Bamboo (Restaurant)
We had a great breakfast here sitting outside taking in the view of the bay. Service and food were excellent. This café/restaurant was voted the Peoples Choice Best Restaurant in the Golden Plate Awards for 2006.*Special 3 course dinner with wine available to Blue Moon Cottages guests – please phone us to arrange a booking.**
Location: 2257 Point Nepean Road, Rye Vic 3941
Telephone 59857700
Pier 10 (Restaurant and Cellar Door)
A lovely little winery with fantastic food. Great spot to take the kids as they have a very relaxed approach.The café has an outside deck with a grassed area looking over the vines to the rolling hills where kids can run around while you relax with a glass of Pinot. A nomination in the Best Food in a Winery category at the Golden Plate Awards for 2006.Great wine too.
Location: 10 Shoreham Road, Shoreham Vic 3916
Telephone: 5989 8848
www.pier10.com.au
WineLounge (Restaurant and Wine Bar )
The Rye Wine Lounge is just the place for a bite to eat and a glass of wine or a beer. It serves a limited bar menu but what is on offer is good fare. The space is open and is positioned on Point Nepean Road with views of the ocean. We have had many a casual lunch there and our kids have been well cared for too. Go there just for coffee or make a night of it as they have many events happening
Location: Shop 2, 2251 – 2259 Point Nepean Road, Rye Vic 3941
Telephone: 5985 8355
Pig and Whistle Tavern (Restaurant and Cellar Door )
This English Style pub is part of the Bayview Estate Winery.Food is very traditional pub style and they have a formal restaurant and bar and garden area where you can have a meal. We tend to go on a Sunday afternoon and there is always some sort of live music.On cold days we sit by the fire and the kids dance. On warmer days we eat outside and take in the stunning view to the sea and let the kids play on the lawn
Location: 365 Purves Road,Main Ridge Vic 3928
Telephone: 5989 6130
Crittenden at Dromana (Restaurant and Cellar Door)
We enjoyed a couple of relaxed lunches here outside under the shade of an umbrella. A plate of very good cheese and a glass of their finest. The kids ate pizza and played within view by the dam and the vineyard.The restaurant comes highly recommended.
Location:25 Harrisons Rd Dromana
Telephone: 03 5987 3800
http://www.crittendenwines.com.au
Max’s at Red Hill (Restaurant and Cellar Door)
This restaurant is in the best location with rolling slopes of vines, a backdrop of sparkling Westernport Bay and Phillip Island on the horizon. Excellent food but very much an up market experience. Probably not the best place to take children (although we did and they spent most of the time rolling down the hill, which was just as well as they were way out of the way of anyone else). Service is super and wine is outstanding but you have to go for the whole experience but mainly the fantastic view. Probably a good idea to book.
http://www.redhillestate.com.au
Portsea Hotel (Restaurant)
Great location on a hot summers night. Be sure to get there early as it is always busy. The food is good but you can’t beat the location.
Location: 3746 Pt Nepean Road, Portsea Vic 3944
Telephone: 03 5984 2213
http://www.portseahotel.com.au
Foxeys Hangout (Restaurant and Cellar Door)
When we visited (Jan 07) we found a small boutique winery offering small tapas style fare in their very relaxed open dining area.There is also an outside deck that looks out over a field to the Cherry Farm next door.We tried the prawn cocktail, bread with olive oil and dukka, zuchinni fritters and avocado salad.Each tasting plate was $10.00. Winner of the Golden Plate award for Best Food at a Cellar Door.A very enjoyable afternoon.
Location:795 Whitehill Road,Red Hill, Vic, 3937
Telephone: 03 9867 5588
http://www.foxeys-hangout.com.au
Marina Cove by the sea (Restaurant)
Nominated in the Golden Plate awards for best café on the Peninsula this is a great spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The café is positioned directly across the beach at Dromana with bay views. It has a very relaxed atmosphere and there are lounges if you just want to sit and read the paper and have a good cup of coffee.
Location:329 333 Point Nepean Road, Dromana Vic
Telephone: 03 59872027
http://www.marinacove.com.au
Hickenbotham of Dromana (Restaurant and Cellar Door)
We visited this very laid back winery on a Sunday (the day after St Patricks Day) during the Harvest to Table event in March, where we were entertained by a delightful pair of musicians playing any song you care to request but with a Scottish/Irish sound.The restauarant was wide open to a lovely courtyard area where the kids played in the various pieces of wine making equipment lying around (all kid friendly we hasten to add and some redesigned as play equipment). Some people bought picnics and ate them in the grounds, we tried the restaurant fare and their special beer. We are told that there is entertainment every weekend.What a lovely relaxing laid back venue with emphasis on wholesome food and family values.Their beer was good, couldn’t tell you about their wine as we were nursing hangovers that day and another glass of anybody’s efforts would have been too much to bear.
Location: 194 Nepean Highway (Near Wallaces Road),Dromana 3936
Phone (03) 5981 0355 Fax (03) 5987 0692
http://www.hickinbotham.biz/
The Continental Hotel (Restaurant)
There is nowhere better on a warm autumn afternoon than sitting outside The Continental Hotel in Sorrento overlooking the bay and watching the ferry arrive and leave. We sat outside recently and indulged in a plate of what my husband describes as ‘the best prawns he ever tasted, reminds him of the prawns we ate in Spain many many years ago’ ‘funny you should say that’ says the waitress ‘ the chef is Spanish’.Great food, great location – what more can you say
Location: 1-21 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento, Victoria, 3943
Ph 03 5984 2201 Fax 03 5984 4776
Website www.continentalhotel.com.au
TGallant (Restaurant and Cellar Door)
We visited this very rustic winery recently on a very busy Sunday morning, this is a popular place with day visitors but its worth the visit for the food and wine. Sit outside under the fig tree and order the wood fired pizza, it comes in half or full serve (the pizza is rectangular in shape) or as we did half of one flavour and half of another. Have a lovely plate of antipasto and a couple of glasses of their beautiful wine. We try to buy our wine for our cottages from local wineries and if you are lucky you may find a bottle of TGallant hanging around your cottage.
Location 1385 Mornington Flinders Rd
Main Ridge Victoria 3928 Australia
T: +61 3 5989 6565
Websitewww.tgallant.com.au
Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove (Restaurant and Cellar Door)
This winery has been nominated by the Australian Newspaper as one of 6 Australia wide finalists in the category of 'Best Winery Restaurant' and although on the day we visited we did not eat in the restaurant we had a lovely time sitting in their café and partaking of very basic fare. There is a limited menu but the café is set out amongst the veggie patch and everything on the menu seemed to be derived from the garden. It is such a picturesque vineyard while sitting there partaking of the beautiful wine you really could believe that you are in Tuscany. Lots of rolling hills and vineyards and olive groves in front of you. I believe you can order a picnic and have it delivered in style in a red Morris Minor – what better way to while away the hours. There is a nature walk past a sculpture collection to a pond for those energetic enough to walk the route.
Location: 33 Shoreham Road
Red Hill South
T: (03) 5989 8412
Website: http://www.montalto.com.au
Red Hill Brewery (Restaurant and Brewery Tastings)
We didn’t manage to get here in time for lunch so we had to take some away in a bottle. They have many examples of their fine ales and some change with the seasons. Great spot to visit – must get there for lunch at some stage and let you know how we found it
Location; 88 Shoreham Road
T: (03) 5989 2959
Website: http://www.redhillbrewery.com.au
The Tasting Station (Restaurant)
This café is set out amongst local and other produce. There are many tastings on offer and great gifts to pick up from the region without having to travel far and wide. They have regional gourmet food and wine, gift hampters, complimentary tasting and licensed café all set out in a relaxed atmosphere with a cosy fire in winter. They specialise in wine, cheese, olives and olive oil, dukkah, preserves, conserves, gourmet chocolates and much more OPEN 7 DAYS 10AM TO 5PM
Location:1489 Point Nepean Road
Rosebud
T: (03) 5982 0522
Website: http://www.tastingstation.com.au
The Rye Hotel
Overlooking the Bay, the Rye Hotel provides excellent family facilities for locals and visitors. A centre piece of entertainment in Rye the hotel has live entertainment and function rooms for all occasions. They also have Tatts Pokies facilities and in keeping with its own special style the Rye has a ‘gaming lounge’ with plush sofas and comfortable surroundings.
The bottleshop has an extended range of premium wines and includes many from the Peninsula. And the kids aren’t forgotten with the Ryeders Playzone and there own special menu, this area is a lifesaver on a rainy day or when you want to have dinner without being disturbed by the little ones. The food is fairly traditional hotel catering, an easy location in the centre of town for a quick lunch or dinner. We have eaten here too many times to remember as it is the kids favourite spot
Location: 2415 Point Nepean Road
Rye Victoria 3941
T: (03) 5985 2277
Website: http://www.ryehotel.com.au
Smokehouse Sorrento
At the quieter end of Ocean Beach Road, this renowned Pizza restaurant is a cut above the usual. Not only do they serve great gourmet style pizza but they have a variety of dishes. We went in the height of summer with 3 kids in tow who were all entertained with the colouring pencils and children’s menu. We were lucky to squeeze onto a table but it is probably advisable to book in the busier months or at the weekends. Takeaway available. Highly recommended
Location182 Ocean Beach Road
Sorrento Vic 3943 Telephone:
T: (03) 59841246
The Capel
This new café is situated on Point Nepean Road in Rosebud West. We dined there on a couple of occasions both for lunch and dinner. The food is very good and the service is excellent. Modern cuisines with a wood fired Pizza Oven for dine-in or take-away. Fully licensed bar. Wooden beachy décor and a lovely feel. Reasonably priced we would highly recommend it.
Location: 1625 Point Nepean Road
Rosebud West Vic 3940
Telephone: T: (03) 5986 3191
Ten Minutes by Tractor
(Date of visit: June 2008) We’ve been wanting to try out the restaurant at this winery ever since we tasted a bottle of their wine at a fabulous dinner at The Stokehouse in St Kilda and then they have had some fantastic reviews on their food. We managed to make a date ‘on the hop’ for a quiet lunch on a Thursday afternoon (with 5 year old in tow who was surprisingly well behaved that day – maybe as his big brother was not around to annoy him). The restaurant is small and quite formal but has a great feel, a bit like your own lounge room with fire blazing and views to gently sloping hills of vines in the distance. Fabulous wine as usual and great food. Maybe a bit formal for some but fantastic food, wine and service just go for the wine and sit on the lounges in front of the open fire.
Location:1333 Mornington- Flinders Road
Main Ridge Vic 3928
Website: http://www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au/
La Campagna (HIDDEN TREASURE)
This little hidden treasure we found only a few weeks ago (August 2008), this place is run by an Italian couple, we believe as a retirement venture, however, they are so passionate about food and wine that the winery and olive grove and now very small restaurant is so popular with people in the ‘know’ that you have to book to get in. There are rumours afoot that if they get too busy they change their telephone number (so we probably should not be telling you about it at all). They grow Semillon, Chardonnay, Shiraz and a blended Tuscan Red and serve very, very authentic Italian food traditional tuscan baked bread from a wood fire oven. The menu is small and written on a small blackboard on the wall, there are only 3 things on the menu depending on what produce they are able to get hold of and what they feel like cooking. There are no prices listed but we had a three course meal for 2 adults and 2 children with a bottle of wine and it was about $100.00. If you can find the place (off the beaten track is an understatement) then the food (best Lasagne we have ever tasted) and the view of both Port Phillip Bay and Westernport and a view out to the heads is breathtaking.
Location:176 Rogers RoadCape SchanckVictoria 3939
Peninsula Pantry (HIDDEN TREASURE)
Another hidden treasure, off the beaten track in the residential backstreets of Rye but well worth the trip.The tiniest café/pantry where you can sit indoors or out with the paper and a good coffee.They serve a fantastic breakfast – we have had the best porridge with poached fruits, granola with poached fruits and yogurt, muffins sweet and savoury and a house special of beans, avocado, eggs and bacon on Turkish bread. They specialize in cakes, pies and quiches and can cater and do takeaway food if you need something and can’t be bothered cooking. Our regular for coffee, breakkie, lunch or any other excuse.
Location:Wondaree Street, Rye, Vic 3941Ph 03 5985 2628
Merricks General Store
This very popular produce store is now a bistro and the cellar door for Elgee Park, Baillieu Vineyard and Quealy, yet its origins date back to the rural 1920's era when "the store" providing both supplies and society to the local community. The Cellar Door Bar is open daily and the staff will take you through the wines and organise tastings across the three wine labels. All wines are available for purchase from the Cellar Door Bar. The Bistro is open every day from 9- 5 serving breakfast, lunch and snacks ideal for the wine tourists and locals. When we ate there we had a tasting plate of the most delicious local produce including pork and fennel sausages with a tomato relish, marinated mushrooms and the most exquisite fritters of goats cheese and broccoli, we teamed it with a glass of one of the Quealy wines – really lovely. It is here also that you can get local bread, cheese, fruit juice, olive oils and preserves some of which you may have encountered in breakfast hampers. Worth a drive over to Merricks as the scenery is beautiful and while you are there you can visit the Mornington Peninsula Chocolates which are practically next door (keep an eye out for their sandwich board before you arrive at the general store it is sometimes easy to miss), you could also visit Stonier wines which are literally next door.
Location: 3458-3460 Frankston- Flinders Road
Merricks Victoria 3916Ph 03 5989 8088
Website: www.merricksgeneralstore.com.au
Pizza D’oh
On a recommendation we tried this pizza restaurant in Blairgowrie. It was a Monday night after my son’s school concert and I remember a friend saying that you should try this restaurant not only for the great fresh food but just the fact that you can always rely on it to be open when nothing else is. We shared great pizza, very fresh and same goes for the salads. They serve local wine and it has a great atmosphere. Staff were excellent. Gets the thumbs up from us. Could almost be a hidden treasure if it weren’t in such a prominent spot on the beach!!
Location: 2845 Point Nepean Road
Blairgowrie Victoria 3942Phone (03) 5988 8089
Heronswood
If you are green fingered or green in an eco friendly kind of way you will love this location for lunch and an excuse to take a leisurely stroll around some pretty gardens. (For information on the gardens see our Attractions section in our Compendium.)
As far as the food is concerned at Heronswood there are five separate vegetable gardens and it is within these gardens that they have rescued the best heirloom vegetables. The garden has extensive plantings of flowers, including perennial borders, dry climate and cottage, annual gardens. They have replaced subtropical camellias, with avocados as edible hedges. Much of the delicious food they grow in the garden is served in the Fork to Fork restaurant so not only can you see all the wonderful and rare foods growing but you can taste them too. We had lunch with our children (crayons and paper and a toybox on the table – great stuff for our 5 year old), and had a lovely lunch very fresh and the menu largely focused on vegetables (good job our children are not picky!). We did not book and had to wait 20 minutes for a table so be prepared.
Location: Garden and retail shop open everyday 9-5.105 Latrobe Parade, Dromana.
The Baths
This is about the only place you can eat which is absolutely on the beach here in the Southern Peninsula. Great atmosphere. For some reason it reminds me of the Stokehouse in St Kilda. I think it is because of its location, décor and cosy fire in winter. Similar food too! Fish and Chips, Steak, Calamari, great specials and good wine list. Service is good and the view is stunning!
There is also a Fish and Chippery at the rear if you just want some open air eating al fresco!
Location: 3278 Point Nepean Road
Sorrento 3943
Restaurant & Functions 03 5984 1500
Fish and Chippery 03 5984 1800
Website: www.thebaths.com.au
Stringers Stores
Everyone knows Stringers Stores in Sorrento! The best place to have a cuppa and read the paper while looking over and watching the Ferry arrive and leave again. Choose from sandwiches, wraps and salads from the fridge or get the staff to heat up something for you. Great Coffee and wicked desserts! Stock up on wine and nip into the stores section for your paper. Take home the great selection of bread and stock up on the basics.
Location:Ocean Beach Raod
Sorrento 3943
Tel: 5984 2010
.gif)
