New look for old world bakery

AFTER a refurbishment, Sovereign Hill restaurant the New York Bakery reopened last month with a fresh look, and menu.

The iconic lunch spot is now light and bright and features details like embossed Victorian wallpaper, a new bar area, and patterned English crockery.

CEO Sara Quon said the renovated building remains in keeping with the main street, and she is looking forward to visitor feedback over the school holidays.

“It’s a space that they will be familiar with, but it’s had a refresh,” she said. “The menu is brilliant, it’s diverse, offers a number of dishes which are really special, and that lift the venue.

“From vegetarian dishes, to those that are meat driven, to the lamb stew and damper, Peter Rowland’s famous chicken sandwiches, and an iconic shared roast with beautiful vegetables and meat, they’re all going to please the crowds we’ll see in the weeks ahead.

“Overall, it’s our special food experience that we offer to visitors. Standing next to the bakery now, it’s full of people enjoying themselves, and that tone and mood is going to continue through the weeks ahead.”

As the living museum emerges from the challenging pandemic period, Ms Quon said the organisation has been supported by the Federal Government’s National Tourism Icons Project to make the refurbishment happen.

“The refresh of tourism icons around Australia is really critical to bringing people back into our regions and getting them confident to travel around Australia again,” she said.

“Giving people a refreshed experience here, in a space they know and love, is another reason to come back, and for our local audience, they know right in their backyard is this fantastic food experience that they can enjoy on a regular basis.

“We’re excited to welcome those from afar and deliver something really special for Ballarat locals.”

Run by the Peter Rowland Group in partnership with Sovereign Hill, the New York Bakery has a menu that is family friendly with favourites old and new.

Peter Rowland Group CEO Michelle Biddle said the menu is inspired by the goldfields, with an aim to support local farmers and producers, and to be as authentic to the 1850s as possible.

“We want to appeal to a wide range of demographics with something to suit all tastes, from the Devonshire tea, to the hearty lamb stew, and the burger,” she said.

“We want to create experiences that people can enjoy, and to enhance memories and storytelling through food. This inspires tourism.

“All the hospitality, both front and back of house, is provided by the Peter Rowland Group. They’re all local workers.”

Local tradespeople, including some working in the heritage space at Sovereign Hill, have been part of the bakery works in recent months.

Ms Quon said overall visitor numbers have increased over the last season, with domestic attendance returning to normal, despite the wet weather.

“We’re really optimistic about January. International visitation will take a while to rebuild… and we look forward to that increasing,” she said.

“Our celebration of Lunar New Year towards the end of January is a vibrant time, a fun time, and a wonderful time for friends and families to come together and reunite at Sovereign Hill, after what’s been a strange few years for our community.

“Lunar New Year can also be a really strong time for visiting Chinese, and those across south-east Asia.

“We hope to see that boost this year… as we bring back such a vibrant part of the goldfields story to our visitors, with daily parades and wonderful food options, going into the year of the rabbit.”