The Best Restaurants in Regional Victoria

Compared to fast-paced city locales, the best restaurants in regional Victoria offer a markedly different experience. From access to utterly fresh, bountiful local produce to unhurried service delivered with country charm, dining out is one of the highlights in any regional holiday.

These fine diners, wine bars and warm bistros scattered across every corner of the state are our must-visit picks for a long lunch to savour.

O.MY Restaurant 

Beaconsfield might not be the typical Melbourne suburb to venture for impeccably creative, garden-to-table tasting menus served with a side of rustic-chic interiors, but O.MY overthrows many a preconceived notion the moment you settle in. Opened in 2013 by brothers Chayse and Blayne Bertoncello, this two-hatted restaurant in Melbourne has since won a swathe of awards (and a legion of fans) in the process, and is best known for the restaurant's sustainable philosophy and surprising, minimal-waste degustation menu. 

Chauncy

Say bonjour to Chauncy, Heathcote's marvellous fine dining and one hatted destination for all things French and delectable. Gorgeous hospitality will welcome you in, to a light and romantic dining room, where you'll be treated to a hearty menu du jour during winter's chill, or a simpler albeit still striking daily offering throughout summer's persistent heat. The best seasonal produce shines on the plate here, with dishes like pickled carrots and goat's curd, chicken liver parfait, and lobster served with warrigal greens and a smooth bisque. It's simply put, one of the best regional restaurants in Victoria right now. 

178 High Street, Heathcote

Messmates 

Just over an hour east of Melbourne, Warragul is one of our new favourite short-break destinations in Gippsland, featuring surrounding farmland so picturesque it'll have you thinking you're in a pastoral novel, heritage buildings, charming streetscapes...and some of the best new fine dining in the state. Yes, that's right. You need to add freshly minted Messmates onto your culinary radar.

They're the coolest new kids on the block, with a highly commendable history backing them up. Those behind the wheel here include ex Vue de Monde and Michelin Star Chef's Jodie Odrowaz and Michael Clark, alongside Warragul stalwarts Jess and Chris Odrowaz. The brother-sister duo and their partners are bringing a contemporary and seasonal menu to the fore, serving up simple yet thoughtful dishes imbued with European flavours. Settle in for crudités and garden dip. pickled mussels with fennel, chilli and sourdough, a half-roast chook with Gascony butter and pork scotch fillet with seasonal greens and jus.

Supported by a wine-focused drinks list of both European and Australian labels, cocktails and a rotating beer selection are also prime for sipping. One of the best new restaurants in regional Victoria, this a place to go local and to eat and drink with your mates.

15 Palmerston Street, Warragul

Greasy Zoe's 

Tiny but almighty, Greasy Zoe's is one of the best restaurants in regional Victoria, albeit just a stone's throw from the city. 

A produce driven restaurant in the heart of Hurstbridge, partners Lachlan and Zoe opened the doors to this intimate 8 seater in 2017.

Serving only 32 people a week, sustainability, ethical treatment of animals and a heavy focus on the restaurants environmental impact are the major driving inspirations behind their quality over quantity approach. There is no written menu; each day Zoe creates a multi course meal in response to the lovingly grown produce supplied by a host of small, hyper local, organic farmers. 

It's about bringing seasonality and locality to a whole new level.

Shop 3/850 Heidelberg - Kinglake Road, Hurstbridge 

Moonah

The Bellarine Peninsula is abundant in highly-lauded eateries, and yet somehow Moonah has elevated it to another dimension. Recently awarded '2 Hats' in The Age Good Food Guide 2023, it's far and away one of the best fine dining restaurants in regional Victoria, and a unique experience offering a compelling connection to nature and it's ingredients.

Named after a native coastal tea tree that grows along the dunes, Tobin Kent’s 12-seat restaurant is something quite like magic, a hidden gem at the end of a long dirt road through coastal wetlands, overlooking a natural billabong with abundant birdlife.

Chef Kent has worked in the kitchens of Attica and Brae, and has culminated all of his experiences into Moonah. Here, every plate sings the song of the land that surrounds; 95% of fresh fruit and vegetables that are used in the restaurant are grown on the 1.5 acres on Kent’s property nearby. 

For authentic rural Australian cuisine with carefully considered simplicity, Moonah is essential, bucket list dining. 

95 Minya Lane, Connewarre

Doot Doot Doot

Did you know that the striking Jackalope Hotel in Mornington Peninsula is home to one of the best restaurants regional Victoria has to offer? Acclaimed fine diner Doot Doot Doot is one for the five star hotel dining books, presenting some of Australia's finest produce and championing a menu that's intrinsically linked to the surrounding land. Every dish is methodical yet explorative, a tempting tale that weaves fresh goods from their expansive kitchen garden with pleasing flavour profiles, classic techniques, and kitchen curiosity that will have you savouring 'til the last bite. The wine list is also thoughtfully curated, spanning local vineyards to the world’s foremost producers. Destination dining at its finest. 

166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North

Wickens at Royal Mail Hotel

One of Victoria's most celebrated escapes and dining experiences combined, Dunkeld's Royal Mail Hotel is a true blue bluestone beauty, with conservation and community at its heart. Wickens at Royal Mail Hotel's menu is a reflection of the hotel's kitchen garden, with a world-class wine match. Expect a degustatory journey, intimately connected to nature and the fresh, seasonal produce that flourishes throughout the year.

Set within stunning surrounds, uninterrupted views bring the outside in. Stay until the magical light of golden hour sweeps over Mount Sturgeon, ensuring one of the best restaurants in regional Victoria is at its most spectacular. Faultless. 

98 Parker Street, Dunkeld 

Chae

The art of Korean slow food has flown into Cockatoo, hidden well within the hills of the Dandenong Ranges. What began as a 6-seat namesake restaurant out of a one-bedroom apartment in Brunswick has been transformed into a modest yet ultra-unique restaurant. It epitomises the beauty and simplicity of cooking, and is a must-try restaurant in regional Victoria. 

By mastering traditional Korean fermentation and promoting holistic wellness through healthy eating practices, Chae's natural approach to cooking will leave you wanting more. More so again when you experience its intimate and ambient setting, in perfect harmony with the whispering gum leaves and laughter of kookaburras that only add to the serenity. . 

33 Mountain Road, Cockatoo

Sault

Behind a beautiful fountain in a stunning two-storey country house, visitors are destined for romance at Sault Restaurant. The surrounding lavender-specked landscapes are simply breathtaking and you’ll be even more smitten when you see the menu. Indulge your culinary senses with three or four courses of regionally sourced and seasonally inspired creations. 

2349 Ballan-Daylesford Road, Sailors Falls 

La Cachette

With experience working in renowned restaurants spanning Lyon to London, chef-owner Matt Podbury has the chops to create world class cuisine. At La Cachette he’s modernising the French bistro to great effect, reimagining classic dishes with new flavours and local ingredients. The charmingly petite restaurant serves an oft-changing prix fixe menu that could include turbot fillet with young leeks and smoked roe sauce, boudin noir with sweet hispi cabbage or cascara ice cream with toasted meringue and cacao. La Cachette translates to ‘hiding place’ in French, and this is a place where we’d happily stow away anytime.

Steampacket Place, Geelong

Bar Midland

Bar Midland is the platonic ideal of a regional restaurant, refusing to put anything that isn’t grown or produced in Victoria on the menu. They see themselves as a love letter to our great state, celebrating organic and regenerative growers, edible weeds and wild animals. Book a seat in their intimate 17-seat dining room to experience farmed and foraged, fresh and fermented ingredients in joyful dishes alongside phenomenal wines.

Shop 1 / 2 Templeton Street, Castlemaine

Underbar

Ballarat might not be the first place you’d expect to find a chef who’s worked at the three Michelin starred Per Se in New York, but everything about Underbar defies expectations. The buzzy fine diner has quickly become a culinary destination, serving a weekly changing tasting menu that showcases the best of Ballarat’s farms and producers. Imaginative flavours, flawless technique and artistic plating make a meal here one to remember. Having recently moved further into the heart of Ballarat, it's now dishing up some of the finest dishes in regional Victoria within the heritage walls of luxury Hotel Vera.

710 Sturt Street, Ballarat Central

Lake House

Daylesford’s two-hatted Lake House is the grand dame of best restaurants in regional Victoria. There are few better ways to spend an afternoon than eating their truly seasonal fare while basking in the soft sunlight that enters the restaurant’s tall windows. The team produce almost everything onsite, from growing vegetables and baking bread to even curing their own charcuterie. Enjoy magnificent views of treetops and lake shores as you dine on dishes such as butter poached pheasant with chestnuts or spring lamb with asparagus and morels. After dessert, move onto the outdoor deck for a relaxing aperitif.

4 King Street, Daylesford 

Provenance

With over a decade’s worth of chefs hats under their belt, this Beechworth pre-eminent fine diner has nothing left to prove. And yet Provenance continues to evolve, recently overhauling their menu into one that’s inspired by the ultra-seasonal kaiseki restaurants of Japan. A whopping 18 small dishes are presented on beautiful handmade ceramics over the course of the evening, with each morsel a testament to slow food, Japanese flavours and top tier Australian ingredients.

86 Ford Street, Beechworth

Brae

Brae’s pioneering approach to hyperlocal cooking has cemented itself as one of Australia’s legendary restaurants, and put the small town of Birregurra on the map. More than a meal, a visit to Brae is a complete experience. Expect to spend a full day there, exploring their working organic farm that grows seasonal vegetables, stone fruits, citrus, nuts, berries, olives, honey and wheat grain before sitting down to an inspiring, wholesome menu that treats each ingredient with utmost respect.

4285 Cape Otway Road, Birregurra

Igni

Named after the Latin word for fire, at Igni they cook everything over a woodfired grill at the centre of their open kitchen. Doing so requires extreme care and skill, but the payoff is intense, resulting in flame-licked flavours on everything from delicate vegetables and seafood to hearty meats. All diners are served a set menu based on the finest produce available that day, so prepare yourself for a surprising and eye-opening visit. The bar is also running a thrilling drinks program, including delicious no and low-alcohol cocktails that make teetotalling fun.

2 Ryan Place, Geelong

Tedesca Osteria

In just two short years, Tedesca Osteria has cemented itself as one of the must-visit restaurants in not just Victoria, but all of Australia. You won’t know exactly what you’ll be eating until you sit down, with lauded chef Brigitte Hafner working with the day’s best and most inspiring produce. Guests can expect a long and leisurely meal that starts with antipasto, moves onto handmade pasta, then seafood or meat cooked lovingly over woodfire, before closing off with a rustic dessert. The gorgeous dining room is centred around an open plan kitchen and impressive brick hearth, making visitors feel right at home.

1175 Mornington Flinders Road, Red Hill

Thousand Pound Wine Bar & Store

Thousand Pound is a small bar with big personality, presenting some of the best wine and food you’ll find in Victoria’s north east. Situated in Rutherglen, a vino-loving town near the Murray River border, they’re pouring excellent drops produced from this very region paired with decadent Euro-leaning dishes. From lush linguine to delicate roasted ocean trout, charcoal grilled steaks to truffled croquettes, it’s all about comforting food made for enjoying with a glass or two.

82 Main Street, Rutherglen

Planning a regional holiday after reading through our guide to the best restaurants regional Victoria is so good at crafting? Before you book anything, make sure to consult our guides to the best tiny cabins, luxury accommodation, and romantic getaways in Victoria. Happy travels!