Alex Prichard, acclaimed chef and former culinary director of Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, will lead a new era of regional dining on the NSW South Coast with the opening of Sara Dining, a refined, produce-driven restaurant set within Moraea Farm, part of the Linnaeus Collection near Berry. The restaurant will open in winter, with bookings now open.
At Sara Dining, the food will represent the land itself, built around the on-site garden, and with a menu that honours the area’s plethora of producers and farmers.
Prichard, who has lived on the NSW South Coast with his young family for six years, is known for his committed, deep relationships with some of NSW and Australia’s best producers. He has long dreamed of opening his own restaurant close to home, to celebrate the beauty and produce of the South Coast.
To bring their vision to life, Alex and his wife Angie have joined forces with local couple Peter and Nadia Yannopoulos, owners and operators of Linnaeus Collection, a curated portfolio of private residences across Berry that reimagines the traditional hotel model.
Sara Dining sits within Moraea Farm, in the original home’s garage and workshop. Originally built in the 1970s and beautifully restored to accommodate the restaurant, it forms part of a holistic vision where accommodation, agriculture and dining exist as a connected ecosystem. Together, they bring a deeply considered approach to the restaurant, shaped by seasonality, provenance and restraint, translating the richness of the South Coast into dishes that are precise but generous.
“Sara is about stripping things back to what matters – the ingredient, the season, the region,” said Prichard. “It’s hospitality that feels grounded in the countryside, a relaxed way of eating, but also quietly elevated. We want guests to sit on the verandah, overlooking the garden and Berry hinterland, and feel like you are at a friend’s home. But a friend who really cares about what you are eating and drinking.”
At Linnaeus Collection, established in Berry in 2019, guests stay in a selection of architecturally designed farm estates and town residences. Wellness, nature and hospitality are integrated into a seamless, private experience.
Linnaeus Collection owner, and Sara Dining co-owner Peter Yannopoulos said the collaboration with Prichard marks a defining step in the evolution of the estate.
“From the beginning, Linnaeus Collection was never just about accommodation. It was about creating an experience that elevates one’s connection to nature, inspired by Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist who created the binomial naming system for all living things,” said Yannopoulos. “Alex brings a rare combination of precision and restraint, but also a deep respect for produce and people. He loves the community on the South Coast. We started talking about a restaurant over a year ago, and our alignment was immediate.
Bringing Sara Dining to Berry allows us to realise a bigger vision – where the farm, the table and the guest experience are all connected, reimagining regional hospitality. It adds a new layer to Linnaeus Collection, and we hope it will encourage people to connect more with the land and this region we all love so much.”
The menu is shaped directly by Moraea Farm and the surrounding region, with a focus on local seafood, small-scale producers and garden-led cooking. Prichard will also use benchmark ingredients from some of his favourite producers from elsewhere in Australia.
Dishes from the opening Sara Dining menu include:
- Wheelers Sydney Rock oysters with pink peppercorn mignonette, served with a spice wild boar chipolata
- Salad of raw wild kingfish and tuna, radishes, Moraea Farm pickles, sesame and plum
- Mixed crudo plate of Paspaley pearl meat, Franks Bombo Royal red prawns, Craig Lukey Ulludulla blue mackerel, wild kingfish, trevally & tuna, Chris Bolton coral trout. Served with Ananda organic capers, green ant & verjus dressing
- Wild-shot Highlands venison tartare with seaweed
- Moraea Farm herbed egg omelette, blue swimmer crab, tarragon, lemon
- Wood-fired Shoalhaven flathead with café de Paris butter
- Kangaroo Valley retired dairy cow rib eye and tableside condiments
- Pavlova with passionfruit Marigold cream, strawberry gum consume & fruity sage
Beyond the restaurant, dining at Linnaeus extends across the properties – from private farm dinners, in-room dining and poolside dining to slow, seasonal gatherings that bring guests closer to the rhythms of the land.
Sara Dining will open in winter, with now open.
Sara Dining
450b Coolangatta Rd, Berry, NSW
www.saradining.com.au
Image credit: Jason Loucas