Bombini

Cam Cansdell was one of the first chefs to really put the Central Coast on savvy diners’ radars, thanks to his inclusive Italian dining institution, Bombini. Situated on a two-acre property between Avoca’s main beach and the hilly Picketts Valley, the restaurant is divvied up into two sections. Inside the heritage homestead building you’ll find a formal but light and bright dining space, where the menu is seasonal and produce-driven (much of which is sourced onsite – there’s chooks and a full kitchen garden). Outside is Bombini Pizza, where woodfired pies are served in a courtyard that you could mistaken for being in Bali or Mykonos. Huge fire stick succulents, palm trees and frangipanis grow round the perimetre and the smell of a wood fire permeates the air. The pizzas are Neapolitan style: the dough is rested for 48 hours, resulting in fragrant, bready bases that act as a luxurious vehicle for classic, four-ingredient combos, such as the salumi, replete with slices of smoky ham, pepperoni, pancetta and blobs of fior di latte. Make sure you ask for the chilli oil – they make it in-house from fermented chillies and they give your crusts some extra kick. Add in housemade gelati, stirred-down Negronis, ultra-warm service, and you’re living la dolce vita, in the centre of the Cenny Coast.