If you’re up for a feed out of the city and want to find the best restaurants in regional Victoria, look no further.
We all know Melbourne is full to the brim with some of the best restaurants Australia has to offer, but regional Victoria definitely doesn’t lower its colours in the restaurant stakes.
With rents in the city being high, a lot of chefs and owners have turned to regional Victoria to set up restaurants, focussing on the great ingredients that the state has to offer.
Here are 6 of the best restaurants in regional Victoria.
Brae
You don’t end up on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list by doing things half-arse.
Brae is run by chef Dan Hunter, and can be found in Birregurra, around an hour from Geelong (or 20-minutes from Colac). Brae is a restaurant, a working farm, and also has accommodation on site.
The menu uses ingredients from its own farm, and changes depending on in season. Dining at Brae costs $290 per person, with matched wines for $180.
IGNI
Sticking to the west of the state, IGNI in Geelong is a restaurant you need to find your way to.
IGNI is run by Aaron Turner, formerly of Loam which was once named the best restaurant in regional Victoria by The Age’s Good Food Guide. IGNI follows a similar ethos to Brae in that it serves only what is locally available, so the menu alters almost daily.
An 8-course menu at IGNI costs $150, with alcoholic pairings coming in at $245.
Wickens At Royal Mail Hotel
The Royal Mail Hotel was a pioneer in upmarket restaurants in regional Victoria, and alongside the Dunkeld Cup, putting Dunkeld on the map of those keen on a road trip.
Dunkeld is 3-hours from Melbourne, so you’ll need to shack up nearby for sure.
Like Brae, and IGNI, Wickens At The Royal Mail chooses its menu daily from what’s available locally and from the kitchen garden on-site.
The 5-course menu costs $180, 8-course $205, and you can choose from a range of matched grog.
Lake House
Alla Wolf-Tasker is Australian cooking royalty, and if you’ve ever found yourself at Lake House in Daylesford, you’d know why.
The picturesque restaurant serves a seasonal menu packed with fresh produce from the area. The area surrounding Daylesford is some of the most fertile land in the state.
The Lake House team also run Dairy Flat Farm which is definitely worth a look.
Doot Doot Doot
Doot Doot Doot definitely has the best name on this whole list.
The Mornington Peninsula restaurant can be found at the amazing Jackalope Hotel in Merricks North.
The restaurant features a 5-course menu for $120, with matched wines for $210.
Laura
Laura has only been around since 2018, but definitely hit the ground running.
Calling the magnificent Pt. Leo Estate home, Laura quickly earned two hats from the Good Food Guide, along with being named New Restaurant Of The Year.
The 5-course set menu costs $145, with matched alcohol for $90. You can get an alcohol-free match for $60.
