When it comes to the weekend, it is sometimes necessary to just take yourself away from the city. However, if you do not already have a prefered hiking trail or camping site, it might be difficult to choose where to go on a whim. Finding a location to dine at can be helpful in this regard, in our experience.
Choose an establishment such as a restaurant, brewery, distillery, or café to centre the remainder of your travels around it. You may escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a leisurely Sunday lunch or a long weekend of exquisite dining thanks to the abundance of excellent eating alternatives that are located within a short distance of Victoria's urban core.
Brae
Dan Hunter's acclaimed Great Ocean Road fine diner.
In the shadow of the world-famous Great Ocean Road lies another destination that is equally renowned in the world of gastronomy: Dan Hunter's Brae. Since it first opened in 2014, the eatery has been receiving accolades and causing mouths to drop open. In point of fact, it was recognised by the Globe's 100 Finest Restaurants as the 58th best restaurant in the entire world in the year 2018.
The restaurant, which is housed in a converted farmhouse, has unadorned surroundings, which direct guests' focus solely on the cuisine. The opulent outdoor garden supplies the restaurant's chefs with the fresh produce they need to create everyday new dishes for the menu. During the summer, you can find things like Osaka mustard, sugarloaf cabbage, shungiku, and Russian kale out there; during the winter, you can find things like nasturtiums, kohlrabi, purple plum radish, and bronze fennel.
Although it is a pricey activity — you will spend some money just on the food, and additional money if you want matching wines — it is unquestionably one of the most memorable dining experiences that Australia has to offer.
Touchstone, Macleod
Even though it has only been open for three weeks, Touchstone has already established itself as a leader in the culinary industry. Instead of the typical bread, the Smoked Beef Brisket Benny is served with potato, chorizo, and cheddar croquettes. It also comes with a generous portion of brisket.
The Moroccan braised beans are topped with a generous portion of beef short ribs, gremolata, sumac labneh, harissa spice, and perfectly charred sourdough bread. Additionally, the beans are simmered in a Moroccan sauce. This meaty meal gets a welcome boost of acidity from the sumac and gremolata that is added to it.
When it comes to desserts, the Snickers Panna Cotta is a meal that comes highly recommended. The milk chocolate panna cotta, which comes in the shape of an oblong, is accompanied by salted macadamia caramel, raspberry gelee, strawberries, peanut crumble, and toasted marshmallows. Honey undertones are present in the sugary peanut crumble, and the tart raspberry adds harmony to the overall flavour profile of the dish.
A trip to Touchstone is definitely recommended, especially given its location in close proximity to Macleod station.
Doot Doot Doot
Jackalope Hotel's opulent fine diner.
The bizarrely titled fine dining establishment known as Doot Doot Doot may be found inside the Jackalope luxury hotel complex on the Mornington Peninsula. The menu is a multi-course degustation, and guests have the opportunity to add on a variety of luxurious extras, such as truffle honey crumpets and caviar, to make their experience one of the most memorable in Victoria.
On this voyage around the world of food, you will sample dishes such as wallaby bolognese with Daniel's Run tomatoes, dry-aged duck paired with Davidson plum and beetroot, and slow-roasted celeriac topped with a pear, juniper, and chestnut crumble, to name a few.
There is also a classical-meets-futuristic cocktail bar on the grounds called Flaggerdoot (supposedly all of the bar's names are themed after Jackalopes). And be ready to be blown away by the flawless design: there are 10,000 lights on the ceiling, and they flash on and off at random to simulate the bubbling process that occurs during fermentation.
Morrison’s, Hawthorn
The majority of the week, Morrison's is run as a cafe; but, on Friday evenings, it turns into a restaurant and serves cuisine from a variety of Latin American nations, as well as a few dishes with a hint of Southeast Asian flavour owing to the restaurant's Malaysian chef.
Start with the Peruvian ceviche, which has plenty of bites and is really refreshing, or the plump cassava chips and the excellent mayo that comes with them. The forthcoming fall and winter months are going to be ideal for stews, and Latin American cuisine has lots to offer in this department. The traditional Brazilian feijoada consists of black beans, pig ribs and shoulder, chorizo, and sausage. There is also some heat to it, which helps to keep you feeling full while also keeping you toasty. The highlight of the meal was the Encebollado, which was an Ecuadorian fish stew made with swordfish and served with chunks of cassava and red onions that had been pickled.
Innocent Bystander
The Yarra Valley winemaker's Healesville venue is part cellar door, part pumping wine bar.
Innocent Bystander, a winemaker from Yarra Valley, has just opened the doors to its new quarters in Healesville. The winemaker has taken over the high space in Healesville that was once used by White Rabbit for its brewing activities.
There are plans to exhibit the label's award-winning drops together with a buffet of other Yarra Valley pleasures at the cellar door and vineyard, which gives the impression that they will be able to hold their own among the many gastronomic hot places in the region. It is a laid-back environment, with a lot of natural timber and a multitude of sitting options, which makes it suitable for both quick stops for wine sampling and lengthy, leisurely lunches.
You may try most varieties of wine by the glass, by the carafe that is designed to be shared, or as part of a sampling paddle at the enormous stone bar that is 15 metres in length and features copper wine taps and a KeyKeg system. There is plenty of local love on exhibit as well, with liquid delicacies from establishments such as Hargreaves Hill Brewery, Four Pillars Gin, and Allpress Coffee providing a balance to all of the wine that is being served.
While all is going on, an all-day menu is designed to be shared, and it features everything from snacking boards and a trio of paella dishes to traditionally fashioned pizzas that have just come out of the gleaming Marana Forni pizza oven. On the larger dishes, you could find items such as slow-braised beef accompanied by roasted mushrooms and a Syrah jus.
Every day of the week, from noon until 9 o'clock in the evening, Innocent Bystander is open for business. You may find them at Healesville, at the address 334 Maroondah Highway.
Toorak Tracktor, Armadale
Toorak Tracktor is a newly opened café and marketplace that can be found tucked away within the Toorak Park development and immediately adjacent to the Toorak station. Products and fresh vegetables are available for purchase, many of which come from local companies. Their culinary menu is driven primarily by fresh, sustainable, and regionally sourced ingredients, and in order to maintain consistency with this principle, they update their menu each week.
Toorak Tracktor is a newly opened café and marketplace that can be found tucked away within the Toorak Park development and immediately adjacent to the Toorak station. Products and fresh vegetables are available for purchase, many of which come from local companies. Their culinary menu is driven primarily by fresh, sustainable, and regionally sourced ingredients, and in order to maintain consistency with this principle, they update their menu each week.
Animus Distillery
Kyneton's own gin distillery and cocktail bar.
When the Animus team first began, it was waiting for its barrel-aged whisky to develop; nonetheless, the four young men didn't waste their time sitting around doing nothing but rolling each other around the plains of Kilmore. Instead, they came to the conclusion that making gin would be a more productive use of their time. Or, as it stands right now, five different vapor-pressed variants of the substance altogether.
The Davidson Gin is the company's interpretation of the classic sloe gin made in England, but it has a taste profile that is uniquely Australian. The distillery used local Davidsonia Pruriens plums, which are a tropical variety of sour plum that grows in the temperate parts of northern New South Wales and Queensland, to create an intense and one-of-a-kind flavour. The plums were steeped in the distillery's award-winning dry gin.
On Kyneton's main street, the distillery's basement entrance doubles as a cocktail bar, which is perhaps the nicest feature of this establishment. It's open every single night of the week, and you can get there in under an hour by taking the V/Line from the city.
Fossey's Ginporium & Distillery
An old-timey gin distillery and bar found on the country streets of Mildura.
The Fossey's crew can be found hand-foraging and hand-bottling its gins in Mildura, which is the main town in the Sunraysia area. Instead of using typical gin components, they use homegrown pleasures like as Australian lemon myrtle, pepper berry, lavender, and cassia (aka the land of grapes and oranges).
At the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, Fossey's Navel Strength Gin Elixir was recognised for its excellence. This is a drop that is loaded with juniper berries, ginger, and — you guessed it — citrous. It contains four times the quantity of citrous as the distillery's ordinary gin, which is a tribute to the fact that historically, naval sailors would drink, squeeze, and scrounge for oranges in order to prevent scurvy from setting in.
Mark this one down on your "someday" map – you could be someplace near Mildura at some time, and the bar would make a nice pitstop, what with its gin and whisky sampling paddles, as well as its outstanding menu of cocktails. In any other case, you can place an order for a bottle of Fossey's online.
Morgan's Sorrento
A sprawling restaurant serving seafood and local Mornington Peninsula beer and wine right on the foreshore.
Only one hour and twenty minutes in total. That's all it takes to leave the Central Business District and arrive right smack in the middle of Sorrento, where you can enjoy some coastal paradise at Morgan's.
The waterside facility, which contains a restaurant in addition to an accompanying wine store and bar, can be found on the esplanade of Sorrento. The view from this location is out over Port Phillip Bay. It goes without saying that this is the perfect place to while away a few hours on a warm summer afternoon.
The laid-back atmosphere of a coastal retreat is preserved in Morgan's modern timber interiors, in addition to the limestone portico that welcomes guests. The restaurant features a large outdoor deck with festoon lights, warm sofas, and views of the bay that allow you to take in all of the advantages of being outside of the city and on the peninsula at the same time.
Take a little break from taking in the scenery to peruse the menu, which focuses mostly on freshly caught seafood. It is difficult to recommend anything other than the traditional fish and chips at this establishment; however, you may also obtain seafood in the form of blue swimmer crab san choy bow, salt cod fritters, or seared ocean trout with spicy tamarind caramel. All of these options are delicious.
For something to drink, try one of the restaurant's signature cocktails, such a Tommy's margarita, or select anything from the restaurant's selection of regional wines and beers.
Visit the wine shop next door for a comprehensive selection of beverages produced on the Mornington Peninsula. Morgan's Wine Store and Ale House is a sophisticated step up from the beach hut, and it is comparable to a laneway pub in Melbourne's Central Business District — the only difference is that it has a bluer outlook. Place an order for some small plates to share, grab a glass of the house wine, and settle back for the evening. You also have the option of grabbing a bottle to take with you.
As we previously stated, the trip would take no more than one hour and twenty minutes. Weekend plans, organised.
Portsea Hotel
The Mornington Peninsula spot boasts new bars, a pizza menu and killer views over the bay.
The Portsea Hotel, which is well-known for its beer garden on the water's edge and its expansive views of the bay, recently had a redesign, making this the establishment's second facelift in as many years. The expansive hangout on the Mornington Peninsula has just welcomed a new chef, as well as many additional pubs and dining options.
The makeover is not as significant as the $7 million alterations that were completed in 2018, but it has given the interiors a refreshment — giving the pub's multiple sections a brighter, more pared-back atmosphere inspired by the Hamptons. Both the well-known beer garden and the dining room are still there, and both provide the same excellent beach views and breezy ocean air.
The Bertrand Bar, which is located on the hotel's upper floors and serves as a function venue, with its very own breathtaking views.
There is now three times as much space in the kitchen, as well as two wood-fired pizza ovens that produce traditional pies with toppings such as sausage and potato, as well as capriccioso vegan cheese and gluten-free bases. The menu still include regular pub standards such as fish and chips, steaks, burgers, and parmas.
iL Vigneto Pizzeria Yarra Valley
The Neapolitan-style restaurant opens its latest digs — in a winery.
Johnny Di Francesco, the founder of 400 Gradi, is doing pretty well for himself these days. Aside from the fact that he was awarded the accolade of having the finest pizza in Oceania in July 2018, he has also extended his Neapolitan-style restaurant to an incredible six sites (and one gelateria) that are spread across Melbourne, Adelaide, and, most recently, the Yarra Valley.
October 2018 saw the beginning of operations at the wine country digs, which were launched in conjunction with the Rochford Wines Yarra Valley estate and which are located inside the estate. Together with the winery's proprietor, Helmut Konecsny, Di Francesco offers guests an excellent marriage of Red 5 Star wines with great Italian food and wood-fired pizza that is widely regarded as the best in the area.
The Yarra Valley restaurant's cuisine is highlighted by the award-winning Margherita verace, which is a heavenly mix of San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte mozzarella cheese, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. This dish has won several accolades. The rest of the menu, which was carefully chosen by Di Francesco, consists of distinctive dishes such as antipasto, spaghetti, sides, and desserts, in addition to more signature pizzas.
The celebrated 2017 Single Vineyard Isabella's Chardonnay and the much-loved 2018 Estate Rosé are both included on the list of quality drops that have been meticulously paired with each meal by the sommeliers of Rochford Wine. This was done so that the wines would compliment the cuisine. Although 400 Gradi is situated within the Rochford estate, it is run independently from the Isabella restaurant at the vineyard. Isabella features its own seasonal cuisine that places an emphasis on vegetables from the surrounding area.
Two bays Brewing Co
A brewery on the Mornington Peninsula where all the beer (and the pizza) is gluten-free
Tw Bays Brewing is responsible for the opening of the first gluten-free brewpub on the Mornington Peninsula. The Dromana brewery opened its doors for business in 2017, and the same year saw the opening of the public tasting area at the brewery. From the brewpub side of the plant, one can see the stainless steel tanks, and the entire complex views out over Arthur's Seat, which is really scenic.
Richard Jeffares, the founder of the company and an avid beer drinker, was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2016 and was inspired to create the company after visiting other gluten-free taprooms in the United States. The head brewer position at Jeffares has been filled by Andrew Gow, whose resume highlights 20 years of experience in the industry, including stints at Mornington Peninsula Brewery, Mountain Goat, and Five Islands in Wollongong, Sydney.
In place of gluten-containing malted barley, all of Twa Bays' beers are brewed with gluten-free grains such as millet, rice, and buckwheat, which are imported from the states of Colorado and California. Malted barley is used in the majority of beers.
The brewpub serves a variety of core and speciality tap beers, including a lager, an XPA, and limited-edition brews such as the Ball Park Bloom Belgian witbier. Among the other beers on tap at the brewpub are beers like these. Customers have the option of grabbing a four-pony sampling paddle in order to sample many items at once.
In addition to the beers, there is also locally produced Quealy wine and Ten Sixty One cider available for consumption. In keeping with the spirit of the place, there is also a wood-fired oven where gluten-free pizza is cooked. However, the taproom is not a cash-based setting; therefore, you will need to have a card with you when you visit.
Keep an eye on the brewery's website for any changes, since Twibays offers a range of its beers online. All of these beers have received certification from Coeliac Australia. Tw'bays is now selling and delivering gluten-free brew packs and malts all around Australia, so if you're a fan of home brewing, you may take advantage of this service.
FAQs About Visiting Melbourne
A growing number of U.S.-based retail and restaurant chains do business in Australia, and some of the most popular American retail chains have also become some of the most popular chains "down under."