THERE'S no lack of great eateries across the Central West.
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From Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo and beyond, there's something for everyone.
However, a lot of us are accustomed to eating within our home city.
But, if you're ever feeling adventurous, here are few restaurants that ACM journalists from across a number of Central West mastheads love road-tripping to.
Let us know what your favourite out-of-town eatery is and why you would jump in the car for it.
Okami Japanese Restaurant, Dubbo - Olander Ruming (Daily Liberal)
Okami Japanese Restaurant opened in Dubbo mid-2021. The restaurant, which is open every day but Monday, charges $41.80 per adult for all-you-can-eat.
In May 2022, general manager Calvin Zhuo said everyone at the Dubbo store was friendly and lovely.
"We are like family ... Okami is a big family and every store is a small family, we have the same goal and are always walking together," he said.
Okami offers more than 30 traditional Japanese dishes.
If you need a suggestion of what to order, stick to Dubbo's favorites: the slightly seared beef carpaccio, teriyaki steak or the crispy chicken karaage.
Mr Sushi King, Orange - Alise McIntosh (Western Advocate)
Though there are plenty of amazing restaurants in Orange, there is one that simply has me in a choke hold - Mr Sushi King on Summer Street. It has everything you could ever dream of from a Japanese restaurant, including delicious sushi rolls and bento boxes.
And though we've all heard the adage about not ordering seafood when you're not near the sea, the sashimi products are always so fresh. They honestly melt in your mouth and are absolutely worth trying, even if you aren't that adventurous.
I make a point to travel to Orange at least once a fortnight so I can enjoy all the deliciousness that is Mr Sushi King.
Smile Elephant Thai Restaurant, Bathurst - Grace Ryan (Central Western Daily)
The chicken laksa at Smile Elephant is so good, it's what I think about when I drive through Bathurst on my way to Sydney.
A delicious dish to warm up my cold Bathurst winter day. It's cheap and filling, so when I was a lowly junior reporter I could get two meals out of the one dish! I've also enjoyed the spring rolls when I've dined in there, and they're divine.
I don't think anyone is calling Bathurst the Thai cuisine capital of the Central West ... but maybe they should.
Mama Mio Cafe, Bathurst - Jay-Anna Mobbs (Western Advocate)
Tucked away in a little alley is one of the newest must-try restaurants Bathurst has to offer, Mama Mio's.
It's the kind of place that has you fighting for the last slice of pizza.
My husband and I tried it out for a date night and my oh my. We struggled to find the words to aptly describe our meal. We questioned which was better - the satay chicken pizza or lamb salad with balsamic vinegar? It was a tie.
I had never given compliments to a chef before but I simply had to. It was that good. Their food will leave you with a hankering for more, time and time again.
Pizza Hut Dine-in, Orange - Bradley Jurd (Western Advocate)
Only a handful of Pizza Hut dine-ins remain in NSW, but thankfully there's still one just down the road from Bathurst.
Once a staple during my university days, Orange's Pizza Hut dine-in is pure nostalgia for me. It was like fine dining for me as a kid, having grown-up not too far away from the one in Windsor (thankfully it's still going).
There's something soothing about being able to stack your plate with as much pizza, garlic bread, pasta and (sometimes) salad, before tucking into the dessert bar. If you haven't been before, save yourself during the day and head over for a dinner that won't disappoint.
Alfio's Pizzeria, Orange - Jacinta Carroll (Western Advocate)
Whenever I'm making a quick visit to Orange, one of my favourite restaurants is Alfios in Lords Place. I've been a fan of the pizza and pasta here since I was a kid at school. At the time my friend, Monia Barbagello's Dad was Alfio, she had her birthday party there in Year 8 and I've been hooked ever since. While the Barbagello's sold the restaurant many years ago Alfio's mouth watering pizzas and pasta recipes were obviously passed on, because it still has a cult following across the Central West.
My favourite food there is their hamburger pizza. I get it every time I go there.
You should too, you won't be disappointed.
Chong Hing Chinese Restaurant, Parkes - Jacinta Carroll (Western Advocate)
I'm a huge fan of Chinese, and we are spoiled in Bathurst with plenty of top quality options. But if you're talking about the Central West and want to make a day trip with dinner, then you absolutely have to go to Chong Hing in Parkes.
I came across their food when working at the Parkes Champion Post as a cadet back in 1995, and almost 30 years on, I still go back there just for the feed. It is still as good as the first time I went there.
The restaurant is next to Cooke Park in the main drag, and seriously has the best spring rolls I've ever eaten. But if you want a real treat, you absolutely have to order the honey pepper chicken from the chef's speciality menu. It will literally change your life.
It's so good that whenever I hear someone saying they are going to Parkes for the day, I ask them to bring me back takeaway - though I have to say there is nothing like eating it fresh and hot from the kitchen.
29 Nine 99 Yum Cha and Tea House, Rylstone - Bradley Jurd (Western Advocate)
My wife loves this place and has made the journey from Bathurst maybe four or five times (I've been with her once before!).
This dumpling house will leave your mouth watering and your stomach satisfied from the range of different dumplings with a variety of fillings.
The tea menu perfectly pairs with the array of dumplings on offer, which come out round after round. You select how many rounds of dumplings you would like and are able to specify if you would prefer not to have a particular filling, and then it is the luck of the drawer.
The servers are kind and the building has charm.
The dumplings steal the show, well worth the drive.
Royal India Restobar, Dubbo - Orlander Ruming (Daily Liberal)
Someone traveling to Brisbane once changed their route to include a stopover in Dubbo purely so they could go to Royal India Restobar - that's how good their food is.
The Indian restaurant opened in Dubbo in 2016. Since then, it's hard to find a night when the tables aren't full of people or the takeaway orders aren't flowing.
Owners Pradip Rai and Pratap Dey Sarkar say they owe the restaurant's success to their passion for Indian food, imagination, intelligence, and immense hard work.
It's too hard to pick a top dish from Restobar. Go with your usual or try something new, you won't be disappointed.