Binalong sits a short detour off the Hume Highway on the Burley Griffin Way, about 30 minutes from Yass, which makes it a natural place to pull in when a long drive has run past the usual dinner hour. Our restaurant at 27 Stephens Street is licensed and BYO, fully air-conditioned and seats up to 50, so whether you are travelling with a work crew, a family or a quiet table for two, there is room to sit down properly and eat.
The menu runs in two directions. One side is the classic country steak, cooked to order and served with proper sides. The other is Indian cooking, from butter chicken through to Hyderabadi dum biryani. Between them sit burgers, pizzas, fish and chips, schnitzels, parmigiana and pasta. Every dish on the menu can also be packed up and taken away if you would rather eat in your room or keep moving.
A Licensed and BYO Restaurant in Binalong
We are licensed, which means you can order a drink with your meal, and we are also happy for you to bring your own. That combination suits groups who split the difference between a shared bottle and a cold beer from the bar. The dining room is fully air-conditioned, which matters in a Binalong summer and again on a frosty winter evening.
With seating for up to 50, the room handles a full house on a busy night. Tables are set for couples and small groups, and we can arrange larger bookings when you let us know ahead of time.
You can see the full menu and current details on our dining page.
Steaks Cooked the Way You Like Them
Steak is the centrepiece of the menu, and we treat it simply. The beef is cooked to your liking and served with a generous plate of sides rather than a token scoop of vegetables.
Our Signature Cuts
- Scotch fillet, 250g
- Porterhouse, 250g
- Rib eye, 350g
Every steak comes with your choice of chips or mash, seasonal vegetables, and either mushroom sauce or pepper sauce. If you are the sort of diner who orders the rib eye because you want the bigger cut, the 350g plate is the one to pick. The Scotch fillet and porterhouse are both 250g, so pick the cut you like best.
Ask for your steak rare, medium rare, medium or well done and we will cook it that way. Choose chips for a classic steak dinner, or mash for a softer, more traditional plate.
Indian Curries and Hyderabadi Dum Biryanis
Indian cooking is a proper part of our menu, not an afterthought, and the curries hold up well on a cold night after a day on the road.
Curries
The curry list covers familiar ground done properly. Butter chicken gives you a mild, creamy sauce that suits anyone who prefers gentle heat. Paneer butter masala is the vegetarian pick on the same style of sauce, with cubes of paneer in place of meat. Lamb vindaloo is the boldest of the three, with a sharper, hotter finish for people who want the chilli to do some work.
Hyderabadi Dum Biryanis
Our biryanis are Hyderabadi dum style, which means the rice and the filling are layered and cooked together so the flavours settle through the whole dish. We offer three: chicken biryani, Chicken 65 biryani and goat biryani. The Chicken 65 version brings a spiced, fried chicken element to the rice, while the goat biryani is the richest of the trio and the one to choose if you want something you would not cook at home on a weeknight.
Burgers, Pizzas and Other Favourites
Not everyone wants a steak or a curry, and the rest of the menu covers the classics without fuss. Burgers come out of the same kitchen, along with pizzas, fish and chips, chicken schnitzel, chicken parmigiana and pasta. That spread means a family with different appetites can order at one table without anyone settling for something they did not want.
The schnitzel and the parmigiana suit anyone who wants something substantial but straightforward. Fish and chips suits a lighter appetite, and the pizzas work well shared between a couple of people or taken back to a room.
Desserts, Including Gluten-Free Options
We keep dessert simple. There are gluten-free cakes for anyone avoiding gluten, and gulab jamun for anyone who has just finished a curry and wants to stay in that lane. Both finish a meal neatly, and both can be boxed up with the rest of your order if you would rather eat later.
Opening Hours for Dinner, Lunch and Breakfast
Dinner runs every day except Wednesday, and the start time shifts with the seasons. In winter we open at 5pm and serve until 9pm. In summer we open at 6pm and serve until 9pm. Weekend lunch is available from 11am to 3pm by booking, and our buffet breakfast runs from 7:30am to 9:30am by booking, with children under 12 eating free.
| Service | When | Times | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dinner | Every day except Wednesday | 5pm to 9pm in winter, 6pm to 9pm in summer | Recommended |
| Weekend lunch | Weekends | 11am to 3pm | By booking |
| Buffet breakfast | Daily | 7:30am to 9:30am | By booking. Children under 12 eat free |
Because lunch and breakfast are booked services rather than walk-in sittings, ring ahead so we can set the room and have everything ready when you arrive.
Takeaway, Straight From Our Kitchen
Every dish on our menu is available for takeaway. That includes the steaks, the curries, the biryanis, the burgers, the pizzas, the fish and chips, the schnitzel and parmigiana, the pasta and the desserts. Nothing is held back for dine-in only.
Takeaway suits a few different situations. Guests staying with us can order dinner and eat in the room without watching the clock. Tradies finishing late can pick something up on the way through. Travellers who have been on the road since morning can eat now or carry dinner on to the next stop.
Book a Table or Order Takeaway
Booking a table is straightforward. Call us on 02 6227 4310, or send a message on WhatsApp to 0426 428 501. Either line works for dinner reservations, weekend lunch bookings, buffet breakfast bookings and takeaway orders.
If you are ordering takeaway, let us know what you would like and roughly when you will arrive so it is hot when you collect it. If you are booking a table for a group, a little notice helps us seat everyone together.
Staying Overnight After Dinner
Motel Royal Tara is a 20-room country motel, established in 1986, and the restaurant is on site, so you can eat and then walk back to your room rather than driving on. All rooms are ground floor and non-smoking, with a private parking space at the door that has room for trailers, utes and work vehicles, plus an ensuite, reverse-cycle air conditioning, an electric blanket, WiFi, a TV, a kitchenette, tea and coffee making, an iron and housekeeping.
Room types include Family, which has a queen and two singles and sleeps four, along with Triple, Queen and Twin rooms. Check-in is from 1pm and check-out is 10am. You can review the rooms on our Binalong accommodation page and plan your stay around your dinner booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book a table for dinner?
Booking is recommended rather than compulsory. We seat up to 50, and weekends and holiday periods fill faster than midweek. A quick call on 02 6227 4310 or a WhatsApp message to 0426 428 501 secures your table and helps us plan the kitchen for the evening.
Is the restaurant licensed, and can we bring our own drinks?
We are both licensed and BYO, so you can order from the bar or bring your own. Let us know when you book if you are bringing your own so we can set the table accordingly.
Can every dish be ordered as takeaway?
Yes. Every dish on the menu is available for takeaway, including the steaks, Indian curries, Hyderabadi dum biryanis, burgers, pizzas, fish and chips, schnitzel and parmigiana, pasta and desserts. Phone or message your order through and let us know when you plan to collect it.
What time is breakfast served?
Our buffet breakfast runs from 7:30am to 9:30am and is available by booking. Children under 12 eat free. If you are staying with us, mention breakfast when you check in or when you reserve your room so we can include you in the sitting.
Can we stay overnight after dinner?
You can. We have 20 ground floor, non-smoking rooms with a private parking space at the door, all a short walk from the dining room. Book your room alongside your table and make a night of it instead of driving on. For best rates call or book us online from our website.
