Meet you at. . .Myrtille
A produce-driven bistro bursting with flavour and French flair—Myrtille is the foodie escape you didn’t know you needed.
30 December 2024
TFG Team
Photography: Daniel Somervaille
Crows Nest might not be the first place you think of for a foodie road trip, but Myrtille {Blueberry in French, and also the colour of the inside walls} is here to change that. Equal parts warm and refined, this produce-driven bistro is serving up the kind of dishes that make you wish you’d discovered it sooner.
At the heart of Myrtille’s {mur-tee} charm is its ever-changing menu. Seasonal and hyper-local, it’s a love letter to the region’s high-altitude food bowl. Expect juicy stone fruit from the South Burnett, tart quinces from Ravensbourne, Kingaroy pork, and the freshest blueberries from local growers—all brought straight to the kitchen door by farmers who know their craft. It’s the kind of menu where freshness and creativity shine in every bite.
The dishes? Think twice-baked gruyere soufflé topped with buttery scallops or a Moroccan-style hogget pie wrapped in golden pastry and served with creamy goat’s cheese and herbaceous gremolata. Each dish feels special, with flavours that are bold yet comforting—this is food made to linger over.
And then there’s the wine list. Curated by sommelier Nivard Nelson, who brings expertise from his time at The Brisbane Club, it’s as thoughtful as the food. Whether you’re sipping a French red to complement a rich main or a crisp Italian white with something lighter, the pairings here are next level. It’s no surprise the list has earned two glasses in Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards.
But Myrtille is more than just a pretty plate and a good pour (and it really is both those things, featuring high on Queensland's 'Best Restaurant' lists). The space itself—housed in the beautifully restored Nolans Block building—oozes charm. What was once a run-down antique store is now a centrepiece of Crows Nest, transformed by Amanda Hinds into a warm, welcoming dining room that feels like a little slice of Europe.
Amanda’s journey to creating Myrtille is as rich as the dishes she serves. Growing up, "cooking always was part of my backbone", she recalls.
"Mum and Dad owned roadhouses, and Mum was a really good cook. But I also remember experiences like sitting in my Dutch-Indonesian neighbor’s kitchen as a child, soaking in the aromas of shrimp paste, satays, marinades (all pretty exotic things in the 70s) while she cooked, smoked and drank masala."
"It oozed into me", Amanda adds.
More recently, I visited the small town of Espinasse, the hometown of Dom Perignon, in France, and eating these beautiful prawns just drenched in frothy champagne and cooked so lightly and summery.
"Coming back, I wanted to bring that beautiful French rawness and simplicity to the product, allowing it to speak for itself".
It's moments like these that have shaped Amanda’s food philosophy—a deep respect for ingredients and the stories they tell.
“Every dish has a story and a connection,” Amanda adds.
Her passion for local produce began early, growing up around her parents’ roadhouses and later owning Indulge in Bundaberg, where every dish showcased local seafood and communally sourced produce. That ethos continued into Emeraude in Hampton and now at Myrtille, where farmers drop off what’s fresh and ripe daily.
"It means, we always have the best, and the freshest, and we can curate our service to service to highlight exciting flavours and produce."
Myrtille is also a family affair. With her husband Murray and daughter Sabine working in the kitchen and her parents still helping out, Amanda’s enthusiasm is infectious (during our interview Amanda actually made a full 40 kilograms of Christmas cakes), proof that her love for food extends beyond the menu.
Food tourism is booming here, and for good reason. Visitors are driving up, marvelling at the transformation of the building, and falling in love with the food. “People can’t believe this is here,” Amanda says, and honestly, we’re right there with them.
Whether you’re stopping in for a long lunch, or their recently relaunched breakfasts, or just to see what all the fuss is about, Myrtille is worth the trip. Oh, and don’t forget to swing by My Little Blueberry, their patisserie next door, for a box of pastries to take home. Trust us—you’ll want to stretch this experience out as long as possible.
Coming Up: Keep an eye out over Summer as Myrtille hosts a number of exquisite casual dinners, each celebrating locations from Amanda's recent travels through Florence, Normandy, Malaysia, Reims/ Burgundy, Chianti, Singapore & Paris.
Open Thursday - Sunday | 8am - 11am, 12pm - 3.30pm
myrtille.com.au | @myrtille.crowsnest |
Did we miss something? Have you got an event we should know about? Let us know!
