet), Super Breakfast Bowl ($21.50, dukkah poached egg with quinoa tabouli, kale, avocado, shredded carrot, cucumber, pickled cabbage, edamame beans and sweet potato, served with organic sprouted bread), from the kids’ breakfast menu The Bear ($7, bear-shaped toast with banana and blueberries and your choice of peanut butter, butter, Nutella or Vegemite), Kids’ Size Classic Shake ($5, choice of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or banana).
The husband orders a coffee, which takes the longest because it’s an incredibly busy coffee day, apparently, our server apologises profusely. It’s no matter because our food arrives quickly and the coffee arrives as a dessert for hubby to happily sip as our daughter is entertained by colouring in.
This cafe is an Instagram dream with it’s beautifully presented dishes and bright natural light. Thankfully the meals are not just pretty – they’re delicious. The food vanishes and the plates are clean. It’s thoughtfully designed not just for a pretty photo but to satisfy their diners’ hunger, too.
The Picnic ticks every box for us, and is sure to become one of our favourite cafes in Sydney.
Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.
The Picnic Burwood
Burwood Rd & Park Ave,
Burwood NSW
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue-Sun 8am-4pm. Closed Mondays.
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