The Food
Four of the Peninsula’s best restaurants have been hand-picked so that you can discover the hidden gems and experience the best of the Peninsula all in one day. Starring the region’s best produce, experience a diverse range of cuisines, tastes and cooking techniques.
DOC Mornington
Doc Mornington
With five iconic establishments dotted around Melbourne and on the Peninsula, what began as a humble pizzeria in suburban Melbourne has now grown into a modern Italian Gastronome. Italian food and culture is the backbone of DOC, and its pursuit of excellent produce, charcuterie, cheese and, above all, experience is its mission.
D.O.C. is real Italian eating and age old simplicity refreshed with contemporary flair. D.O.C celebrates its use of local organic Mornington Peninsula produce in its artisanal delivery of its product. Aged old Italian without the fuss.
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Red Gum BBQ
Red Gum BBQ
Rustic country vibes, fine local wines, exceptional craft beer on tap and the best Aussie-smoked, American-style BBQ this side of the equator. With a focus on low and slow cooked, authentic Southern BBQ cuisine, Red Gum BBQ is committed to ethically sourced, organic meats and produce – Australia’s only B Corp certified restaurant. Red Hill residents, Red Gum BBQ is available for dine in, take away, catering and events!
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Green Olive at Red Hill
Green Olive at Red Hill
At Green Olive at Red Hill you can enjoy a whole farm experience. We grow olives, grapes, lemons, hops, herbs and veggies, raise sheep and chooks and turn amazing produce from our farm into a range of goodies you’ll love. Green Olive at Red Hill loves to nourish family and friends with the goodness of the farm.
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St Andrews Beach Brewery
St Andrews Beach Brewery
St Andrews Beach Brewery calls a 92-acre property on the picturesque Mornington Peninsula home which was formally a world-class horse training facility. After a significant facelift, the former stables and racetrack on the property have been transformed into a brewery, taproom and farm like no other!
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Lorida
Lorida
Lorida Greek Taverna (laneway in Greek) is situated at the crossroads of Mornington, in one of the best positions in bustling Main street. Our intimate yet glamorous taverna is designed with alfresco drinks and dining in mind – very much indoor or outdoor seating with prime Main Street Mornington aspects!
Whether your grabbing a drink and some mezze at the bar, booking a table for a Greek Feast with loved ones, late night cocktails with the girls, or just partaking in that favourite European pastime of people watching whilst sipping and nibbling, Lorida offers a true taste of the Athens lifestyle. Lorida is all about enjoying life and love, through good food and conversation. Lorida also offers our delicious food for take away as well as functions and special events in our bespoke space.
The Greek concept of hospitality, philoxenia, is deeply rooted in ancient Greek rituals that are expressions of an authentic relationship between a guest and host, based on generosity, courtesy, and friendship. To the Greeks, and to Jacqui and her team from Lorida Taverna, hospitality is a true manifestation of connecting meaningfully with patrons and this is a the forefront of all we do. We look forward to welcoming you to our Greek table -Yamas!
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The Wine
With a selection of the Peninsula’s most acclaimed wineries and producers, this is the best opportunity to sample some of Australia’s favoured drops in the leafy and sea-salted surrounds of Mornington Racecourse.
Barmah Park Wines
Barmah Park Wines
Conveniently located on Moorooduc Highway, just outside Mornington and at the gateway to the popular Mornington Peninsula wine region. Our mission is to create a comfortable, versatile space for you to relax and enjoy. Dine in our beautiful, spacious restaurant with panoramic views of the rolling vineyard. Whether it be warming at our log fire in winter or sunning on our spacious deck, Barmah Park is a destination for all seasons.
Our passionate chefs have created a Modern Australian menu that showcases both estate-grown and seasonal local produce of the Mornington Peninsula. At the heart of our approach is a focus on seasonality and flavourful offering, complemented with perfect wine pairings. Step up to the rustic cellar door and enjoy one of our wine tasting experiences with choice of signature or premium options.
Our well established Arthurs Seat range boasts four wines created to be enjoyed for every occasion. The Premium Lighthouse Range and Limited Release Vintage labels have been created with the utmost care to highlight the best of the Mornington Peninsula.
Cool evenings and subtle oak helped craft our elegant Chardonnay while the cool climate and winemaking techniques have created an earthy and complex Pinot Noir. Our friendly and welcoming staff are passionate about helping guide you through your experience.
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Montalto
Montalto
A visit to Montalto is an experience not to be forgotten; a moment out of the ordinary. The hatted Montalto Restaurant boasts a wood-fire grill, allowing the best of ingredients to sing, and the abundant seasonal produce of Montalto is given top billing. Locally sourced meats, fish and fowl showcase the very best the region has to offer.
Visit the cellar door to sample award-winning wines or walk the extensive Sculpture Trail which winds through the property.
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Prancing Horse Estate
Prancing Horse Estate
No one in Australia does what Biodynamic Pioneer and Prancing Horse Estate proprietor, Tony Hancy, does in his cellar door. With stunning views across Western Port Bay and a selection of some of the region’s best wines, Tony opens on weekends to give guests the chance to taste local wines alongside top-notch Burgundy and Chablis.
Tony is guided by the philosophy that great wines are made in the vineyard. His passion for biodynamic viticulture has seen the Prancing Horse thumbprint now appear in two countries - France and Australia - across three regions; Chablis, Burgundy and the Mornington Peninsula. The local biodynamic vineyard performs exceptionally well, producing wines with abundant varietal expression. The Burgundy and Chablis are made under the Prancing Horse label and the fascinating comparison of the three wine regions lead to a greater understanding of terroir.
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Merricks General Wine Store
Merricks General Wine Store
Merricks General Wine Store is country at its best on the Mornington Peninsula. Between rolling hills and beautiful coastline, enjoy fine wine, food, art and produce at this much-loved general store inspired by the rustic charm of rural life. Chef Patrice Repellin utilises his copious experience in the world’s top kitchens to bring his French inspired cuisine to the Peninsula.
Built in 1924, this iconic destination has transformed from the traditional concept of a ‘general-store’ to a culinary must for discerning travellers, locals and wine enthusiasts.
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Paringa Estate
Paringa Estate
Established in 1985, Paringa Estate is Mornington Peninsula's sixth cellar door to open in the region has won over 100 wine show trophies for its chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz and has achieved one of the few pinot noirs in Australia’s highly regarded Langton’s Classification. The Estates proudest accomplishment is being awarded James Halliday’s inaugural 'Australian Winery of the Year'. It also boasts one of the top restaurants in the region overlooking its iconic The Paringa vineyard achieving a Chef’s Hat in The Age Good Food Guide since 2013.
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The Spirits
A true celebration of local distilleries and food talent, The Peninsula Picnic, seamlessly blends a foodie festival with spirit tastings, a farmers’ market and the sweet sounds of some of Australia’s best songwriters.
Bass & Flinders Distillery
Bass and Flinders Distillery
Bass and Flinders Distillery was founded in 2009 on the Mornington Peninsula with a passion for adventure and a desire to create a range of high quality, artisanal gins brandies and liqueurs, that truly reflect our home and heritage. Proudly the first distillery on the Mornington Peninsula, our original inspiration was drawn from a love of classic brandies produced in France.
Using many of the same traditional production techniques, we set out to produce a premium aged spirit, our Ochre brandy, that proves just how good Australian brandy can be. Our location in the wine growing region of the Mornington Peninsula provided the perfect setting to pursue our dream. Following in the footsteps of her founder father Wayne, Holly took over as Head Distiller and Managing director of the distillery in 2016, becoming one of a very select group of second-generation distillers in Australia.
As a family-owned distillery, we focus on quality above all else, distilling in small batches and sourcing fresh, local ingredients wherever possible to produce unique, genuine Australian craft spirits. Drawing inspiration from our coastal home where the sea meets the wine-growing hinterland, we handcraft our grape-based eau de vie spirit right here at the distillery, using traditional methods from the Charente region of France. Victorian wine specially crafted to our desired flavour profile is double distilled in small batches using a gas-fired alembic pot still - a method designed to celebrate the flavour and viscosity provided by the grapes.
This is our definition of quality. We are on a constant journey of discovery, developing new styles of gins, brandies and liqueurs. We are always scouting for unique, native botanicals that capture the essence of our local flora and define our true sense of place. We are the ‘Spirit of the Mornington Peninsula’.
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JimmyRum
JimmyRum
JimmyRum has fast become the go-to cocktail bar on the Mornington Peninsula. But it’s much more than a bar, it’s Victoria’s first dedicated craft rum distillery and Jimmy is on a mission to show you what rum can be, with his Australian crafted distinctive and delicious rums.
JimmyRum has an audacious goal to change the way Australians think about rum. Enjoy some of the beautifully hand-crafted spirits produced on site by Matilda, JimmyRum’s stunning 1500-litre Italian copper still, or indulge in one of JimmyRum’s selectively blended premium import rums. Tours and tastings will have you seduced by the beauty and distinctiveness of rum, and you’ll hear, taste and see for yourself why locally crafted spirits are making such an impact in Australia.
Sit in the cosy bar atmosphere with the barrel wall backdrop and Matilda only metres away, or relax in the Rum Garden with good company, share plates and cocktails or local beers and wines. Check the Jimmy Rum social media for weekly events, live music, special collaborations and new bottle launches @jimmyrumdistillery. Jimmy Rum lives by three words: Rum, Respect and Rambunctiousness.
Opening hours: Bar open for cocktails and food Thursday to Saturday 12 noon – 9pm & Sunday 12 noon – 7pm. Distillery open for tasting, tours and bottle sales daily 10am - 5pm.
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