People sometimes ask why, of all the towns in the Southern Highlands, we opened in Moss Vale rather than Bowral. The honest answer is the street.

Bowral is lovely, but its main street is slowly filling with names you could find in any shopping centre in the country. Ten minutes down the road, Argyle Street has gone the other way. Almost every door along it opens onto a shop run by the person who chose what is in it. They are independent and locally owned, and you can tell. Nothing has been sent from a head office. Someone stood behind each counter and decided.

This is how we would spend a day here, and where we would send a friend.

The shops

Start slowly. Most of these shops reward an unhurried visit, and the people in them are happy to talk.

Suzie Anderson Home. If Argyle Street has a trailblazer, it is Suzie. She opened in Moss Vale ten years ago, when a shop like hers was a leap of faith here, and much of what has followed on this street has followed her. She has a remarkable eye. Expect generous, layered rooms of furniture, linen and objects that make you want to go home and rearrange everything. Look out, too, for her Old Bank Atelier, with clothes, timepieces and handmade things for men.

Walsh Home. We should declare an interest: Walsh Home is run by my husband, Martin Walsh. It is also, quite separately, one of the best reasons to come to Moss Vale. Martin has a treasure trove of vintage and antique pieces, each chosen with real care. Often, it is the thing you did not know you were looking for. Give yourself time; it is the kind of place where the best piece is often at the back. Martin also offers interior design advice, so if you fall for something and wonder where it would go, or what the room around it needs, ask him.

Mossy Store. A beautifully edited shop of artisan homewares, with the sort of considered selection that makes it hard to leave empty-handed.

Tigger Hall. Tigger spent more than twenty years as an interior designer, then three years travelling the world for textiles, before founding her own fabric and lighting house in 2008. Designers have relied on her for years for fabric, wallpaper and lighting found abroad, but the shop is just as much for the rest of us. Much of it is for sale off the shelf, and Tigger also works directly with clients on custom pieces, from a lampshade to a whole room of curtains. 

Hunter & Gatherer Collections. A shop of collected things, with gifts and objects gathered from near and far. It is one of the street's best places to find a present.

Santina's. Twenty years in business, and recently moved from Bowral to a much larger shop on Argyle Street, which says something about where the Highlands' independents are heading. Santina's is the place for modern design classics: Alessi, Missoni, iittala, Holmegaard and Rosendahl, among others.

The Leopard. And, of course, us. We bring home objects made by hand from the workshops we visit: glass from Murano and France, ceramics from Italy, linen, leather and rugs from Marrakech. Each comes with the story of the person who made it. We are open Thursday to Sunday.

Where to eat

At some point you will need lunch, and Moss Vale is quietly one of the best places to eat in the Southern Highlands.

The What If Society. Our first recommendation, always. Eilish Maloney is a chef with serious credentials, including a stint at The Ledbury in London, and she cooks seasonally and sustainably, with flavours that are genuinely interesting.

Oliver's. Maureen, an icon of the Highlands, already runs two of Bowral’s best-loved venues, Harry’s on Green Lane and Plantation Cafe. That she chose Argyle Street for her third says a great deal about where Moss Vale is going. Oliver’s is a European-style brasserie, with book-lined walls, potted palms and one of the most stylish rooms in the region.

Divaa. Indian food, elevated: careful, generous, and a long way from the usual takeaway menu. A stylish interior and delightfully helpful staff. 

Busy Bee Kitchen. For something relaxed. Korean and Australian cooking meet in an easygoing café that is just right after a morning on your feet. It also won Australia's Best Burger in 2026, so order accordingly.

Before you go

There is street parking along Argyle Street and a free car park close by, so leave the car and walk. Moss Vale is an easy drive from Sydney or Canberra, and the train from Sydney stops in the middle of town. Our Visit page has directions and drive times.

Many of these shops keep country hours, and several are closed early in the week. Thursday to Sunday is the best time to come. If you are making the trip for one shop in particular, check before you set off.

A street like this only stays the way it is if people keep walking along it. If you are spending a weekend in the Southern Highlands, give Argyle Street a day. Buy something you love from someone who chose it, and stay for lunch. We will be glad to see you.