Exploring Rockhampton: From Tea Room Sweets to Brewery Feasts

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Experience highlights

The details to look out for in Zen’s experience.

• Slice of cheesecake served with whipped cream
• Sliced focaccia with butter and olive oil balsamic dip
• Cooked steak with broccolini, glazed chilli ribs, and fried polenta sticks

Tea Room Sweets and Garden Trails

Our morning started over at Riverston Tea room, where the cabinet treats take centre stage. A thick slice of cheesecake arrives on a white plate alongside a dollop of whipped cream, held up against a leafy green backdrop that instantly sets a relaxed tropical tone. It is the kind of quiet cafe pitstop that makes you want to slow down before hitting the highway again.

Just a short drive away, the Rocky Botanical Gardens provides an ideal outdoor interlude between meals. Walking beneath the dense tropical canopy and wandering along the winding garden paths feels worlds away from the highway traffic. Look up into the branches as you stroll, and you are almost certain to spot bright native birdlife like colourful rainbow lorikeets flitting through the trees.

Brewery Plates at Headricks Lane

Trading the garden greenery for an urban industrial backdrop, Headricks Lane brings a dramatic shift in energy. The spacious dining room is framed by massive stainless brewing tanks and striking venue banners, creating a sleek, vibrant atmosphere that immediately promises a full table feast.

The meal begins with warm, sliced focaccia bread brought to the table on a dark dish, accompanied by creamy butter and a pool of olive oil and dark balsamic vinegar for dipping. From there, the table fills quickly with substantial, savoury dishes: a cooked steak paired with bright green broccolini, tender glazed ribs topped with fresh sliced chilli, and golden fried polenta sticks stacked for sharing. It is a hearty, lingering finale that makes stopping in Rockhampton feel like a true destination rather than a quick driving break.