The Three Sisters, Cafes, Restaurants, Tips, and more!

If you’re in the Sydney area or Australia as a whole, you must visit the world-famous Blue Mountains area, just a 2 hour train ride west of Sydney. Here you will be able to find the fresh air - something that lacks in cities - as well as unmatched tranquility and natural beauties. Unfortunately, the Blue Mountains region is not stranger to wildfire in the summer periods, so do avoid going there at the peak of summer, or make sure you check out the news for the weather first. 

Now that I mentioned weather, this brings about a very important point. I lived there for a year and understand very well that weather up here is super unpredictable. I can’t stress this enough but if you were to come up to visit the Blue Mountains, make sure you check the weather conditions! There is nothing worst than taking the trains for two hours only to see that you can get to places or enjoy any view because of the rain, or the super common fog. 

There are two main places that I would recommend you to visit here in the Blue Mountains (with the assumption that time is limited to just one day). You need to visit a town called Katoomba to see The Three Sisters. No, you won’t be knocking on a random door of the local resident’s house to meet the sisters. The Three Sisters is in fact a rock formation that uniquely displays three rocks, in which Aboriginal legends have it that they were once three (human) sisters would were cursed and spelt into rocks. I’ve heard of this myth more than a five times by different people so it’s fair to say that the actual story has become quite distorted. Nonetheless, you will be able to find out more information in regards to the history of these gorgeous rock formations at the site. They’re more than 3000 feet above sea level, and are visited by millions of visitors each year; now that’s a huge deal!

After you’re done visiting The Three Sisters at what we call Echo Point, make your way back up the street, pass the quiet residences and continue towards the direction of the train station. It’s quite a walk, but on a beautiful day with some friends or your iPod, a tough walk becomes a good walk! If you feel that you’re losing energy and your stomach is becoming agitated by all the steps, you’ll be happy that I have two excellent places to share with you for some delicious food. 

The first place is a cafe on the corner called The Yellow Deli, but it was previously known as Common Ground Cafe. While it is literally in the corner, the easiest bet for you to find this place is to map in 214 Katoomba Street on your phone. As the name semi-suggests, this is the place where people would get together either for a meal, something to nibble on, or just a coffee. When I was there, they also had a really neat menu of fresh juices made from various fruits and veggies. There was a famous ‘green’ drink here that had a bunch of veggies and fruits blended into a super healthy juice; I’m not too sure if they still do this now that they reopened. 

Otherwise, I’m sure that they still keep the concept of good food for good health. I had a quick look at the official website and the menu has little been changed. My friends and I tried most of the items on their burger and sandwich list, which comes with a side of salad and a chips. In terms of taste, they did a really good job with fresh ingredients, and made us all feel very healthy. They also made great coffees here, just like any good cafe in Sydney or Melbourne. In addition, be sure to ask the wait staff for their selection of fresh and organic juices. 

The prices here are quite reasonable for a cafe, and I could guarantee that the products will be of high quality. The cafe is super chill and cozy, and is perfect for hotter months. If you do take a table on the second floor, you will be able to look through the wooden window frames onto the streets of this quiet town. Apparently The Yellow Deli is a bigger brand, and has cafes in the US and Canada as well, so those coming from these regions may already be familiar with the name. For more information on the menu and what they offer here in Katoomba, check out their official website down at the bottom of the post. 

Another place I would recommend for a meal is called Three Sisters Chinese Restaurant, a stone throw away from The Yellow Deli. The specific address of this place is 198 Katoomba Street, which is essential just on the right side up the main street of the town, if you’re walking up towards the station. I must warn you that this is not the cleanest Chinese restaurant in the world, but the food really makes up for it (I assume they’re clean back there in the kitchen). We were very loyal clients of this place. There are a few things that make really, really well, and these are the items I would recommend that you get. I know they may have BBQ pork or Peking Duck in display, but don’t get those. Instead, go for the Salt and Pepper Calamaris, Chicken Omelet and either Grandma Tofu or Stir-Fried Veggies for some greens. Oh, also get their fried rice, since they’re very generous with the portion and it tastes decent. If you don’t finish everything, or if the meal was so good that you want some more, you can also ask for the items for take away. 

If you’re still around until a bit into the evening, head over to The Station Bar for some delicious wood-oven pizzas and a wide variety of beers, ciders and drinks in general. 

I was so into talking about Katoomba and its greatness that I almost forgot to talk about Leura, its neighbor! If you’re coming from Sydney, Leura is one train stop before Katoomba. There is less to do here, but I enjoy walking around the town. The main street of Leura is much smaller and there is less to do than in Katoomba, but I really enjoy the tranquility and peace here. If you’re hungry, you will do well to stop by for some delicious Thai food at Thai Square, located just before the massive hill going to Katoomba (130 Megalong Street). For something modern, chic and fancy, head over to the famous Leura Garage. The food here is fancy with awesome presentation and a menu that sounds melodic. The price is also be higher than your usual eateries, but you pay for quality here. They’re available for Lunch and Dinner and Drinks here! I will try to find some picture and talk about it in more details in another blog. 

And there we have it, my take for a day worth of sight-seeing and happy eating in the Blue Mountains. I may also suggest that you take a Hop on Hop off bus located just in front of the Carrington Hotel in Katoomba. The pass will give you unlimited travels for one day and the bus will act as a tour that takes you around Leura and Katoomba. The tour is very pleasant and is the best way to see everything given little time. 

The Three Sisters

http://www.bluemts.com.au/info/thingstodo/threesisters/

The Yellow Deli 

http://yellowdeli.com/katoomba

Three Sisters Chinese Restaurant 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g261618-d950044-Reviews-Three_Sisters_Bbq_Chinese_Restaurant-Katoomba_Blue_Mountains_New_South_Wales.html

The Station Bar 

http://stationbar.com.au/

Leura Garage 

http://www.leuragarage.com.au/

Blue Mountains Explorer Bus Katoomba

http://www.explorerbus.com.au/home.aspx

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