The Best Restaurants, Bars and Cafes in Regional Australia

Thorpdale Pub Transforms Into West Gippsland’s First Distillery

There's something ineffably special about a country pub—the way it serves as the beating heart of small regional towns, a meeting place for locals to share stories over a schooner, and a welcome respite for weary travellers passing through. When news spread about the devastating fire that tore through Thorpdale's Traveller's Rest in 2017, a…

6 March 2025ByBen Tyers

Food & Drink Victoria

When the Melbourne Sandwich Craze Arrived in the Small Town of Toora

“What started as a wild idea and a dodgy Photoshop mockup…”, read an Instagram post published in the lead up to Tooradeli’s opening. “It really was a dodgy job to begin with,” laughed co-owner Steve, when I brought it up. Unlike the age-old chicken or egg conundrum, it was the big move from Collingwood to…

5 February 2025ByLara Torcello

Food & Drink Victoria

Where to Find the Best Ice Cream in Regional Victoria

Summer means ice cream. Warm days touring our beautiful regions and feasting at the best country pubs should always end with the crunch of a waffle cone topped with sweet melty goodness. Here’s your guide to finding the creamiest ice cream and the tangiest sorbet, made with love by local makers and dairy farmers with…

22 January 2025ByPhoebe Hartley

Food & Drink South Australia

A Guide to South Australia’s 18 Wine Regions

When it comes to top-tier Australian wine look no further than South Australia. The Festival State is widely regarded as the Aussie wine hotspot and is home to some of the world’s most revered vineyards. Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley are three of the most well-known regions in SA, but there are several…

22 January 2025ByTobias Handke

News Pubs

Sorrento’s Hotel Gets a Sky-High Upgrade with New Rooftop Bar

The iconic Hotel Sorrento is set to transform the Mornington Peninsula's dining scene with the launch of its stunning new rooftop bar and restaurant. Inspired by the glamorous rooftop scenes of Saint-Tropez, the new venue promises panoramic views of Port Phillip Bay, blending contemporary design with the hotel's historic charm. Director Myles Pitt describes it…

14 December 2024ByJohn Taylor

Food & Drink New South Wales

Ageing Like Fine Wine

Meet Angus Vinden, a Hunter Valley winemaker who’s blending grapes with creativity, tradition with irreverence, and winemaking with… self-portraits? Vinden’s wine labels feature a photograph of him, taken every year, showing the toll, the triumph, or whatever the season had to throw at him. The result? A label that’s as much a snapshot of his…

3 December 2024ByNatasha Bazika

Pubs Victoria

How Romsey Got Its Pub Back

It usually takes decades of residency or generational legacy to be considered a true local in small country towns. But husband and wife pub owners Alex and Ashleigh Gorman fast-tracked their local status by taking over not one but two country pubs in northwest Victoria and entrenching themselves in their adopted community. “We bought the…

20 November 2024ByPhoebe Hartley

Pubs Victoria

Japanese Dining Pop-Up Coming to Portsea Hotel This Summer

The iconic Portsea Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula is set to host a refined Japanese dining experience this summer. From 3-19 January 2024, the historic venue will transform its secluded Bertrand Bar into an intimate pop-up, featuring a set-menu by Chef Yukio Ozeki of Towsville’s acclaimed Terasu restaurant. With a breathtaking backdrop of Port Phillip…

6 November 2024ByJohn Taylor

Pubs

Where to Find the Best Country Pubs in Victoria

If you're travelling around the state of Victoria, there's no doubt at some point you're going to need to make a stop for a rock-solid parma, or a pot of the coldest beer available—and for that, you're going to need a pub. And why not get one at one of the best country pubs in…

27 October 2024ByBen Tyers

Pubs Victoria

The Best Pubs in the Yarra Valley

Amidst the picturesque landscapes of Victoria's Yarra Valley, a haven of Yarra Valley pubs awaits, each embracing the region's unique blend of history, natural beauty, and culinary excellence. Beyond the renowned vineyards and sweeping vistas, the Yarra Valley boasts an inviting array of pubs, some even dog-friendly. These Yarra Valley pubs are more than mere…

25 October 2024ByBen Tyers

Food & Drink History

Reminiscing About Sizzler–Australia’s Favourite Steakhouse Paradise

If you’re under the age of 30, the word ‘Sizzler’ probably doesn’t mean a great deal. But for those of us lucky enough to grow up during the 90s, this chain of steakhouses was one of Australia’s great dine-in experiences. At least that’s how I remember it. Also Read: All-You-Can-Eat Pizza Hut, We Have to…

23 October 2024ByTobias Handke

Food & Drink Pubs South Australia

Where to Find the Best Parmis in Country South Australia

Editors note: I have absolutely no interest in getting into the parma/parmi debate. That's your business. The abbreviations or slang used in articles on The Local Rag are true to the author of the article you're reading. Nothing quite beats hitting up your local and getting stuck into a pint and a parmi. Whether your…

22 October 2024ByTobias Handke

Food & Drink Victoria

This Meeting Spot Between Melbourne and Bendigo Offers Homestyle Asian Cuisine With a Difference

From an unassuming shop front in a business centre in the heart of Gisborne—the gateway to the Macedon Ranges in Victoria—Stephanie Zhou and her husband, Stephen Rocard, run an Asian fusion eatery with a difference. Positioned about 50 kilometres from Melbourne and 100 kilometres from Bendigo on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country, The Flying Pigeon offers…

22 October 2024ByPhoebe Hartley

Food & Drink Victoria

In Appreciation of Delgrosso Apple Juice

Juice has always been a treat for me, so much so that even now, I rarely grab a bottle off the supermarket shelf. Similar to the rebranded Cookie Monster's statement that cookies are a "sometimes food", for me, juice—more specifically apple juice—is a "sometimes drink". If I'm honest, I don't remember drinking a lot of…

9 October 2024ByBen Tyers

Agriculture Food & Drink Victoria

The Farm Gate Championing Mornington Peninsula Produce

On the back roads of Dromana, amidst acreages and farmland sits Torello, a farm gate, produce shop and grocer all rolled into one. Established back in 2017 by long-time grocers, farmers markets and produce advocates Sophie and partner Mark Brancatisano. The shop has steadily built its reputation and loyal customer base by serving the highest…

7 October 2024BySimon Cassar

Food & Drink

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