The Sydney Picnic Company.

I will un-bashfully declare this. I absolutely love picnics. Nothing like sitting on a mat in a quiet park when the sun is just about to set, running your fingers through grass, having a meaningful conversation and of course, paired with a beautiful selection of food and drinks.

The Sydney Picnic Company founded by Natalie and Simon, understand how important it is to combine quality food with the element of surprise. Simon has had experience working for Simon Johnson, the famous Australian grocer as well as his family owned wine bar in the UK. Using all that knowledge, he has put together a beautiful line-up of food to sit in the park and savour.

All picnics should have an element of surprise for the other party who is not packing the basket. It's great to discover what you might be having for dinner or to have little details like linen for napkins, nice drinking glasses, a bottle of pink moscato, etc. I suppose that is what makes picnics so much more special and intimate that a dinner in a restaurant. It's like being in a world of your own. Your little escape.

Here's a sneak peep at what they have on offer now. Note that prices are for two.

The Brit Pic. AUD$105

• Tasmanian free range wood smoked ham with tomato chutney
• Quickes cheddar cheese & pickled onions or Cropwell Bishop stilton & toasted walnuts
• Patchett’s pork pie
• Quiche lorraine & green salad
• Sonoma sourdough
• Marinated strawberries & vanilla cream

The Sydney. AUD$145

• Roast almonds, chilli & sea salt
• Black olive tapenade
• Slow roast tomatoes, basil, toasted almonds, marinated Meredith goat’s cheese
• Australian King prawns, kipfler potatoes & watercress with tarragon & lemon dressing
• Sonoma ciabatta
• Valrhona chocolate brownies with organic pecans, sour cherries & vanilla cream

The Italian. AUD$155

• Grissini & marinated Ligurian ‘Taggiasche’ olives
• Slow roast tomatoes, basil, toasted almonds, marinated Meredith goat’s cheese & 20 year balsamic
• Wild onions cooked in thyme & balsamic with parmigiano reggiano
• Italian charcuterie plate including prosciutto di Parma, sopressa & coppa
• Risoni with mozzarella, chargrilled zucchini, asparagus, peas, lemon zest & olive oil
• Sonoma Ciabatta
• Valrhona chocolate pots with Armagnac soaked amaretti biscuit

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The Spanish. AUD$185

• Ortiz white anchovies with pickled chillies, caperberries & parsley
• Olives marinated in rosemary, chilli & garlic
• Paprika smoked almonds
• Chorizo, manchego & potato tortilla served with garlic aioli
• Roast artichokes stuffed with goat’s cheese, thyme, chilli, lemon zest & toasted breadcrumbs served with Jamon Serrano
• Sonoma sourdough
• Valdeon cheese with sweet olive tortas & quince paste
• Spanish almond & honey nougat

Natalie and Simon.