The eatery is located at Worrigee Sports and aims to showcase the best wine, food and produce the Shoalhaven offers.

The restaurant is headed by chef Patrick Haney, who originates from Portland, USA but has been working in Australia for the past eight years.

Patrick moved to the area three months ago to start preparing the menu.

"I used to camp and hike and fish around so I was coming down here weekends anyway," he said.

"Normal restaurant you start with the company vision but when I got here that was tipped on it's head.

"Meeting the people, going out to the fields and talking to the guy who is planing potatoes, or shucking oysters and actually seeing their stories and what they're passionate about - that's what built the menu."

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Chef Patrick said he brings his values to the eatery and menu, aiming to be as ethical and sustainable as possible.

"I want to make sure nobody comes into the venue is an afterthought.

"Hopefully people come, they enjoy themselves, have some great craft beers and know this is how food used to be.

"100 years ago we were never in that rush, we sat down we enjoyed it."

Scarlett Naplas from Tully Heard consulting who worked to develop the restaurant said they hoped to create a venue which is female and family friendly, contemporary and casual.

"It is all about basically showcasing what the region has to offer," she said.

"We are located between the coast and the country and we are really playing with that."

She said it was worth commending the board who decided to go ahead with the project despite the pandemic.

"We were working on this project for a long time but the go ahead decision was to be made in April," she said.

"It's great that basically the board decided to that because the community needed it and that was courageous from them.

"I think because of all the domestic tourism they are going to be rewarded for that."

The eatery hopes to act as a launching point to explore produce growers in the Shoalhaven.

"If you come here you can have a great overview of local wines, local spirits, local cheese and then once you have experience that - go and visit the individual producers."

As well as sourcing produce from the local area, the eatery also grows some of its own herbs and vegetables. The venue will employ 45 staff from the local area.

On December 5 a second kitchen, the smokehouse, will open and provide more food options.

The Growers is open Wedensday, Thursday, Sunday 11-9pm and Friday Saturday 11am-11pm.