Framed by gum trees, a car park and native shrubs, the outdoor area at McCarrs functions like a cafe by day, with an attached general store stocking cakes, sandwiches, pastries, flowers, pantry staples and bread.

You might use it as a base camp for Ku-ring-gai National Park – coffee and a macadamia brownie before hiking the Wallaroo walking track. For a longer session, request a table on the veranda or spacious white-on-cream dining room where respectfully pan-fried snapper fillet comes with a balanced beurre blanc spruced up with dill oil, and a 300-gram steak thumps with veal jus sparked by three types of pepper (green, black and Tasmanian mountain).

A fennel and cos salad shines with the right amount of mustard vinaigrette, and pasta is a particularly strong point, especially thick-skinned leek and ricotta-filled ravioli wading in butter with crisp-fried sage.

With the opportunity to also share a garden greens pizza around an outdoor fire, this is a beaut little hub for the Terrey Hills community and Northern Beaches at large.

Good to know: There’s a one-page list of wines with an organic and natural bent, plus a smart little spirits and cocktail selection.

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