Sabor Dessert Bar

Sabor Dessert Bar brings a substantial dessert menu to Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley, with more than 50 handmade options and a menu that changes over time. The selection includes traditional cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, macarons, Portuguese tarts and the venue’s multi-award-winning Portuguese Chocolate Mousse. Desserts are made individually rather than served by the slice, and the range also includes hand-made chocolates, gourmet ice-cream and a variety of mousse flavours. For guests who want to sample rather than choose one dessert, there are two tasting plates featuring five miniature desserts each, along with a chocolate dipping plate designed for both adults and children.

The drinks list is built to suit a long dessert stop, with barista-made coffee using Glinelli Coffee beans, Tea Drop teas, milkshakes, thickshakes, soft drinks and hot chocolates made with melted chocolate. Sabor also matches desserts with Hunter Valley wines, dessert wines, sparkling, ports, liqueurs, beers and ciders. The venue advertises warm waffles and hot chocolates as winter favourites, while the broader menu includes options for children, including a Willy Wonka waffle and a kids’ dipping plate. Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan requirements are catered for, although the venue advises contacting them to confirm what can be accommodated.

In Pokolbin, Sabor is set on Lambloch Estate, a working vineyard on Broke Road, sharing its architecturally designed building with the Lambloch cellar door. The dessert bar is fully air conditioned, with large sliding doors that can open to the vineyard breeze, and views across the vines towards the Brokenback Mountain Range. That setting makes it suited to a relaxed afternoon during a Hunter Valley visit, whether you are stopping in for coffee and something sweet, pairing dessert with local wine, or taking selections away for later. Bookings are recommended, particularly for visitors planning to settle in rather than make a quick stop.

The business grew from Fernando and Renata Antao’s long-held plan to open a dessert bar in the Hunter Valley. After spending years holidaying in the region, they opened their first venue in Lovedale in 2011 before expanding to the Pokolbin site. Fernando’s Portuguese family background is reflected in the signature mousse, which is based on an Antao family recipe that his grandmother began making more than 70 years ago. Sabor also offers private use of its function room and verandah, with packages for birthdays, baby showers, hens’ events, bridal showers and other group occasions. With a children’s menu, tasting plates and group arrangements, it can work for families, celebrations and couples, while solo visitors can also enjoy the vineyard outlook with a coffee and dessert.