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Where to eat, drink and stay in Victoria’s High Country

Bright's main street.

The north-east of Victoria is fast becoming a destination of note, thanks to a new generation of farmers, winemakers and thinkers who are celebrating the region’s many blessings: a perfect climate for hops, well-established vineyards, consistently excellent produce. And, of course, there’s the peace that comes with being a little off the beaten track. From Mansfield to Beechworth , Rutherglen to the King Valley , these are the places that should be on your list when you visit the High Country.

WHERE TO EAT

Provenance is the best restaurant in the High Country, and one of the finest in Victoria. Owner-chef Michael Ryan’s love of Japan is present in the technique and flavours of his dishes, and there’s similar fascination with local produce. There are two- and three-course à la carte menus where steamed snapper with a rice cake and kimchi hotpot is a highlight, but choose the dégustation, a six- to eight-course joyride that might include house-made silken tofu with ginger and dashi, and a wallaby tartare flavoured with umeboshi and topped with cured egg yolk. The wine list, by sommelier partner, Jeanette Henderson, is a thrilling read, placing the best of local makers (Savaterre, Giaconda, Castagna, Sorrenberg) alongside noteworthy Old World labels and rare sake. Book ahead to stay in one of the four Japanese-accented rooms in converted stables.

Provenance, 86 Ford St, Beechworth, (03) 5728 1786, theprovenance.com.au ; open Wed-Sun 6.30pm-9pm (Sat from 6pm)

Michael Ryan of Provenance

Terrace Restaurant

Fourth-generation winemaking siblings Eliza, Angela and Nick Brown like to keep busy. Their latest project is restoring Mount Ophir, a spectacular, rundown old winery about a 10-minute drive from Rutherglen with an eclectic collection of buildings (including a three-storey tower) ripe for conversion into self-catering accommodation. There are plans for a small music festival and reinvigoration of Ophir’s organic orchards and vineyards. The Terrace Restaurant at the Browns’ All Saints Estate, where hef Simon Arkless prepares some of the prettiest, most skilfully cooked food in the ‘hood, is a little like a permanent tent with clear plastic walls that roll up to catch manicured garden views when the weather is balmy. It lends a (sometimes literal) breeziness to the space, and there are plans here, too: to replace the tent with a sturdier structure within the next year or so. Tight service and Arkless’ menu impress with or without walls – the meal might include estate-raised suckling pig teamed with quince aïoli, gnocchi tossed with garlic custard and grilled radicchio, or a superb spiced pumpkin and brown-butter tart.

Terrace Restaurant, 315 All Saints Rd, Wahgunyah, 1800 021 621, allsaintswine.com.au ; open Wed-Sun noon-3pm, Sat 6pm-10pm.

Gnocchi with raddichio, feta and garlic custard, and suckling pig with boudin noir at Terrace Restaurant

Project Forty Nine

In a compact shopfront on Beechworth’s main street, this restaurant-wine store offers a snapshot of what’s excellent in the region’s wine, mixing it with greatest hits from Italy, quality coffee and a short, sharp menu featuring salumi and antipasti. Owners Rocco Esposito and Lisa Pidutti are winemakers who champion emerging Beechworth winemakers here and at their sister restaurant-wine store in Melbourne. Wines by small producers such as Domenica and Sentio are available by the glass, ideal with capocollo and buffalo mozzarella or orechiette tossed with gorgonzola, pear and hazelnuts.

Project Forty Nine, 46-48 Ford St, Beechworth, (03) 5728 1599, projectfortynine.com.au ; open Wed-Mon 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-9pm

The restaurant at Jones Winery is a delight – a low-key room with polished concrete floor and mismatched antique furniture with a menu of classic French bistro dishes such as chicken and pork terrine, and confit duck with braised lentils. It’s run by winemaker Mandy Jones and her brother Arthur, who also manage the family winery. Mandy worked as a winemaker in Bordeaux for more than a decade and many of her wines are classically made using Rutherglen varieties such as durif. But she’s also experimenting with white varieties such as fiano and has recently released Correll, a French-style apéritif wine with notes of juniper, orange and anise. Served with soda and ice on a hot day, it instantly broadens perceptions of what a Rutherglen wine can be.

Jones Winery and Vineyard, 61 Jones Rd, Rutherglen, (02) 6032 8496, joneswinery.com.au ; open Mon & Thu-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm.

WHERE TO STAY

A remarkable hotel of just three guestrooms in a restored Art Deco bank, with day spa, bar, butler service and lounge café. From $600, including a $200 spa treatment, dinner, drinks, breakfast, morning and afternoon tea.

145 Sanger St, Corowa, (02) 6033 5371, bycirca.com

Next To Bliss & Bright Bliss

Two two-bedroom houses, within walking distance from Bright. From the free-standing bath tub, enjoy views to the Victorian Alps. From $285.

4 Blue Wren Close, Bright, nexttobliss.com.au . (Bookings at Bright Escapes, 1300 551 117, brightescapes.com.au )

Four rooms in a converted stable behind the restaurant, from $180.

86 Ford St, Beechworth, (03) 5728 1786, theprovenance.com.au

Feathertop Winery

Two apartments, from $300, including one with views to Mount Buffalo and the luxury king suite, the Peggy Adelaide, named after winemaker Kel Boynton’s mother.

6619 Great Alpine Rd, Porepunkah, (03) 5756 2356, feathertopwinery.com.au

The Peggy Adelaide suite at Feathertop Winery

Now that Bright has a microbrewery, chocolate factory, distillery and coffee roastery, it was inevitable that a cool bar would follow. Long and narrow with a partly open kitchen and a timber-topped bar, Tomahawks looks the part without being too slick. An on-trend menu by chef Kurt Adam includes a brilliant cheeseburger made with Seven Creek wagyu, top-notch Korean fried chicken, charred broccoli with smoked butter, and lamb ribs with a tamarind lime dressing. Adam’s partner, Megan Healy, does front of house, mixing impressive cocktails (try the sherbety, sugar-rimmed Tiki Sour) and keeping the mood friendly and welcoming.

Tomahawks, shop 3, 15 Camp St, Bright. (03) 5750 1113, facebook.com/ Tomahawks.Bright ; open Wed-Sun noon-11pm

Thousand Pound

This is another project by the enterprising Brown siblings – a handsome, flatteringly lit wine bar on Rutherglen’s Main Street. Extensive lists of gin and whisky sit beside wines from the Browns’ All Saints and St Leonards wineries (All Saints Museum Muscadelle is available for $120 a glass) as well as notable releases from fellow Rutherglen producers and benchmark Old World labels. Terrace Restaurant chef Simon Arkless hits the mark with a pared-back menu of quality steak, char-grilled fish and salty snacks, such as grilled saganaki and tins of Spanish sardines served with bread and pickles. Communal tables and a turntable for tunes keep the mood grown-up and friendly.

Thousand Pound, 82 Main St, Rutherglen, (02) 6032 8179, thousandpound.com.au ; open Fri-Sat 5pm-late.

A selection of dishes at Christmont Winery

Not far from Chrismont, Arnie Pizzini’s cousin Fred and his family tend some of the oldest plantings of Italian varieties in Australia. Fred started growing grapes on his father’s tobacco farm in 1978, and the current Pizzini cellar door is housed in the tobacco-drying kilns. The vineyard is planted with 17 grape varieties, many of them Italian. “In the King Valley we’re able to make wines of finesse and power, medium-bodied with long-lasting flavours,” says Fred. There’s prosecco, of course, and the King Valley’s other calling card, pinot grigio, but also interesting, elegant reds such as nebbiolo and sangiovese in the repertoire, too. At Pizzini’s renowned cooking school, A Tavola, Fred’s wife, Katrina, teaches pasta-making, meat-curing and spit-roasting.

Pizzini, 175 King Valley Rd, Whitfield, (03) 5729 8278, pizzini.com.au ; open daily 10am-5pm

All Saints Winery

Scion Vineyard & Winery

Rowly Milhinch, the owner and winemaker at Scion, is part of the Morris family (on his mother’s side), who have been making wines in Rutherglen since 1859. At 34, he’s a relative newcomer to winemaking and not afraid to shake things up. At the Scion cellar door you might find yourself chatting over a (well-made) coffee before tasting a flight of durif, one made in traditional style, one made as a rosé, one as a lighter style fortified. Milhinch’s excitement about the possibilities inherent in a single grape variety is infectious. Milhinch is emblematic of Rutherglen’s new energy, a next-gen winemaker respectful of the region’s traditions but ready to take new directions. See it here now.

Scion Vineyard & Winery, 74 Slaughterhouse Rd, Rutherglen, (02) 6032 8844, scionvineyard.com ; open daily 10am-5pm

Otto Dal Zotto was born in Valdobbiadene in Italy’s Veneto region, the home of prosecco, and his love of the sparkling wine led him to hunt for and plant then-rare prosecco vines in the 1990s. Dal Zotto is now considered one of the finest prosecco makers in the country and a pioneer of styles such as ultra-traditional, bottle-fermented Col Fondo; the vintage is celebrated at an annual prosecco festival in November. The trattoria next to the cellar door has a menu matched to Italian wine varieties and focuses on local produce, much of it – tomatoes in a Caprese salad, eggplant in cotolette di melanzane – grown on site by the matriarch, Elena.

Dal Zotto, 4861 Wangaratta-Whitfield Rd, Whitfield, (03) 5729 8321, dalzotto.com.au ; open daily 10am-5pm, dinner Fridays 6pm-9pm.

Janelle Boynton recently stepped in to save the Porepunkah pub after its closure, renaming it Punka Pub and giving it a sleek “industrial provincial” renovation, stacking the menu with retro favourites (prawn cocktails, crumbed Camembert) and making a feature of craft beer. She’s trying something new at the family’s Feathertop Winery, too, offering winery members access to facilities and a private terrace any day of the week, plus invitations to food and wine matching events, cooking classes and dégustation dinners. From Friday to Monday, non-members can enjoy the views from another vine-shaded terrace and shop for local produce at Feathertop’s deli. The winery also has two apartments for short stays, one with a bath on the veranda, one with views to Mount Buffalo.

Feathertop Winery, 6619 Great Alpine Rd, Porepunkah, (03) 5756 2356, feathertopwinery.com.au

Rutherglen Brewery

Gavin Swalwell and Fiona Meyers are busy people. They run the fine-diner Taste@Rutherglen and a new restaurant and reception centre at nearby Buller Wines, and they’re developing a distillery in Rutherglen. They also operate Rutherglen Brewery in a shed behind the restaurant, brewing six elegant and restrained beers in classic styles, including pilsner, Irish red ale, and IPA. Enjoy a schooner or a tasting paddle and pizza in the spacious beer garden fronting Main Street.

Rutherglen Brewery, 121C Main St, Rutherglen, (02) 6032 9765, rutherglenbrewery.com ; open Wed-Sun 8am-2pm & Wed-Sat 5.30pm-late.

Bridge Road Brewers

One of the original craft breweries in the High Country, Bridge Road produces more than a million litres of beer a year in up to 50 varieties – including a seasonal vanilla ice-cream ale called Magical Christmas Unicorn. Owner and head brewer Ben Kraus is clearly not afraid to have a little fun. His brewery in an old Cobb & Co stable off Beechworth’s main street houses a sizeable bar, pizzeria and beer garden, and serves his remarkable variety of well-crafted beers. There’s plenty for the serious craft-brew fan – wet-hop beers, Celtic red ale, porters, pilsners and IPAs – but also more off-the-wall brews using the likes of chestnuts and chocolate malt (and ice-cream).

Bridge Road Brewers, 50 Ford St, Beechworth, (03) 5278 2703, bridgeroadbrewers.com.au ; open Mon-Wed 11am-5pm, Thu & Sun 11am-10pm, Fri & Sat 11am-11pm

Jones Winery

Social Bandit Brewing Co

Jeff Whyte makes beer in small batches with the Austrian-made copper equipment he acquired from a defunct Japanese brewery. He uses local hops from Myrtleford in some beers, rye from a local baker in others. The brewery occupies the same space as a bar that’s pieced together from salvaged materials and recycled furniture. Add a stone-floored pizza oven, a list of local wine and street art spray-painted on a wall and it might sound like overkill. But the focus stays on the beer, a dozen of them on tap. Don’t miss the smooth, mature Jackie Brown Ale, hoppy Triggered pale ale, grassy wet-hopped Delinquent IPA and The Heff, an impressive version of a German hefeweizen.

Social Bandit Brewing Co, 223 Mt Buller Rd, Mansfield, (03) 5775 3281; open Thu-Sun 11am-9pm

THINGS TO DO

King Valley Dairy

Naomi Ingleton, a chef turned butter-maker, recently relocated her thriving butter business in Myrtleford to an old dairy factory in Moyhu, closed since the 1960s and now restored. Ingleton produces an impressive range of cultured butter, buttermilk, crème fraîche, ghee, buttermilk ricotta and butters flavoured with the likes of truffles, confit garlic, smoked salt and wild thyme. Customers take platters prepared at the dairy’s produce store and head across the road for lunch beside the river. Or they settle on the factory’s veranda with smoothies, fudge and ice-cream made from buttermilk.

King Valley Dairy, 107 Moyhu-Meadow Creek Rd, Moyhu, (03) 5727 9329, kingvalleydairy.com.au ; open daily 10am-4pm

Bright Chocolate

An 1870s brick stable has been transformed into an artisan chocolate factory where co-owner and head chocolate-maker Simeon Crawley handcrafts chocolate from beans he roasts on site. His small operation (he describes it as a “make it up as you go along” kind of production line) shares the space with the retail shop, and the smell and sounds of chocolate-making flavour the experience of tasting and shopping. The factory’s signature is a range of beautifully packaged, single-origin chocolate bars made with beans from Madagascar, Ecuador, Trinidad, Tanzania and the Dominican Republic, each with a distinct flavour profile. Or try the truffles, chocolate-coated coffee beans (sourced from local roaster Sixpence, below), nuts or addictively rich hot chocolate.

Bright Chocolate, 8/3 Riverside Ave, Bright, (03) 5750 1235, brightchocolate.com.au ; open daily 10am-5pm

Mansfield Coffee Merchant

One of Mansfield’s oldest buildings, a former general store, is now an industrial-chic coffee roastery. The morning coffee rush here is an impeccably serviced moshpit with two espresso machines and a brew bar going full tilt. Owner Mat Picone learned his roasting skills and developed his ideas – ethically sourced beans roasted in-house, direct relationships with dairy farmers – in Melbourne. The café has a crowd-pleasing all-day menu (smashed avocado, pulled and smoked lamb burger) and bottles its own cold brew to keep travellers alert when they’re back on the road.

Mansfield Coffee Merchant, 23 Highett St, Mansfield, (03) 5779 1703, mansfieldcoffeemerchant.com.au ; open daily 6.30am-4pm

Sixpence Coffee roastery

Sixpence Coffee

There’s a lot of good coffee in Bright these days, and Sixpence makes some of the best. Luke Dudley and Tabath Bennett’s rustic tin-shed café and roastery are so busy they’ve decided to shift the roastery to larger premises, which they’ll share with gin-maker Reed & Co Distilling, run by Hamish Nugent and Rachel Reed, who also ran the now-closed Tani Eat & Drink in Bright. The Sixpence café and its grassy outdoor area will remain largely unchanged, but for increased focus on a range of bulk-fermented sourdough and pastries that are baked on site. “I thought at first that it would be just me in a shed roasting and serving coffee on a really small scale,” Dudley says. “That didn’t exactly work out.”

Sixpence Coffee, 35 Churchill Ave, Bright, (03) 5755 1242, sixpencecoffee.com.au ; open Mon-Fri 7.30am-2.30pm

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The 8 Best Restaurants in Melbourne

By Chris Boyle

Australia’s stylish southern city is a boon for culinary travelers. A multi-cultural Mecca, Melbournians hail from all over Down Under — not to mention Greece, Spain, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Sudan, India, Sri Lanka and beyond.

The result is a destination rich with homegrown and international chefs, who together form one of the most dynamic dining scenes on the planet.

For proof, try the incredible Spanish tapas made with lamb from Australia’s Flinders Island at Melbourne’s haute MoVinda restaurant. Or follow the paths of the Michelin-starred chefs from Europe and North America, who trek to the Melbourne suburbs to sample hot spot Attica’s inventive treatment of hyper-local ingredients like Illawarra plum pine and mussels plucked from Victoria Harbour.

One of the city’s original culinary trailblazers is Andrew McConnell. A Melbourne native, McConnell trained in kitchens in Hong Kong, Shanghai and London before bringing European and Asian techniques back to his hometown. He now runs four revered restaurants across the city, whose cuisines vary from gourmet pub fare to modern Australian fine dining.

McConnell’s restaurants tend to elevate their neighborhoods as well. Individually designed by his architect wife, an Andrew McConnell vehicle has performed such feats as transforming an industrial district’s former metalworking plant into a see-and-be-seen dining destination.

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Thus far, McConnell and his contemporaries’ innovative output has seemed an exciting, inner-circle secret, but the good word is spreading. Fast.

Every March, top chefs from around the world come in droves to the Melbourne Food Festival, and leave raving about the city’s diverse culinary scene. No less discerning a diner than New York City’s Momofuku maestro David Chang recently tweeted that a potato dish at Attica was the best thing he ate in 2012. And Los Angeles’ digital nomad Roy Choi enjoyed his stint cooking at Melbourne’s Coda restaurant so much, he tattooed its street address on his arm.

Still not convinced? Rumor has it Michelin is eyeing Australia. Proud Melbournians are eager to give rival city Sydney a run for its dining dollars, and buzz about which Melbourne chefs will do best is spreading faster than popular restaurant reservationists can say, “I’m afraid we’re fully booked tonight.”

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While Oz awaits a “red bible” to call its own, we have compiled the elite traveler’s guide to Melbourne’s hottest tables. From Asian fusion in the city-center, to luxe locavore fare in suburban Ripponlea, consider this your ticket to ride – or, rather, fly – in Australia’s culinary capital.

Vue de Monde

Style / Ambiance : Featured among Elite Traveler ’s Top 100 Restaurants in the World, Vue de Monde is a fixture on Melbourne’s fine dining scene.

Chef Shannon Bennett serves four- and 10-course tasting menus in a recently renovated dining room situated 55 stories above the city. Those looking for an extra exclusive experience should book the Dom Perignon Room, a Joost Baker-designed private space that seats up to 14 guests.

+61 (3) 9691 3888

[email protected]

Level 55, Rialto Building, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC

www.vuedemonde.com.au

Style / Ambiance: New Zealand-born chef Ben Shewry has won fans of such tastemakers as Rene Redzepi, David Chang and Magnus Nilsson with his innovative, fiercely local cooking.

His 55-seat Ripponlea hot spot is the only Melbourne-area restaurant on S.Pellegrino’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Attica’s signature dishes include a Virginia Rose potato peeled, dressed and steamed in the earth in which it was grown, a play on the traditional Maori cooking method hangi .

Restaurant Manager Banjo Harris Plane

+61 (3) 9530 0111

[email protected]

74 Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea VIC 3185

www.attica.com.au

Style / Ambiance: Born in Barcelona and raised in Córdoba, Chef Frank Camorra is credited with introducing Melbourne diners to Spanish cuisine at his perennially popular wine and tapas bar.

Advance reservations are essential at the original, fine dining outpost on Hosier Lane, which has since spawned two casual offshoots, MoVida Next Door and MoVida Terrazza.

Reception Manager Louisa Biviano

+61 (3) 9663 3038

[email protected]

1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne 3000

www.movida.com.au

Cutler & Co.

Style / Ambiance : Hometown hero Andrew McConnell has four influential Melbourne restaurants, but Cutler & Co. is his award-winning take on modern fine dining.

Proudly Australian ingredients like marron, a Western Australian freshwater crayfish, are served à la carte and in sophisticated, eight-course tasting menus. The industrial chic interiors are by McConnell’s wife, star architect Pascale Gomes-McNabb.

General Manager Pippa James

 +61 (3) 9419 4888

[email protected]

55–57 Gertrude St., Fitzroy 3065

www.cutlerandco.com.au

Style / Ambiance: Australian celebrity chef Mark Best, whose Sydney restaurant Marque was number 42 on Elite Traveler ’s Top 100 Restaurants in the World, helms this modern bistro named for architect IM Pei, who designed both the Pyramid at the Louvre and Melbourne complex Collins Place.

The seasonal menu changes daily, and is complimented by award-winning manager Ainslie Lubbock’s elegant service and expertly chosen wine list.

Reception Manager Emma Bottos

+61 (3) 9654 8545

[email protected]

Collins Place, 45 Collins St, Melbourne

peimodern.com.au

Rockpool Bar & Grill

Style / Ambiance: The Melbourne outpost of Sydney chef Neil Perry’s Rockpool brand brings top-quality meat and seafood to a luxe, 200-seat space in the stylish Southbank neighborhood.

From daily menus emblazoned with photographer Earl Carter’s elegant cattle images, to the artfully lit bovine display in the meat locker near the entrance, Rockpool presents a strong case for the carnivore. Less beefy menu items also impress, like sashimi-style swordfish belly and Tasmanian abalone with lemon, parsley and brown butter.

General Manager Vanessa Crichton

+61 (3) 8648 1900

[email protected]

8 Whiteman Street, Crown Complex, Southbank

www.rockpoolmelbourne.com

Supernormal Cantine

CUISINE: ASIAN FUSION

Style / Ambiance: Located in St Kilda, Supernormal Canteen is the latest concept from serial restauranteur Andrew McConnell. Taking inspiration from the most popular food in Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Canteen delivers the best of Asian fusion cuisine in an intimate dining experience.

Inspired by his five years working in Hong Kong and Shanghai, McConnell blends Asian flavors and techniques with an international palate, resulting in untraditional dishes like his interpretation of a lobster roll, made with poached local crayfish and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise.

Office Manager Sarah Pongratz

+61 (3) 9525 4488

[email protected]

157 Fitzroy St., St Kilda 3182

www.supernormalcanteen.com

Style / Ambiance: As international as Melbourne itself, Adam d’Sylva’s smart bistro has an eclectic menu that ranges from rabbit rillettes with sourdough, to tender roast duck in tamarind-scented yellow curry.

The bustling bar area serves wines by the glass and shareable small plates. The minimalistic dining room has artfully distressed walls, wire and mesh light fixtures and chic aluminum window treatments designed by Melbourne studio Projects of Imagination.

Manager Tom Hunter

+61 (3) 9650 3155

[email protected]

141 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000

www.codarestaurant.com.au

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Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Victoria, Victoria Capital Regional District

Victoria fine dining restaurants, establishment type, online options, traveller rating, dietary restrictions, restaurant features, neighbourhood.

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‘Long hours, gruelling work’: Gourmet Traveller’s restaurant award winner calls for industry change

Back after a two-year break, the accolades acknowledge an industry in a state of flux

Tedesca Osteria has won restaurant of the year at Gourmet Traveller’s awards night, which has made an online return after being cancelled last year.

The 30-seat restaurant in Red Hill, Victoria , headed by Brigitte Hafner, is run alongside a biodynamic farm and works with a select handful of produce growers.

“I think Brigitte has proven that you can create a successful restaurant model, and a very sought-after experience, without working all hours of the day and night,” Gourmet Traveller’s editor, Joanna Hunkin, told Guardian Australia.

To Hunkin, Tedesca is an embodiment of a new approach to fine dining that may pave the way for more like it. “It is sophisticated … but it’s also casual and humble in a way.

“It is food created in the moment from what’s in the garden, what’s available, what’s surrounding her, what’s in season.”

In his announcement of the award, Gourmet Traveller state editor Michael Harden said he felt Hafner’s Tedesca was “a template for things to come”, heralding a shift away from what Hunkin called the “churn and burn” of traditional fine dining.

Hafner herself says the restaurant and hospitality industry is “going through an immense change”, one that has been sped up by the uncertainty of the last 18 months.

“I don’t think we’ve even seen the changes that are going to come out as a result of what we’ve been through,” she said.

While Hafner believes the industry’s gradual evolution was already under way, she says positive changes are accelerating, including a more sustainable work culture.

“People love this industry but maybe they don’t love how it’s treating some of their staff. I think it’s a really good thing that that’s going to evolve.

“Hospitality has typically tended to build a model on cheap labour, long, long hours, gruelling work, and I think that model needs to shift, because if you want to keep staff for a long time, that needs to be changed and improved on.”

Daniel Puskas of Sixpenny in New South Wales, who won the peer-voted chef of the year award, echoed Hafner’s sentiments on changing the industry’s culture and seeking balance.

“It’s a challenging industry. Sometimes it’s all-encompassing,” Puskas said.

“Having those support networks is really important for longevity in the industry. I feel you need to have consistent momentum, where you don’t feel like you need to be pushed and pushed and pushed – so you can wake up every morning and feel excited to come to work.”

In March last year, as lockdown began and restaurants were forced to shut their doors, Puskas ran a bakery out of Sixpenny that saw lines down the street in Stanmore.

Both Puskas and Hafner emphasised that, while their respective awards recognised individuals, it was through the teams at their establishments that their work was possible.

“I feel like Sixpenny won chef of the year and not me, because there’s a whole team here … a group of people who come together and do what the individual can’t,” Puskas said.

For Hafner, while it is a deeply personal project, she feels she is “only one part of the bigger Tedesca”.

“It’s like a co-op, if you like, and everyone has imparted very much of themselves in this project.”

Though chefs have always sought to take advantage of seasonal produce, disruptions to supply chains have spurred on what was already a growing conversation about eating and buying locally.

“Diners are learning about it and they’re aware of it and they’re seeking it out,” Hunkin said.

“There hasn’t [always] been the interest in knowing where your pork was raised or where your asparagus was grown, whereas now there’s a lot more interest in that.”

Hafner champions eating locally to an even greater degree.

“I started noticing over the years that the flavours were even better if they were picked on the day, so then I became obsessed about the freshness of it.”

The awards have also been gifted some serendipitous timing.

“We sent the magazine to print with the winners two weeks ago, and we didn’t even know Melbourne was going to be open,” Hunkin said. “It’s … a very happy coincidence.”

Hunkin believes the industry has stepped up to the challenge of the past 20 months. “The depths of creativity are deeper and wider than they’ve ever been – I mean, we’ve seen extraordinary things.”

Gourmet Traveller restaurant of the year winners

Restaurant of the year Tedesca Osteria, Red Hill, Victoria

Restaurant of the year state winners

Tedesca Osteria

Saint Peter, Sydney

Fico, Hobart

Millbrook, Jarrahdale, WA

Restaurant Botanic, Adelaide

Elska, Brisbane

Chef of the year Daniel Puskas – Sixpenny, Sydney

Best new restaurant Gimlet, Melbourne

Best new talent Jung Eun Chae – Chae, Victoria

Restaurant personality of the year Sharon Romeo – Fino, South Australia

Best destination dining Oaks Kitchen and Garden, Queensland

Best wine bar Monopole, Sydney

Outstanding contribution to hospitality Amy Chanta, chef, restaurateur, Chat Thai

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Victoria shines in the 2024 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards nominations

Best New Restaurant nominee, Serai.

Two pasta bars – one devoutly traditional, one prescriptively not – a woodfired Filipino game-changer, a 40-year study in Cantonese finesse, two destination degustations, a wine bar’s wine bar and one heck of a flagship fine diner. These are the Victorian restaurants vying for a gong at  Gourmet Traveller ’s annual restaurant awards, one of the most prestigious nights on the Australian dining awards calendar.

Ross Magnaye’s Filipino sensation  Serai  headlines the Best New Restaurant nominees, a sharp combination of bright, woodfired flavours and vins naturels earning it a nod alongside Fitzroy-via-Piedmont pasta hideaway Alta Trattoria.

Alt Pasta Bar’s Mino Han will contest the Best New Talent category, after opening earlier this year with a menu that  Gourmet Traveller ’s Michael Harden praised equally for the execution of the classics as the ingenuity that it’s named for, Alt being short for alternative. Case in point, a spinach pappardelle tossed with nori butter, salmon roe, soy sauce, sesame oil, and “superb little discs of perfectly cooked abalone”.

Hit Richmond wine bar Clover Dining is up for Best New Wine Bar in a hot field that includes the likes of Adelaide’s Good Gilbert and Perth bolter Lalla Rookh, while Derek Boath’s picture-perfect menu at Underbar in Ballarat has it in contention for Best Destination Dining.

Elsewhere, Lake House’s Robin Wilson is in the running for Restaurant Personality of the Year, while Melbourne landmarks Stokehouse and Flower Drum are both nominated for the Readers’ Choice Icon Award in a field that also takes in  Birregurra treasure Brae .

The  Gourmet Traveller  Restaurant Awards take place at Brasserie 1930 on Monday 21 August, with the full list of winners to be published in the September issue of the magazine.

By Frank Sweet

gourmettraveller.com.au

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17 of the best places to eat along the Great Ocean Road

Simone Mitchell

Travel Journalist

31 October 2023

Don’t set out on Victoria’s most iconic road trip without planning where you’ll stop along the way – better yet, plan your Great Ocean Road trip around these cafes, restaurants and eateries.

A trip along the Great Ocean Road is a feast for the senses. There’s the smell of the eucalyptus trees, the sound of the roaring ocean and some incredible food to tantalise your taste buds. From breakfast burgers at The Bottle of Milk in Lorne to a degustation dinner at one of the country’s finest restaurants ( Brae in Birregurra ), there’s something here to suit every palette. These are our top picks.

1. The Wye General, Wye River

Set in the beautiful hamlet of Wye River, The General is a beautiful dining spot, right by the sea. They do an all day brunch menu that features excellent coffee and fresh pastries, bloody marys, burgers, bang up full breakfasts, and fresh salads. Kitchen hours are 8am – 2.30pm (it’s open until 4). This is a great spot if you’re travelling through in the cooler months, as they have a combustion heater to keep things toasty. There’s also a great play area for little ones.

Address: 35 Great Ocean Road, Wye River, Victoria

The General is a beautiful dining spot, right by the sea.

2. MoVida, Lorne

Enjoy expansive ocean views from the Lorne Hotel while you dine on tapas plates from MoVida – Chef Frank Camorra’s restaurant that originally made a name for itself in Melbourne. Using the best of the local south-west Victorian produce available, the menu draws inspiration from Spanish flavours, techniques and tradition. The Alimentaria Deli also offers cheese, preserved seafood, pickles, wine, and tapas to-go, for those who want to take a little MoVida home with them.

Address: 176 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne, Victoria

MoVida uses the best of the local south-west Victorian produce available.

3. Forage on the Foreshore, Port Campbell

For those who have visited the nearby Twelve Apostles , a meal at Forage on the Foreshore can be the perfect bookend to an excellent day’s sightseeing. The food on the menu is mostly grown, produced or foraged locally, and is seasonal. Breakfast options include baked free-range eggs with garden greens, cream, Apostle Whey camembert cheese and toasted Zeally Bay sourdough; and spelt hotcakes with preserved rhubarb, quark cheese, shaved coconut and maple syrup. Until 4pm you can also enjoy dishes such as local cheese plates, braised calamari, house made gnocchi and fresh grilled fish.

Address: 32 Cairns St, Port Campbell, Victoria

A meal at Forage on the Foreshore can be the perfect bookend to an excellent day’s sightseeing.

4. Fish by Moonlite, Anglesea

Anglesea surfers would do well to follow the lead of Chef Matt Germanchis, one half of the mastermind behind the now-closed Captain Moonlite – and it’s offshoot, Fish by Moonlite , a fish-and-chip and seafood retail shop along the Great Ocean Road run by Germanchis and his partner Gemma Gange.

Germanchis was inspired by his time cooking in Skiathos, Greece, where the evening menu would come from what fishermen bring to port that day, now Fish by Moonlite patrons not only gain access to the freshest seafood delivered daily but also get advice from seasoned chefs about how to cook your produce. A visit won’t be complete without a helping of their top-notch fish and chips.

In related news, Germanchis has announced that he will be taking on the role of executive chef at The Lorne Hotel for Sydney hospitality giant Merivale, who acquired the historic Great Ocean Road establishment in early 2021. Watch this space!

Address: 87-89 Great Ocean Road, Anglesea, Victoria

Get access to the freshest seafood delivered daily at Fish by Moonlite.

5.  Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant, Apollo Bay

Set high in the Otways above the Great Ocean Road, Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant has been an iconic eatery since opening in 1979. Chris’s passion for the food of southern Europe combined with the freshest and purest produce available means people come back time and time again for lunch or dinner with a spectacular view. Fresh seafood is a speciality.

Address: 280 Skenes Creek Rd, Apollo Bay, Victoria

Chris’s Beacon Point Restaurant has been an iconic eatery since opening in 1979.

6. Conlan’s Wine Store, Port Fairy

Located in the historic coastal town of Port Fairy is Conlan’s Wine Store , a restaurant that offers relaxed dining options perfect for a night of unwinding. Try their four-course sharing style menu, or order from their wide selection of a la carte dishes, both of which can be paired with the region’s finest wine. You can also bring home a bottle along with some homely goods from their retail store.

Address: 34 Bank Street, Port Fairy, Victoria, 3284

Try their four-course sharing style menu.

7.  The Bottle of Milk, Lorne

If it’s a hearty breakfast you’re after, it’s hard to go past The Bottle of Milk . The coconut porridge with oats cooked in pear juice and coconut milk is a tropical start to the day, while the truffled mushrooms and corn and zucchini fritters are also a standout. Later in the day you’ll find a mouth-watering array of burgers on offer, including some excellent vegetarian options.

Address: 52 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne, Victoria

It’s hard to go past The Bottle of Milk.

 8. Brae, Birregurra

To be fair this isn’t technically on the Great Ocean Road. You have to head inland to hit Birregurra to indulge in a lunch or dinner at Brae . But it’s consistently been named one of the best restaurants in the country by the Good Food Guide, and when you’re this close to perfection it would be a shame not to take the slight detour. Chef Dan Hunter’s ever-changing menu incorporates produce from Brae’s organic farm, the surrounding land and local, ethical, sustainable producers. It will be one of the best meals you ever have.

Address: 4285 Cape Otway Rd, Birregurra, Victoria

Brae is consistently been named one of the best restaurants in the country.

9. Ipsos Restaurant & Bar, Lorne

For a fun night out with friends it’s hard to go past Ipsos . Here you’ll find a modern spin on Greek cooking, with lots of salads, dips and grilled meats to keep you satisfied. There’s also a superb cocktail list.

Address: 48 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne, Victoria

Find a modern spin on Greek cooking at Ipsos.

10. Apollo Bay Bakery, Apollo Bay

Locals along the Great Ocean Road swear by the Apollo Bay Bakery . They have a great range of fresh sandwiches, rolls and cakes and all their pies, pasties and sausage rolls are hand-made on site (they have become well known as the home of the scallop pie). Gluten-free pies and vegan pasties are also available. It’s open seven days a week from 6am – 4pm.

Address: 125 Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, Victoria

11. Merrijig Inn, Port Fairy

This is, apparently, Victoria’s oldest inn and it’s certainly dripping with old world charm. Open for dinner Thursday to Monday, the daily kitchen menu at the Merrijig Inn highlights local producers and farmers. Depending on what’s good and fresh that day you might find Milawa free range duck, Western District lamb, and ox-tail ragout with globe artichokes or pan-fried fillet of Portland blue-eye.

Address: 1 Campbell Street, Port Fairy, Victoria

Merrijig is, apparently, Victoria’s oldest inn.

12. Bellbrae Estate, Bellbrae

This cool climate winery and cellar door is just a five-minute drive from Bells Beach. Family owned and run, it’s no novelty venture built solely to lure in tourists; after all, the hallowed Halliday Wine Companion has named Bellbra e Estat e an “excellent” winery capable of producing elegant wines. Duck in for a tasting or linger for longer at the weekend with a woodfired pizza and tasting flight.

Address: 520 Great Ocean Rd, Bellbrae, Victoria

Duck in for a tasting. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism; Lauren Doolan)

13. Great Ocean Road Gin Tasting Room, Aireys Inlet

Hidden in plain sight in the quaint hamlet of Aireys Inlet, this nook of a gin garden is a delightful spot to pass some time. Nurse a small-batch navy-strength gin negroni laced with housemade bitter orange syrup while sitting on the sun-dappled deck amid furniture doused in a Palm Springs colour palette. When hunger strikes you don’t have to venture far; simply slink next door to the adjoining Gin Kitchen, which offers a five-course banquet menu inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine.

Want more? Visit the Apollo Bay Distillery , which runs gin blending masterclasses.

Address: 32 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet, Victoria

Help yourself to some negroni. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism; Lauren Doolan)

14. Noodledoof Brewing and Distilling Co., Koroit

Open from your morning cold drip coffee, brewed over 12 hours, through to your evening gin – distilled with botanicals plucked from the crater of a dormant local volcano, no less – Noodledoof is no one-trick pony. Beyond beverages, this brewery and distillery also serves up an indulgent menu of burgers, loaded fries and chicken wings come lunch and dinner, while breakfast is a slightly more salubrious affair, running the gamut from almond and chia pudding to fruit toast and granola with coconut yoghurt.

Address: 128 Commercial Rd, Koroit, Victoria

Beyond beverages, this brewery and distillery also serves up an indulgent menu. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism; Lauren Doolan)

15. Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-op, Apollo Bay

A coastal restaurant with plenty of rustic charm, Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-op is a mecca for seafood lovers. Situated just a couple of metres from the salty surf, it dishes up a bounty of impossibly fresh fish and crustaceans. So fabled is the southern rock lobster that’s hauled from the depths of this bay that the seaside town and its catch took centre stage on a season 13 episode of MasterChef. Pull up a pew at one of the co-op’s picnic tables, devour a fisherman’s basket and watch on as sailboats bob around in the water before you.

Address: 2 Breakwater Rd, Apollo Bay, Victoria

Enjoy Apollo Bay’s bounty of impossibly fresh fish and crustaceans. (Image: Visit Victoria)

16. Wickens at the Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld

Among the region’s most show-stopping offerings, Wickens at the Royal Mail Hotel is a non-negotiable for fervent foodies. This hatted restaurant has an extensive kitchen garden, said to be among the biggest in Australia, which furnishes the kitchen’s fridge and pantry with all manner of fruits, veggies and herbs. Moreover, the hotel even raises its own beef and lamb. But food is not the sole focal point here: the restaurant’s award-winning cellar is home to an encyclopaedic collection of wine (some 25,000 bottles, to be precise).

For those who fancy a more casual a la carte meal, try hotel offshoot Parker Street Project .

Address: 98 Parker St, Dunkeld, Victoria

Wickens at the Royal Mail Hotel is a non-negotiable for fervent foodies. (Image: Visit Victoria)

17. Timboon Fine Ice Cream, Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Schulz Organic Creamery & Cafe, Timboon

In the thick of the Otways hinterland, among the verdant pastoral landscapes, lies a little pocket awash with artisanal food and drink producers. From a natural ice creamery founded by a third-generation dairy farmer, to a single malt whisky distillery run by a cattle farmer in a railway shed that dates back to the 1800s, and a ‘grass to glass’ single-site organic dairy and cheesery, the tiny town of Timboon (pop. 1,202) punches well above its weight.

Visit this little pocket awash with artisanal food and drink producers. (Image: Great Ocean Road Tourism; Lauren Doolan)

Stop in at Schul z Organic Creamery & Cafe for a spot of morning tea: we’re talking chocolate babka, a smattering of bagels, and scones with local jam and homemade cream. Then pop into Timboon Fine Ice Cream for a scoop of apple pie ice cream or maybe even one of their Sundae School classes. Finally, drop by Timboon Railway Shed Distillery for a dram of whisky alongside farmer and head distiller Josh’s slow-cooked grass-fed black Angus beef.

Drop by Timboon Railway Shed Distillery for a dram of whisky. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Addresses in order: 1A Barrett St, Timboon, Victoria; 1 Bailey St, Timboon, Victoria; 3 Ford and Fells Rd, Timboon, Victoria

Updates written by Chloe Cann

Read our ultimate travel guide to the Great Ocean Road for more on what to do and where to stay.

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The Best Restaurants in Victoria B.C., According to a Food Tour Guide

Gourmet Guides: The Best Restaurants in Victoria B.C., According to a Food Tour Guide

In gourmet guides, food industry insiders serve up recommendations on where to dine in their town., by esme benjamin.

Andy Olson had eaten his way through 52 different countries when he decided to set up a food tour company in his hometown of Victoria, British Columbia. His venture, A Taste of Victoria Food Tours , was a harmonious melding of his two passions, food and history, and an opportunity to introduce fellow world travelers to the city’s impressive dining scene. 

“ Victoria has more restaurants per capita than any city in Canada and the second most in North America after San Francisco,” Olson says. “In order to stick around in this city you have to be local, interesting, and above all else, tasty.”

Tasty in Victoria often means sourcing food locally and seasonally. The city has long been on the vanguard of sustainability and environmental impact, and many of its restaurants seek out ingredients from nearby farms and responsible fishing companies. 

“ Destination Greater Victoria, our local tourism board, was recently awarded a biosphere-certified destination and many of its members, including restaurants, are committed to a guarantee of environmental, economic, and socio-cultural balance, including the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations,” explains Olson. “It’s neat to see that so many of our establishments take pride in being sustainable companies, which you can see on signage splashed across their menus, websites, and even on the walls of their restaurants.”   

We asked Andy Olson where to eat in Victoria to support local sustainability initiatives and minority ownership while enjoying a really great meal. His recommendations highlight the diversity and ingenuity of British Columbia’s capital.

For Breakfast/Brunch: 

Shanzee's biscuit cafe .

The owner of Shanzee's Biscuit Cafe was a long-time chef in Victoria before she decided to open her own restaurant on the border of Chinatown and Old Town in Market Square. As the only southern-style cook in our city, she has carved out a niche for herself with a variety of sweet and savory biscuits. She makes the biscuits daily on-site and thanks to the open kitchen you can watch your meal being made. Order the Southern Comfort biscuit, which has the restaurant’s house-made sausage gravy with cheddar cheese, green onions, and cured bacon from Hertel's Meats on Vancouver Island. Equally tantalizing is the sweet biscuit, which comes with Nutella, grilled banana, whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles. The ultimate comfort food!

Floyd's Diner

Floyd's Diner has been operating in Victoria since 2004 and offers a casual old-school diner experience with legendary hangover food spanning everything from chicken and waffles to The Laban (a half-a-dozen strips of the restaurant’s signature bacon served with a Lucky beer and shot of Jack Daniels!) For me, the highlight has always been The Mahoney, a surprise meal decided by the chef! I’ve been served everything from a grilled cheese made with 10 pieces of bread to a butter chicken poutine. It allows the chefs to show off their creativity and I have never been disappointed. The best part? After the meal, the server will come by with a coin and ask you to call heads or tails. If you win the flip the meal is free, but if you lose, it costs double! Even if you lose, the check will only be about $48 and it is always so much food that you never feel like you really lost. 

For Lunch/Afternoon Tea

Pendray inn and tea house.

Thanks to Victoria’s British influence, afternoon or "high" teas are very popular here. The Empress Hotel serves over 500,000 people in its tea room each year, but my go-to is t he Pendray Inn and Tea House , a Victorian-era dining room in James Bay which dates back to 1897. Come hungry, as it consists of four tiers with savory treats at the bottom (such as crustless sandwiches using local bread and salmon), savory and sweet scones in the middle (I love the white chocolate ones) and macarons from our local gem La Roux Patisserie on the top. When the weather is nice, you can also enjoy the veranda.

La Roux Patisserie

La Roux Patisserie ’s owner, Rebecca, began her patisserie as a retirement gig after spending 25 years in corporate law and has built it into a local must-do. Rebecca makes over 1,000 croissants a week and sells out completely by the end of each day. Beat the crowds and order the Paris-Brest, a hazelnut cream-filled choux pastry that’s a mainstay at French patisseries. If you can't finish the full-sized 1000-calorie version you can opt for the smaller one. 

My go-to for takeout lunch is a little hole-in-the-wall Indonesian restaurant in Market Square called Ayo Eat . Owner and head chef Bana (he's a one-man show) was formerly a chef for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel chain and has served the Dalai Lama on several occasions. He sources all of his ingredients from the shops in nearby Chinatown and is famous for his peanut sauce, which is delicious on the Anjali Spring Roll and Satay Ayam (chicken satay). It’s such a small place that there’s usually a wait, so head to one of the brew pubs in Market Square for a beer while your order is prepared.

Gozen Sushi Bar Izakaya

Victoria has over 30 sushi restaurants in its downtown area and locals like to fight about which one is the best. For what it's worth, my favorite is Gozen Sushi Bar Izakaya , where I highly recommend getting the bento box lunch special. Chef Tony Kim was the head chef of Ariake in Seoul, Korea, and Yamazato in Tokyo before he started Gozen six years ago. He blends house-made recipes, including soy sauce, with Korean fusion to produce one tasty bento box. He can even serve you blowfish without killing you, as he is certified in this fine art!

For Dinner:

Il terrazzo.

A lot of restaurants in Victoria are only open for dinner starting at 5pm so reservations are recommended and some require that reservations be made weeks in advance. One of those places is Il Terrazzo , which has operated in Old Town since 1990 and has been arguably the city’s best restaurant for most of the time they have been in business. It has an extensive menu and wine list and its knowledgeable staff (many of whom have been working there for the past 30 years) are happy to make suggestions. My regular order here is the frutti di mare della casa . This delectable seafood dish has local prawns, mussels, and scallops tossed with white wine, cherry tomatoes, leeks, red onion, and linguine. One tip: Try not to fill up on the delicious free focaccia bread before your main meal arrives.

Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub

Victoria has 19 craft breweries within 10 minutes of its center. One of those , Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub , has been operating since 1984. It is the oldest brewpub in Canada and they still make their beer on-site. Spinnaker's also has a really great fa rm-to-table restaurant situated in an old mansion that overlooks the harbor in Vic West. The pulled pork sandwich is messy as all hell but my top pick every time I eat here. Don’t forget to check out its provisions store, which sells Spinnakers’ own beer, plus house-made chocolates, bread, and ice cream.  

10 Acres Bistro

10 Acres Bistro displays Victoria’s strong focus on local produce really well. It sources 90% of all of its ingredients from its own farm, which is located nearby on the Saanich Peninsula, and its daily fresh menu offers seasonal ingredients from the area in a creative way. My top pick, when it's available, is the duck confit served with beets, arugula, farm chutney, and smoked yogurt. After you’ve eaten, head to 10 Acres Commons, its sister cocktail lounge with harbor views and a covered patio. 

Sült Pierogi Bar

Sült Pierogi Bar calls its cuisine Canadian fusion. Its creative take on the Eastern European dumpling, AKA pie rogi (which I like to call Canada’s second national dish, after poutine) is remarkable. Sült has taken this dumpling and added over 250 fillings to it over the seven years they have been in business, experimenting with everything from cheesecake to kimchi. Owner and head chef Troy turns his menu over every few months so there is always something new. My current favorite is the Pierogi Parmesa n (five “Gonzo Garbanzo” pierogies, with Beyond Meat hot Italian sausage, nutritional yeast and garlic oiled spaghetti squash, plum tomato sauce, vegan parmesan, mozzarella, basil pesto, balsamic reduction). Swing by in the evening when Sült has live entertainment, from DJs to stand-up comedy. 

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Victoria Gourmet Travel: The Best Regional Foodie Getaways

Melbourne’s not the only culinary hotspot in Victoria – eat and drink your way around a state bursting with flavour with this guide to some of the best regional gourmet getaways.

Melbourne may be the food capital of Australia, but regional Victoria isn’t far behind with its hundreds of wineries and restaurants leaving a lasting impression on visitors. This combined with the stunning setting amongst pasturelands, alpine landscapes and rugged coastline where time moves slowly and country hospitality comes with a smile, makes regional Victoria the perfect place for a romantic getaway.

Discover the diverse dining scene of regional Victoria through our guide to the top culinary destinations, including the best spots to eat and drink at each.

Close to Melbourne

Yarra Valley

Why:  Wine, wine and more wine – the Yarra Valley, one of the original wine regions of Victoria, is within spitting distance of Melbourne. Expect mainly chardonnay, pinot noir and sparkling wines, with some surprises thrown in.

Top tips:  Look out for the orange and blue flags of the Yarra Valley Food Trail, for self-guided gourmet tours encompassing more than 100 cafés, local produce and restaurants. The  Coldstream Brewery  offers a beer break for the palate, there’s great seasonal produce at the café and foodstore at  Shillinglaw Cottage , and the  Yarra Valley Dairy  serves up 15 local cheeses.

Must-sip wineries:  As the Australian arm of French Champagne house, Moët & Chandon,  Domaine Chandon  is an icon of the region, and its Greenpoint Brasserie has one of the best views in town. Don’t miss the first vineyard planted in the Yarra Valley in 1838, now home to  Yering Station  – an architectural masterpiece that doubles as a winery, restaurant and cellar door.

Where to stay:  Do not pass  Relais & Châteaux’s Chateau Yering Hotel  for genteel country living with serious style and a one-hat restaurant, Eleonore.

Related: Foodie Getaways in The Yarra Valley

Mornington Peninsula

Why:  The Peninsula, as the locals call it, is a second home for Melbourne’s elite who descend upon their weekenders every Friday afternoon. A combination of spectacular coastline and rolling hinterland, the region serves up some of the State’s finest dining experiences and boutique wineries.

Top tips:  Wander barefoot along the Peninsula shores to (hopefully) see multi-coloured beach huts and wild dolphins frolicking in the calm waters; take in a round of golf on one of 15 golf courses; and look out for the “MP Gourmet” logo at local cafés to ensure you’re getting the best from the region.

Must-sip winery:   Port Phillip Estate  has pumped $40million into its new cellar door, winery and estate – and it shows. The wine isn’t bad, either. There’s the award-winning Salix restaurant and stellar wines at Willow Creek Vineyard; while foodie favourite,  Ten Minutes by Tractor , celebrates the best of three vineyards separated by, yes, 10 minutes – on a tractor.

Must-sup eatery:  Hatted restaurant,  Montalto , at the Montalto Vineyard & Olive Grove, is surrounded by orchards, groves, vineyards, lakes and wetlands, and a garden featuring impressive artworks and boardwalks for postprandial meanderings.

Where to stay:  Couples will love  Lindenderry at Red Hill  for its European guesthouse charm, and exquisite gardens in which to take a turn, smack-bang in the middle of the vineyards.

Related article: A Gourmet Getaway in the Mornington Peninsula

Macedon Ranges

Why:  Less than an hour’s drive from Melbourne, the Macedon Ranges region is renowned for its naturally occurring mineral springs and exquisite local produce. In addition to the superb wines and food there are also exquisite gardens, historic buildings, day spas and luxurious accommodation, with glimpses of Mount Macedon at every turn.

Top tips:  Start soaking: the spa towns of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs are located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in the country. In the historic town of Trentham, truffle dogs sniff out some seriously good and pungent truffles.

Must-sip winery:  Try any of the local boutique vineyards, including  Hanging Rock Winery  for views of the rock formations that inspired the classic Australian film,  Picnic at Hanging Rock .

Must-sup eatery:  This area is a mecca for fine-dining foodies.  Annie Smithers’ Bistro  and the  Royal George  each have one hat, while the glorious  Lake House  restaurant has two. For a gastronomic hat trick, try all three one day.

Where to stay:  The glamorous Lake House sits on the beautiful Lake Daylesford and offers in-room dining, butler service for evening drinks, and a day spa. Bliss.

Related: The Best Things to do in Daylesford

Northeast Victoria

Why:  This is the Muscat trail of Victoria, so if you like your wines fortified you’ve come to the right place. Most vineyards here have been handed down from generation to generation for more than 150 years, so the oenologists really know their stuff.

Top tips:  Taste the famous local Murray cod, wander the  Hume Murray Farmer’s Market  every second Saturday and save room for a pastry delight from “Australia’s greatest pie shop”,  Parker Pies .

Must-sip winery:   All Saints Estate  and  St Leonards Vineyard  – historic vineyards that were revitalised by the late Peter Brown (of Brown Brothers fame).

Must-sup eatery:  Lounge on the deck at the  Pickled Sisters Café  at Cofield Wines and delight in top local produce and country charm.

Where to stay:   Tuileries Rutherglen  offers boutique accommodation overlooking Rutherglen Estates Vineyard, with timber decks, king-size beds, spa baths and one of the top restaurants in the region.

Beechworth and the Alpine Valley region

Why:  Think snow-capped mountains, fertile river valleys and cool-climate wines, with the gold rush town of Beechworth, the Milawa Gourmet Region and the original Victorian Brown Brothers winery adding even more colour.

Top tips:  In a word? Milawa. This tiny little gourmet dot of a town is big on flavour, with  Milawa Cheese ,  Milawa Olives  and  Milawa Mustards  just some of the don’t-miss food.

Must-sip winery:  The  Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard  is a one-stop wine shop with heritage cellars, contemporary restaurant, open gardens and a windmill, and a number of festivals throughout the year.

Must-sup eatery:  Do not leave this region without dining at the two-hatted  Provenance Restaurant  for a taste of chef Michael Ryan’s famed anchovies.

Where to stay:  The  Lindenwarrah Hotel at Milawa  features 38 rooms and two suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the glorious views, and within stumbling distance of Brown Brothers. Perfect.

Central Victoria

Goulburn region

Why:  Bordered by the Great Dividing Range, the Goulburn Valley and Upper Goulburn area is home to Broken, Goulburn, Ovens and King Rivers, plus a handful of lakes. Expect fresh and juicy cherries, peaches and plums, and some fine riesling, chardonnay, shiraz and gewürztraminer.

Top tips:  The Goulburn region is known as the food bowl of Australia, so be sure to try the local apples and stone fruit – they’re sold at local farms with roadside stands that operate using the honour system. This is also paddle steamer territory, so grab a houseboat and get on the water to see the charming vessels up close.

Must-sip winery:  If you visit only one winery make it  Tahbilk . It features an underground cellar dating back to 1869, a wetlands wildlife reserve, plus the largest single holding of rare Marsanne grapes in the world.

Where to stay:  Rest your wine-soaked head on the fine sheets at the Blackwood Park Country House set on the  Mitchelton Winery  estate.

Western Victoria 

The Grampians

Why:  Just three hours’ drive from Melbourne, the Grampians region is the birthplace of Australian sparkling wine, and includes Henty, the most southerly wine region in the country. Expect dramatic landscapes with escarpments, gorges and rugged ranges, in an area that extends down to Port Fairy and Lorne on the coastland.

Must sip winery:  Wander two kilometres of underground cellars at the  Seppelt Great Western Winery  and explore 120 years of Australian wine heritage in an historic winery responsible for excellent shiraz, cabernet and riesling.

Must-sup eatery:  The  Royal Mail Hotel  at Dunkeld features a two-hatted restaurant that’s a firm favourite with foodies. This is degustation dining heaven – and one of the best restaurants in Australia.

Where to stay:  The Merrijig Kitchen, in Port Fairy, is another two-hatted restaurant, and highlights local and regional artisan producers and farmers with seasonally inspired food. It’s part of  Merrijig Inn , Australia’s oldest inn, so it’s easy to fall into bed after supper.

Southeast Victoria

Why:  Extending from the New South Wales border to Melbourne’s eastern outskirts, the Gippsland region is renowned for its natural beauty, and encompasses Ninety Mile Beach and Lakes Entrance and more than 100 wineries.

Top tips:  At the southernmost tip of Australia, granite headlands, forests and fern gullies protect the largest coastal wilderness in Victoria at Wilsons Promontory National Park – get your walking shoes on.

Must-sip winery:  You won’t go wrong at any of the local vineyards, including  Jinks Creek , featuring a wine bar in an old woolshed; the Italian-inspired  D’Angelo Estate Vineyard ; and the  Wild Dog Winery , serving the region’s famed chardonnay and riesling.

Must-sup eatery:  Neilsons  in Traralgon has one-hat dining in an intimate setting, created by rising star chef, Lewis Prince.

Where to stay:   Montfort Manor  – adults-only luxury in just four guest rooms, set within seven acres of landscaped gardens in Traralgon.

Northwest Victoria

Murray Darling

Why:  Why visit this region? Three words: the Murray River. It also produces 80% of the State’s wine grapes, so be sure to designate a driver before you go.

Top tip:  Try Murray River pink salt, fresh Murray cod, saltbush lamb and citrus fruits for local flavours, but take your time: this is slow-cooking terrain.

Must-sip winery:   Lindemans Karadoc Winery  is internationally famous for its crisp dry whites and semillon sauvignon blancs.  Trentham Estate  has river views, barbecuing facilities and a restaurant, plus a good range of chardonnays, merlots and shirazes.

Must-sup eatery:  Stefano di Pierri knows his stuff. The fact the celebrity cook set up his culinary institution here says a lot for the region. His two-hatted restaurant,  Stefano’s Restaurant , in Mildura, is complemented by a bakery, gallery, cellar door and bar. The Italian menu is four courses, so go with an empty stomach.

Related article: River Rambling – Explore Echuca by Riverboat

All photos courtesy of Visions of Victoria unless otherwise stated.

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The best Victorian holiday destinations for food lovers

Nicola Dowse

Posted July 21, 2023

Looking for a foodie stop on a day trip? Discover the best restaurants, cafes, wineries and more with a trip to one of Victoria’s top gourmet destinations.

Victorians take their food very seriously, so it’s no surprise that the state is home to more than 15,000 cafes and restaurants . In every corner of Victoria, you can find fine dining restaurants, cafes serving premium coffee, wineries showcasing the state’s formidable viticultural scene and all manner of artisanal food producers. If you’re planning your next Victorian holiday around your stomach, these are some of the best destinations to try. 

RACV Resorts are the ultimate base from which to explore Victoria’s world-class food and wine industries.  

Gourmet Victorian holiday destinations

The yarra valley.

If you’ve only got time to visit one Yarra Valley winery, make it Chandon . The renowned makers of sparkling wines have a glamourous tastings room where you can try all five of their signature wine styles. To learn about how Chandon makes its wine ‘méthode traditionnelle’ you can book into a behind the scenes experience (with an optional-pre-experience brunch) or simply head to the restaurant for a three or four-course menu designed to complement the wines.

A visit to Yering Station means visiting the oldest winery in the Yarra Valley with the vines first planted here in 1838. The winery is known for its chardonnay, shiraz viognier, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir. Taste the wines in the original (built 1859) winery building or enjoy them with a two or thre-course lunch in the restaurant.

For high tea with a twist, try Olinda Tea House . The venue combines the dainty cakes and sandwiches of a traditional high tea with flavours and techniques from Asian cuisines – alongside your egg ribbon sandwiches and scones, you’ll be served peach oolong trifle and bite-sized barbecue pork buns. The restaurant also offers a Chinese lunch and dinner menu (vegan and gluten-free options available).  

The Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery is a family-run business that’s been so loved and successful since opening in 2012 that it’s opened two more locations (on the Mornington Peninsula and Great Ocean Road ). You can expect a chocolate tasting on arrival, tasting sessions, workshops for all ages, plenty of chocolate treats from the café and more than 400 chocolate products which you can see made on-site.

Miss Marple’s Tea Rooms, Sassafras

Banyalla, Healesville

De Bortoli, Dixons Creek  

Four Pillars Distillery, Healesville

Chandon is one of the biggest and most luxurious wineries to visit in the Yarra Valley. Photo: Visit Victoria.

The Mornington Peninsula 

Haute cuisine can be intimidating if you’re unfamiliar with it, but Cape restaurant at RACV Cape Schanck Resort is all about bringing the fun back to fine dining. The award-winning restaurant sources food locally and seasonally (you might be eating ingredients gathered less than a kilometre from your table) and presents it playfully – expect creative twists on everything from chicken wings to prawn crackers.  

Tuck into smokey, Southern-style barbecue at Red Gum BBQ . The authentic barbecue restaurant is now a destination for free-range barbecued meat – everything from 12-hour pulled pork and beef brisket to 6-hour pork ribs and smoked chicken breast. Cornbread, mac n cheese and coleslaw complete the Southern feast with options for vegetarians too.  

Discover Cape Schanck's hidden culinary gem | RACV

Green Olive at Red Hill is far more than just a winery and olive farm. The family business also produces its own vegetables, herbs, bush foods and hops, as well as raising sheep and chickens. Sample the farm grown ingredients in the  restaurant open for brunch and lunch  - homemade dog biscuits are even available if you bring along your pooch.  Picnic packages  are available too. 

The cute as a button Le Capucin is your little taste of France in Portsea. Owner Loïc is a French native who brings his love of cuisine to the café and providore. Pastries come from Noisette while the take home pies (like the boeuf bourguignon), quiches and take-home meals are made in house.  

Laura, Merricks 

Point Leo Estate, Merricks 

The Vegan Dairy, Dromana 

Flinders Sourdough, Flinders 

Red Gum BBQ provides an authentic taste of smokey, Southern-style barbecue. Photo: Visit Victoria.

The High Country 

Good food meets good wine in the High Country, a fact immediately apparent at Jones Winery and Restaurant . The vineyard might have been running for six generations (since 1860), but the Jones family keeps things current with modern approaches to sustainability, agriculture and wine science to every drop. Shiraz and muscat are the stars here – enjoy them alongside French-inspired seasonal dishes at the restaurant, cellar door or in a picnic. 

Brown Brothers are a household name when it comes to Australian wines and for good reason. The winery has been in business since 1889 and these days sports a cellar door (open seven days) and an acclaimed restaurant serving light meals through to leisurely long lunches with matching wines. Brown Brothers also offer Prosecco brunches where you can taste their entire Prosecco range alongside sweet and savoury snacks.  

It might be a staple brand on Australian supermarket shelves but you’ll be surprised just how many more varieties are available to sample at the Beechworth Honey flagship store. There are more than 40 types of honey to sample at the Beechworth Honey Shop, including single varietals, infused honeys and creamed honeys (try the cinnamon-spiced version for a decadent toast topping). 

Also try:  

Billson’s Brewery , Beechworth 

Milawa Cheese, Milawa 

Provenance, Beechworth 

The Pickled Sisters Café, Rutherglen  

Enjoy a shiraz or muscat alongside French-inspired dishes at Jones Winery and Restaurant. Photo: Visit Victoria.

The Goldfields

Underbar is Ballarat’s ultimate intimate fine diner. Founded by a chef with three Michelin Stars under his belt, Underbar’s tasting menu inspired by the region’s local produce and seasons two nights a week. No modifications to the menu are allowed, though a special vegetarian event is offered every quarter.  

Dining at Du Fermier is like dining at the home of a friend who also just happens to be an excellent cook and has a bountiful garden. Small French farmhouse-style lunches are the speciality at Du Fermier for over a decade, with an emphasis on paddock-to-plate dining.  

Truffle hunts are offered during both winter and summer at Black Cat Truffles where you’ll join Farmer Tom and his truffle dogs as you search for the gourmet fungus. Each hunt is followed by truffle lunch or grazing platter showcasing the elusive ingredient (Perigord truffles in winter and tuber aestivum in summer).  

Visit the home of Larrikin Gin at Kilderkin Distillery . Located in the oldest residential area of Ballarat, this distillery welcomes guests for gin flights, cocktails or maybe just a simple G&T alongside a selection of bar snacks. Kilderkin produces five standard types of gin as well as special releases and gin liqueurs (including a bottled espresso martini).

• Balgownie Estate, Maiden Gully 
• Three Founders Restaurant, Creswick
• Golden Crown Chinese Restaurant, Ballarat East
• Cabosse and Feve Chocolates, Castlemaine

Go hunting for truffles before lunch (or skip straight to eating) at Black Cat Truffles. Photo: Matt Harvey.

Geelong and the Surf Coast

Brae is consistently rated as one of the top restaurants to visit in Victoria and for good reason. A true dining destination, Brae comprises of a fine dining restaurant, organic farm and guest accommodation. You’ll be eating straight from the slopes of Birregurra, with regeneratively grown vegetables, stone fruits, citrus, nuts, berries, olives, honey and wheat all ending up on the restaurants’ seasonal menu. Book well in advance.

You’ll find the food at Moonah just as fine and matched only by the natural wetlands the restaurant resides in at Minya Winery. The restaurant serves a single set menu for lunch (and from August 2023, for breakfast as well) with all produce coming from within a 200km radius of the restaurant.  

For something a little more casual (but still exceptional) head to Fish by Moonlite in Anglesea. This fishmonger and fish and chippery sells seafood fresh from the ocean each day, with staff happy to talk you through the best ways to cook it. The chippery menu is kept simple, offering either flake or fish of the day fried battered or grilled and served with either chips or salad. Ordering one of the crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside potato cakes is also highly advised.

No corners are cut in making the specialty, completely gluten and wheat-free breads at Otway Artisan Gluten Free . Baker Justin Garner uses a mix of maize, starch, rice flour and soy flour in his selection of generously sized breads, rolls and pizza bases. Breads are also low sugar, vegan and can be delivered to large towns and cities throughout the state.

The Store, Deans Marsh 

Jack Rabbit Winery, Bellarine

Ipsos Restaurant and Bar, Lorne

A La Grecque, Airey’s Inlet

Best regional pies - The Store Deans Marsh | RACV

Bassine Specialty Cheese has been operational since 1966 but only opened the cheese shop in 2012. Visit The-small scale operation churns out award-winning cheeses like brie, camembert, haloumi, ricotta, feta, washed rind, parmesan, colby, gouda and quark. Watch the cheese being made from the viewing window in the café or simply enjoy the spoils – the menu lets you sample the farm’s cheeses as well as scones made with fresh cream.

When the winemakers at Dirty Three Wines first started their vineyards they realised they had three different types of dirt to grow their grapes in – hence the name. The Inverloch winery (just five kilometres from RACV Inverloch Resort) specialises in pinot noir made with minimal interventions, allowing the terroir of the wines to shine through in each bottle. Visit the cellar door for wine flights and light lunches.  

You can be sure of two things when dining at the Coffee Collective : that your coffee will be exceptional and that you’ll be supporting the local community and environment. The café has three bean choices including a rotating single origin option and makes a concerted effort to reduce and repurpose food waste where possible (the business has provided more than two tonnes of coffee grounds to local growers to use as compost).  

If you’re visiting the Gippsland Lakes region, you’re no doubt expecting seafood. Sardine Dining in Paynesville doesn’t disappoint, with the adults-only restaurant and bar focusing on fresh, local seafood and produce. Let the chefs decide your menu for you (choose from four courses or a degustation) or dine a la carte on dishes like whole John Dory with capers, anchovies and nduja or Corner Inlet calamari with ink risotto and fennel.  

Olive at Loch, Loch

Stellina, Traralgon

Radius Restaurant, Inverloch

Gurneys Cider, Foster

Looking for a world class foodie experience? Book a stay at an RACV Resort→

Related reading

12 of Melbourne’s must-do foodie experiences

17 of the best country pubs in regional Victoria

18 of the best regional restaurants in Victoria, a bucket-list guide

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The most popular restaurant cuisine in Victoria—and see the runners-up

Posted: April 24, 2024 | Last updated: April 24, 2024

Most common restaurant cuisines in Victoria

Food is more than just a means of satiation and sustenance—it's an essential part of cultures around the world. Eating the dishes that are native to one's home country creates a vital connection between oneself and one's ancestors. While people often cannot take all of their personal belongings with them when they emigrate, cooking meals that bring back tastes and smells can remind them where they came from and help them pass down traditions in their new country. 

It's also common for immigrants to build ethnic and cultural communities in their new hometowns. For example, there are high concentrations of Filipino Americans in Los Angeles; there's a large prevalence of Irish Americans in Boston; and Greek Americans make up a substantial proportion of the population in Tarpon Springs, Florida. You can imagine, then, that it'd be easier to find kare-kare in LA, champ and black pudding in Boston, and moussaka on Florida's Gulf Coast. 

A study from Grand Canyon University investigated the most popular cuisines across major U.S. cities by using Yelp data to identify the number of five-star restaurants for each cuisine. The research yielded many interesting results, including that Mexican restaurants have the most five-star reviews in 44 out of the 50 cities analyzed.

To find out what kind of restaurants are most likely to line the streets in your neck of the woods, Stacker compiled a list of the most common restaurant cuisines in Victoria using data from Yelp. Restaurants from surrounding towns and cities may be included in the total results.

Read on to find out which types of foods dominate your neighborhood and to get inspired for your next meal out.

#15. Vietnamese (tie)

- Number of restaurants: 1

#15. Cuban (tie)

#14. Indian

- Number of restaurants: 5

- Number of restaurants: 9

#12. Mediterranean

- Number of restaurants: 10

#11. Barbecue

- Number of restaurants: 11

#10. Traditonal American

- Number of restaurants: 13

- Number of restaurants: 16

#8. Burgers

- Number of restaurants: 21

#7. Mexican

- Number of restaurants: 28

#6. Seafood

- Number of restaurants: 48

#5. Chinese

- Number of restaurants: 52

- Number of restaurants: 63

#3. Japanese

- Number of restaurants: 67

#2. New American (tie)

- Number of restaurants: 70

#2. Italian (tie)

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 356 metros.

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