The gourmet road trip in country NSW most foodies don't know about

I'm not sure how many kilos I've put on driving through the NSW Riverina. All I know is that it's fewer than I've put onto the back seat of the car, where the pile of edible treats I've been collecting is quickly growing.

Sigh. The diet can start next week. When you're road-tripping through a region known as the "food bowl of the state", the restaurants and watering holes are not just pitstops, they're the destinations.

It's more than just the freshness of the local produce, though. There's also innovation in the way it's being used and presented. In particular, a younger generation is inheriting strong agricultural foundations and building on them in fun and interesting ways, creating some wonderful bite-sized experiences.

You've heard of farm to table, but Bah Bah Food & Wine takes things to the extreme. The cosy restaurant on Cootamundra's main street is owned by Jason Bates, who also runs the butchery around the corner ... and the farm where most of the meat comes from. Although he has cows and chickens, the farm is best known for its pigs, so start with crispy pork belly bites or, for main course, try the pork cutlet cooked sous vide and served with charred greens. I'm not sure when Jason sleeps, because he's also likely to be your waiter, ready with a wine recommendation and any information about your meal's provenance. bahbahbar.com.au

Forget the notion that country towns only have pubs or Chinese restaurants. In Young, a grand 1888 Masonic building has been converted into an elegant eatery called The Cranfield, where high ceilings and walls adorned with local art give a modern flavour to the hall's charming heritage.

The only option is the four-course set menu ($75) that changes weekly but always features local ingredients, some of it from owner Xanthe Freeman's own garden. One of her aims is to showcase the best of the region, which might include tempura artichoke, a brisket of grass-fed beef from the nearby Boxgum farm and maybe a cherry clafoutis for dessert. thecranfield.com.au

While the produce around Young is excellent, perhaps the cherry on top is the local wine. Branded as Hilltops Wine Region, it may not be the country's best known, but it has some of the highest quality, with its grapes used by premier Australian wineries, particularly the celebrated cabernet sauvignon and shiraz.

The region's relative obscurity means you don't have large visitor centres, but rather intimate appointment-only tasting rooms like the one at Freeman Vineyards. You'll likely find yourself chatting with the very people who made the wine, like I do at Barwang Wines where I'm introduced to a sparkling chardonnay that is "everybody's friend". freemanvineyards.com.au; barwangwines.com.au

How did a tiny town of just 200 people become one of the most popular stops on the drive between Sydney and Melbourne? Well, a lot of the credit goes to Jugiong's iconic pub, The Sir George, which was built in 1852 but renovated about seven years ago into a welcoming restaurant and boutique hotel.

It's now known for its hearty seasonal menu, whether that's blue eye cod or jerk chicken for yourself, or a whole local trout or 12-hour lamb shoulder to share. In winter, grab a seat by the fireplace surrounded by exposed-brick walls and wooden floorboards, while the best tables in summer are in the gorgeous garden. sirgeorge.com.au

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You can smell the confectionery being made as soon as you step inside the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory, housed in a large building of red-brick walls and wooden beams that was previously an abandoned flour mill. What started as a small family business has grown into a large family business, where more than 500 kilograms of licorice is made every weekday - an operation you can watch through large windows, the sweet brown sludge oozing from pipes. On the other side of the factory's rustic interior, workers are coating treats like nuts and berries in chocolate, while there's even the opportunity to make your own giant freckle. juneelicoriceandchocolate.com

From a large factory to a small bungalow, the Murrumbateman Chocolate Co offers a more intimate experience, with a small outdoor deck overlooking a lake and a lawn for children or pets to play. It's the perfect spot for a leisurely morning or afternoon tea after a busy trip eating and drinking your way around the Riverina. All the chocolate is handmade on site and showcases local and Indigenous flavours, including wattle seed or muscat from the nearby Clonakilla winery. There's something quite delicate about the chocolate truffles that I taste before deciding my favourite is coconut lime. Guess I'll need to find more room in the back of the car for the box of them that I'm walking ... I mean waddling.... away with. murrumbatemanchocolate.com.au

The writer was a guest of Destination NSW.