Melbourne’s Best Out-of-town Restaurants, Cafes And Bars

When it comes to the weekend, it is sometimes necessary to simply take yourself away from the city. However, if you do not already have a prefered hiking trail or camping site, it can be difficult to choose where to go on a whim. Finding a location to eat at can be helpful in this regard, in our experience.

Choose an establishment such as a restaurant, brewery, distillery, or cafe to centre the rest of your travels around. You can escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a leisurely Sunday lunch or a whole weekend of fine dining thanks to the abundance of excellent dining options that are located within a short distance of Victoria's urban core.

Little Creatures Geelong Brewery

This Fremantle-born brewery's east coast home features three bars and lots of booze.

The building that is now home to Little Creatures' large-scale brewing operation in Geelong and which first opened its doors at the beginning of 2016 was formerly occupied by Old Valley Worsted Wool Mill. This establishment is the company's second brewery to open in the country of Australia. The group, which has since established Furphy and purchased White Rabbit Brewery, has partitioned the property into three distinct sections: The Canteen, White Rabbit Barrel Hall, and Furphy Hall. Each of these sections offers a unique menu and, more importantly, a selection of different options for brews made on the premises. The mill has maintained its historic charm while also incorporating the inventive ideas contributed by the team.

The Canteen can be found at the very end of an old passageway that has been spruced up with colourful stools and flags. Old wooden crates that have been repurposed as seating and bar tables further contribute to the space's appearance of having been thrown together hastily. When it is not preparing a traditional brunch on the weekends beginning at 8:00 in the morning, the kitchen begins serving pizza and small plates to share, such as kangaroo skewers, mac 'n' cheese, and beef sliders.

Going around the corner will bring you to White Rabbit Barrel Hall, which is situated in close proximity to The Canteen and is easily accessible. If the visitor continues down a corridor that is lined with stacked wooden barrels and towering brewing tanks, they will have the opportunity to investigate the inner workings of the nationwide operation. In addition to this, it is home to a pantry that is completely stocked with supplies and a menu that features refined treats such as open sandwiches and various cheese and salumi options.

The Furphy Hall is the more popular place for celebrations to take place at this location, despite the fact that both of these areas can be booked for events. In a sense, Furphy Hall was established in order to "give back" to the community of Geelong and to celebrate the Furphy Ale, which is a brew that is produced using only hops and malt that are sourced entirely from the state of Victoria. In January of this year, Furphy Hall officially opened its doors to students.

If you have read this far, you are aware of how many unique things there are to learn and experience at the Little Creatures location in Geelong. There are guided tours of the brewery available seven days a week at predetermined times for a fee of fifteen dollars, and each location has the capability of also functioning as an event venue.

Second Home

A cafe-goer home among the gumtrees.

Second Home is the kind of place that allows you to relax and feel at ease, just as its name suggests it should. The building dates back to the mid-1970s and was recently renovated; it was designed by architect Alistair Knox. The beauty of the space can be found in the small details, such as the expansive skylight windows, gum trees, lush furnishings, and an open fireplace.

Second Home is one of the newest additions to Jason M. Jones' empire (joining Entrecôte, Bancroft Brewers, The Stables of Como, and Porgie and Mr. Jones), so it only makes sense that this space has been established with comfort in mind. It is something of a sanctuary in an unlikely place given its location down a quiet backstreet in Eltham, which is surrounded by warehouses on all sides.

Therefore, in order to take a break from the monotony of everyday life, it may be accurate to say that people from the surrounding community as well as visitors flock to the cafe simply to take in the atmosphere of a home away from home that has been lived in. We humans are a strange species indeed.

Fans of Jones will recognise familiar items off the menu, which is split into Beautiful Brunch and Lovely Luncheon — in particular, his famous golden folded eggs, which continue to be a crowd-pleaser. Beautiful Brunch and Lovely Luncheon are both listed on the menu. In addition, a trendy almond milk chia pudding and a hearty breakfast burger made with grilled Hopkins River beef are both included on the extensive menu of available options.

The hearty Ploughman's Lunch, which features a rotating selection of terrines, cheeses, and pickled vegetables, is still the restaurant's most popular dish. On the weekends, the libations trolley is also sure to ease (or aggravate) any headaches, with a Bloody Mary, Bellini, or Aperol Spritz amongst many friends ready to serve.

Recently, a courtyard that faces north was added to Second Home, and its addition is sure to make guests want to stay there for longer. A gallery can also be found among the gumtrees, and it features a revolving selection of art that is for sale. Because of all of this, the Eltham cafe provides every necessary component for putting together the living room that you've never had but have always needed.

Hogget Kitchen

For those thirsty for great wine, the freshest of produce and stunning scenery, the drive to this regional Gippsland restaurant is well worth it.

Both the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley are on their way to becoming world-famous for their winemaking, and rightfully so. However, Gippsland, which is located to the east of the aforementioned regions, is well on its way to achieving the same title, particularly if the opening of Hogget Kitchen in Warragul has anything to do with it.

Trevor Perkins, who is both the head chef and owner of Hogget, has the goal of making it a "destination restaurant." The short distance from the restaurant to the M1 and the undulating hills that come with it do not deter him from this goal. The setting does not contribute either.

The contemporary Australian restaurant can be found on the grounds of Wild Dog Winery, and the tables look out over the grand drop of the winery's vineyards, which extend all the way to the Strzelecki Hills, a breathtaking sector of the Great Dividing Range (particularly with a glass of wine in hand). To say the least, the location is breathtaking, and on a good day, you'll find yourself wishing you could spend the entire day there.

Hogget, much like the majority of regional restaurants in Victoria (two of which have just been crowned among the best in the world), aims to showcase the best of its surrounding area through its cuisine. Local wines proudly take up the majority of space on the wine list, while seafood is sourced from Lakes Entrance and a significant portion of vegetables are harvested from Perkins' mother Jennie's (obviously successful) garden.

This is in addition to the berries, vegetables, and herbs that are grown at the on-site native garden, which leads to a bush walk if you are interested in engaging in an activity after your meal.

The menu is updated each day according to the season and the current weather conditions, as one would anticipate from a business that is so locally focused. On the day of our visit, the menu featured delectable Lakes Entrance Balmain bugs, which are comparable in size to Morton Bay bugs but are slightly wider. These bugs were accompanied by a barley salad and a homemade lemon mayonnaise, both of which were excellent complements to the bugs. We applaud the quality, flavour, and succulence of the meat used at Hogget, which is ethically farmed and butchered by Perkins' father. In addition, we applaud the flavour of the meat. In addition to being cured on-site to make charcuterie boards, capocollo and bresaola are used in a variety of dishes, including potato gnocchi with lamb navarin (which costs $24) and charcuterie boards consisting of charcuterie.

On the other hand, if you enjoy eating fresh meat, you should try the smoked lamb, which is prepared in a smoker that was built by Perkins himself.

When you've just gorged yourself on meat, ordering dessert can feel like a challenge, especially if you came for lunch. If however the baked lemon tart is on the menu, you must order it before you leave the restaurant. The princely slice is topped with lemon myrtle granita, which creates the ideal balance of sweet, sour, and a hint of bitter flavours.

Since the lemon myrtle is grown in Hogget's garden, its flavour can be savoured in all of its unadulterated splendour without having to worry about it being altered by transportation or other preservation methods.

Patrick Sullivan and William Downie are responsible for the construction of the wine list; in this regard, the two local winemakers have championed wines from Gippsland and Baw Baw. The Ada River Pinot Gris is a versatile wine that goes well with a variety of meats and vegetables.

On the weekends, wait staff are typically busy preparing for special events like weddings and birthday parties. We can understand why people want to spend some of the most important days in their lives here — to indulge in comforting, home-style cooking that has been taken to the next level by experienced chefs and techniques, with incredible views to match. When it comes to a weekend meal, whether it be lunch, dinner, or even brunch, we couldn't ask for much more than what we were given.

Pt Leo Estate

A 134-hectare Mornington Peninsula property boasting an evolving sculpture garden and a former Rockpool chef.

This multifaceted family-owned property is located at the southern tip of the Peninsula and spans 134 hectares. It features a restaurant with seating for 110 people, an enormous cellar door, and a sprawling sculpture park that is the most significant of its kind in the country.

The sculpture park, which features breathtaking vistas of Western Port Bay as its backdrop, opened its doors for the first time with more than fifty large-scale works created by both local and international artists. It is anticipated that the park will continue to develop and expand over the coming years.

The semi-circular cellar door and restaurant is the work of renowned Melbourne architects Jolson. It boasts sweeping views across the vineyard, the sculpture park, and the Bay and takes pride of place at the highest point of the property.

The restaurant's menus, which were designed by Culinary Director Phil Wood (formerly of Rockpool and Eleven Bridge), are centred around seasonal and regional produce. The menus begin with dishes such as a beetroot pancake with salmon roe and lemon curd, and they end with a wallaby pie. In the meantime, a central wood-fired oven is working its culinary magic on high-quality local proteins like duck and beef. The restaurant is meant to be a cosy and laid-back venue, and there are plans to open a second dining area that is more private towards the end of 2017.

Riche, Richmond

Riché is the new name for Otto, and the same people are working on it as before. On the menu, you'll find brunch classics such as porridge, French toast, and fritters. However, you'll also find more upscale options such as barramundi and lamb in red curry. After reading through the menu, you will notice that there are elements that have been influenced by Asian culture throughout.

The refreshing accompaniment of glass noodles, herbs, and nuoc cham dressing that comes with The Crying Tiger, Hidden Dragon is served alongside a generous portion of sliced Porterhouse beef cooked to a medium-rare doneness. We also try the hearty Mr. Potato Head, which is a potato hash topped with pulled pork that has been cooked slowly, spinach, poached eggs, and sriracha hollandaise sauce.

Matcha makes up a significant portion of Riche's Match-A Made in Heaven. A couple of matcha hotcakes are served alongside a sweet red bean paste and matcha soil. To maintain a sense of harmony, the dish also features figs, strawberries, raspberries, and matcha ice cream as components that lend a touch of freshness.

Riche's menu has enough variety to appeal to both locals and people looking for a destination cafe, which is not an easy balance to achieve but can be said to have been accomplished by the restaurant.

OTTO Melbourne, Richmond

In October of the previous year, OTTO Melbourne was launched by a team whose previous projects include establishments such as White Mojo, Kitty Burns, and The Guilty Moose. They were successful in recruiting chef Jason Pribadi, whose previous work in Michelin-starred establishments lends an air of sophistication to the menu along with a distinct competitive edge. Even though they are dedicated to being original, the menu still includes tried-and-true options such as granola and porridge. This is because they understand that there are times when you might just be in the mood for the straightforward things. In a prawn tom yum broth, served with linguine with clams, mussels, kale, spinach, broccolini, and radishes.

The Let's Make Some Smoke dish is served with twice-cooked King salmon, vongole, mussels, kale, spinach, broccolini, radish, and prawn tom yum broth. It is topped with a cloche. The fish is very tender, but it still has a bit of a bite to it.
Additionally, it is cooked completely evenly throughout, and the delicate flavours and textures of the seafood are not obscured by the tom yum broth even though it is used in the dish.

Hand-crusted 6-star marble wagyu scotch fillet, gribiche sauce, apple slaw, and puffed wild rice are included in the Milanese dish served at Otto Melbourne.

Hand-crusted 6-star marble wagyu scotch fillet topped with gribiche sauce, apple slaw, and puffed wild rice is included in the Milanese dish.

In this preparation of the Milanese, BMS 6 wagyu scotch fillet is used. The flavorful beef is served up in abundant portions. The crispiness of the crumb is amplified by the puffed wild rice, and the decadence of the wagyu is perfectly balanced by the apple slaw and gribiche. The dish, which could have been difficult to finish due to its potentially high calorie content, was, however, easy to consume and did not put undue strain on the stomach.

Slow-cooked apple, blueberry gel, hobnob, butterscotch sauce, caramelised grains, and mascarpone are all components of Otto Melbourne's take on the hotcake.

Apple cooked slowly, blueberry gel, hobnob, butterscotch sauce, caramelised grains, and mascarpone are the components of the Hotcake dish.

The hotcakes at OTTO have a crisp exterior and a fluffy crumb, and the preparation time is approximately twenty minutes. A variety of textures are provided by the hobnob topping as well as the caramelised grains. Because the hotcake itself is not overly sweet and the butterscotch sauce is not sickeningly sweet, the dish as a whole maintains a level of self-conscious moderation with regard to its level of saccharinity.

I can't remember the last time I was as impressed with a cafe menu as I am right now. Their food is exceptional in both its originality and the way it is prepared, and I honestly couldn't find much to criticise about my experience with them today. It's a destination cafe, but also a place where regulars from the neighbourhood hang out.

Only Mine Chocolate Factory

Stop by this chocolaterie in the Dandenongs for speciality bars and next-level sundaes.

Only Mine, a chocolate shop and cafe, has recently set up shop in the charming mountain hamlet of Olinda, which is located in the Dandenong Ranges. This establishment is ideal for dessert connoisseurs because not only can you indulge in something sugary, but you can also do so while taking in the sights and sounds of the adjacent chocolate factory at work.

The cheery cafe makes for a warm and inviting setting to display the handcrafted individual chocolates that Jason Stockton and Anya Tran have created. The chocolates are available in a variety of flavours, including Himalayan salted lime, chai, and dried apple and cinnamon, among others. A good number of them are also gluten-free and vegan.

In addition to those, the two are serving up a decadent menu of desserts, including a caramel sticky date pudding and a make-your-own sundae option, among other sweet treats. You can select the flavour of ice cream that is your favourite, and then have it topped with chocolate or caramel sauce, as well as a variety of other fun bits and pieces, such as a gluten-free brownie, caramel rocks, crushed cookies, and vegan chocolate soil.

Coffee is provided by Fitzroy's Industry Beans, but if you're looking to satisfy your craving for something sweet, look no further than Only Mine's signature hot chocolate. It is a decadent combination of milk chocolate and dark chocolate that has been brewed for a full day with milk and cream. The 1000 Steps can be reached in a few minutes by car if you feel the need to burn off some of that extra energy.