The Mornington Peninsula has long been Melbourne’s summer playground, loved for its combination of calm bay beaches, wild surf coast

and rolling hinterland – but it’s not all about the landscape. The Peninsula is one of Victoria’s leading wine regions, famed for its pinot noir, and boasts some of the state’s best regional restaurants –where chefs are currently enamoured with edible flowers, duck eggs, beetroot, heirloom carrots, eel, rosewater and, of course, excellent local goat’s cheese.

sirloin, doused in a bearnaise sauce that’s heady with tarragon, or a butterfly-light dessert of poached rhubarb, panna cotta, rosewater jelly with the quirky but very effective presence of a beetroot sorbet. A warm salad dressed with edible flower petals, herbs and a duck egg is equally as pretty – and pretty delicious, too. Owner Philippe Marquet runs the floor with Gallic charm and offers a tome-like wine list that’s worth lingering over. 1208 Mornington-Flinders Rd, Red Hill, (03) 5931 0155.

Although many of the best places to eat and drink are found in the towns that are located in the middle of the Peninsula, the shimmering waters of Western Port, Port Phillip Bay and the ocean are never too far away.

where to eatLa Petanque This is a top contender for best food on the Peninsula. Chef Simon Buckley’s menu expertly walks the tightrope between being bold and straightforward, as shown in the local Black Angus

Surrounded by a quiet bay and surf beaches, Matt Preston uncovers the best of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, including heirloom produce, relaxed diners and some of the state’s finest wines.

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Clockwise from left: View from Port Phillip Estate; La Pétanque’s poached rhubarb panna cotta and beetroot sorbet; Stonier’s winemaker Mike Symons.

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saLix restaurant Bernard McCarthy has long been cooking some of the area’s best food, and now new carpet and furniture sees the room polished up to match the food and vineyard views. McCarthy’s gnocchi (now served with eggplant, Balnarring bacon and feta crumble) is worth trying, but the current hero dishes are crispy prawns with spiced red pepper salad and citrus aioli, and a passionfruit bavarois with mango. The winery makes some stunning chardonnays under the guidance of Geraldine McFaul (ex-Stoniers). Willow Creek Winery, 166 Balnarring Rd, Merricks North, (03) 5989 7448.

Paringa estate restaurant Next to the walk-in trophy cabinet that doubles as a cellar door for Lindsay McCall’s legendary pinot, chardonnay and shiraz is a simple-looking winery restaurant with white-clothed tables and rather impressive food from young local chef Shane Smith. Venerable ingredients are given a fresh makeover in dishes where beauty belies an unpretentious approach to flavour. He marries smoky, rich eel with the sweet saltiness of Spanish jamon with pickled beetroot, and satiny horseradish creme fraiche and crisp apple with tuna. 44 Paringa Rd, Red Hill South, (03) 5931 0136.

montaLtoBarry Davis’ polished menu combines classical French technique with big flavours in dishes such as a magnificent quail terrine; pan-fried scallops with golden bites of chook and onion mousse; and slow-roasted veal with housemade gnocchi. The dining room offers a vista across vineyards and slopes dotted with olive trees, fruit trees, a little kitchen garden and vines, which all contribute to the menu. They are also making some brilliant chardonnay now. 33 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South, (03) 5989 8412.

ten minutes By tractor Stuart Bell has won plaudits and a hat for his wine-friendly menu, where duck breast cooked with beetroot matches with Ten Minutes’ own McCutcheon pinot, while pineapple sorbet and pear mousse matches the light fizz of an Asti moscato. The sleek cellar door here is an attraction in its own right. Taste single-vineyard chardonnay as part of a flight of whites, which is just one of the hits on the restaurant’s epic wine list. 1333 Mornington-Flinders Rd, Main Ridge, (03) 5989 6080.

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Clockwise from right: Montalto winemaker Simon Black, snapper fillet with poached abalone and Canadian scallop at Paringa Estate; the dining room at Ten Minutes By Tractor; the terrace at Montalto.

Port PhiLLiP estate This statuesque dining room is the most dramatic place to eat in the Peninsula. It’s part of a no-expense-spared winery recently built by the owners of the Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate labels. The award-winning architecture is complemented by stunning views out to woods and over the sea, Simon West’s assured cooking and a skilled floor team led by Roger Lancia. There’s a more casual bistro, too. 263 Red Hill Rd, Red Hill South, (03) 5989 4444.

the Long taBLeAt this part wine bar, part restaurant, you’ll find well-priced drops to match Andrew Doughton’s natty cooking. The must-have dish is cured beef with salted black beans, smoked raisins and sliced yellow beetroot – it’s a rampage of tastes further pepped up with Cognac mustard

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and horseradish cream. Desserts are dead contemporary – try a Milky Way-light chocolate delice with rhubarb, or delicate violet milk jelly. 159 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South, (03) 5989 2326.

Fork to Fork at heronswoodSet in wonderful gardens and benefiting from flowers and vegetables grown on site with heritage seed, this simple little restaurant champions heirloom veg like few others. Luke “Skeeta” Palmer’s menu might pair varieties of carrot with walnuts, honey and polenta or duck breast with local cherries and Chioggia beetroot. There’s a great herb-fringed terrace for Devonshire teas, too. 105 La Trobe Pde, Dromana, (03) 5984 7318.

Loquat Does the thought of either Red Hill goat’s cheese soufflé with a Fuji apple and pistachio salad, or confit duck leg with truffled porcini risotto take your fancy? If so, this award-winning local favourite is your sort of place. Bookings are essential during the summer months when Sorrento gets crazy. 3183 Point Nepean Rd, Sorrento, (03) 5984 4444.

d.o.c. mornington Carlton’s coolest pizza joint takes a beachside holiday. Expect thin-crust artisan pizzas topped with Italian sausage, or mushrooms and pecorino. There aren’t many delis to choose from down on the Peninsula, but here you’ll also find some great Italian gear – a cheese counter, good fruit and vegetables, plus fantastic salumi including a choice of prosciutto. 22 Main St, Mornington, (03) 5977 0988.

two Buoys This award-winning cafe is arguably the most talked-about place to eat on the Peninsula. The coffee’s good and breakfasts push past the usual into their ‘hangover cure’ of chorizo, maple

Clockwise from left: Inca the kelpie at Green Olive Estate; Merricks General Wine Store; their housemade muesli with vanilla yoghurt.

bacon, cheese and eggs or a slab of gooey croque monsieur. For lunch and dinner there’s tapas such as slow-cooked octopus, battered Dromana mussels, flatbread pizzas, and chargrilled pork ribs with a dark sherry sauce. There are loads of dairy- and gluten-free options, too. 209 Point Nepean Rd, Dromana, (03) 5981 8488.

merricks generaL wine store This is among the Peninsula’s few great cafes. It feels like an old schoolhouse with bare boards and wood furniture, but school dinners were never like this! Think fat, oozy leek and gruyere croquettes with an aioli made with saffron grown up the road at Merricks North or perhaps a Kurobuta pork fillet cooked with a fennel, radish and apple slaw. Impressive cakes, friendly service and baked eggs with crispy pancetta for breakfast help round out this tasty package. 3460 Frankston-Flinders Rd, Merricks, (03) 5989 8088.

Foxeys hangout This is less of a restaurant and more of a casual weekend barbecue where Tony Lee mans the stoves, knocking up simple seasonal treats from the blackboard menu, such as quail or mushrooms cooked in vine leaves. There’s cheese, too, which is good news, as the Lees make a rather good late-harvest cordon cut pinot gris and a porty fortified shiraz – with Tony’s

brother Michael making sure that the glasses keep filled. Don’t leave without picking up a bottle of their stunning shiraz to take home. 795 White Hill Rd, Red Hill, (03) 5989 2022.

mccLeLLand gaLLery Check out the landscape retrospective including works by Australian artists John Olsen, Sidney Nolan, Fred Williams and Rover Thomas; then how about French toast with crispy bacon in the cafe? 390 McClelland Dr, Langwarrin, (03) 9789 1671.

Meanwhile, Cafe Jett (197 Point Nepean Rd, Dromana, (03) 5987 1911) is another good coffee option that also has a neat home-office setup for customers. Green Olive at Red Hill (1180 Mornington-Flinders Rd, Red Hill, (03) 5989 2992) is a simple cafe

with a short menu of bruschettas and their own range of preserves and olives. Come also for the coffee that’s roasted on site and some of the best housemade lamb snags around.

The Lighthouse Cafe (681 Point Nepean Rd, McCrae, (03) 5982 1130) is popular for some of Thailand’s greatest hits, executed with some style. And the slightly secluded Lilo (1/725 Esplanade, Mornington, (03) 5975 0165) has a cool Melbourne vibe, making it a great spot to recharge before you hit the road again.

Clockwise from below: Two Buoys is a breakfast favourite; fine dining at Port Phillip Estate; Fork to Fork at Heronswood; Point Leo beach.

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where to drinkmain ridge estateDon’t be fooled by the bumpy dirt-track approach, the rustic cellar door or tiny vineyard, Nat White makes seriously impressive wines here. Regarded as a legendary local winemaker, Nat’s Acre and Half Acre pinots usually garner a lion’s share of plaudits, but his elegant chardonnay is not half bad either and is more than capable of standing alongside Victoria’s best – think Burgundian restraint rather than New-World brashness. 80 William Rd, Red Hill, (03) 5989 2686.

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stonier wines Long loved for their chardonnay, the pinot is much improved now, too. Taste the reserve chardonnay and the intense KBS chardonnay which has all the style of a great white burgundy and a length that will haunt you as you head off up the road. They also make a cool sparkling. 2 Thompsons Ln, Merricks, (03) 5989 8300.

dromana estateThis cute cottage cellar door boasts a very good estate chardonnay and pinot for $30 a bottle. Also check out their $20 Mornington Estate pinot – a ripper for the price. There’s also a restaurant on site, and their new pizza oven should be in place by now. Yippee! 555 Old Moorooduc Rd, Tuerong, (03) 5974 4400.

crittenden estate Find the excellent Zumma pinot, plus a sexy range of Spanish-inspired wines sold under the Los Hermanos label made by Garry Crittenden’s winemaker son Rollo. Their Pinocchio Arneis is a great summer white. Oh, and there’s an intense cabernet for the purists that’s attractive at $30 a bottle. The cellar door also hosts Stillwater Restaurant, and sells housemade preserves and chutneys. 25 Harrisons Rd, Dromana, (03) 5981 8322.

BaLnarring VineyardKathleen Quealy championed pinot grigio at T’Gallant (below) but now she’s back on her own patch making some great pinot noirs for the Baillieu as well as her own label, including funky white blends and an interesting new departure – an intriguing dessert wine using muscat grapes. 62 Bittern-Dromana Rd, Balnarring, (03) 5983 2483.

t’gaLLantKevin McCarthy is one of the great characters of the Mornington Peninsula. His Claudius (a blend of chardonnay, gewurztraminer and moscato giallo, given extended fermentation on skins) alone makes this rustic cellar door worth the visit, along with T’Gallant’s

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famous pinot grigios and pinot gris. 1385 Mornington-Flinders Rd, Main Ridge, (03) 5931 1300.

At Tuck’s Ridge (37 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South, (03) 5989 8660) the pinot and chardonnay just keep getting better and better. Darling Park (232 Red Hill Rd, Red Hill, (03) 5989 2324) has a laidback cellar door, offering a perky sparkling rosé, strong pinot noir and winery platters.

And for all you beer lovers, the Peninsula now has two microbreweries. Red Hill Brewery (88 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South, (03) 5989 2959) has been winning medals for their ales for five years now and makes commendable ales to take home or drink in their own rather cosy bush bar during the day. The new kid on the block is Mornington Peninsula Brewery (72 Watt Rd, Mornington, (03) 5976 3663). Andrew Gow (ex-Mountain Goat and Matilda Bay) makes the witbier, pale ale and brown ale while an oven in the bar spits out pizza to go with the brews.

Brew fans also shouldn’t forget the dizzying array of English options (and very good, fat chips) at the Pig & Whistle (365 Purves Rd, Main Ridge, (03) 5989 6130). If the pub’s your thing, sample the views and summer madness at the Portsea Hotel (3746 Point Nepean Rd, Portsea, (03) 5984 2213).

wonderful fresh curds and a couple of notable semi-mature cheeses. Book in for a dairy tour, which happens most Saturdays. 295 Main Creek Rd, Main Ridge, (03) 5989 6622.

ceLLar & PantryThis could be one of the best small country supermarkets in Australia. As well as the usual shampoo and cereal, owners Joe and Dee Caligiuri have local and swank foreign wines, local cheeses, olive oils (including Main Ridge sold in bulk), the Red Hill Spice Girls spice range and Dee’s own dips – her baba ghanoush is a cracker. You’ll also find good local meat, rye sourdough from the guys at Lievito (who previously baked at Flinders) and – if you’re lucky – the highly prized game pies from Red Hill Kitchen. They pull a good ristretto, too, if you’re in need of caffeine. 141 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South, (03) 5989 2411.

where to shopred hiLL cheese Trevor and Jan Brandon are famous around Victoria for their cow’s, goat’s and most recently sheep’s milk cheeses. The new pecorino is worth a gander, but it’s their creamy cow’s milk blue and slightly stinky Gunnamatta Gold, plus the Misty Valley (a camembert-like goat’s milk cheese) that are our favourites. Also check out their regular cheesemaking classes and some rather fine local jams. 81 William Rd, Red Hill, (03) 5989 2035.

main ridge dairy The Noxons have been supplying goat’s milk from the 190-strong herd for a while now, but making cheese is a more recent development that has proved extremely successful. Their cheese seems ubiquitous across the Peninsula’s better menus. Come here for the fresh goat’s milk,

Clockwise from far left: Main Ridge Dairy; Crittenden’s marketing manager Zoe Crittenden; Mornington Peninsula Chocolates; Main Ridge Dairy goats; Kathleen Quealy with husband Kevin McCarthy and Matt Preston at Balnarring Vineyard; Darling Park’s winery platter; stop by farm gates for local produce; Joe Caligiuri from Cellar & Pantry.

(244 Shands Rd, Main Ridge, (03) 5989 4500), but drive around and you’ll find hand-painted signs for everything from free-range chicken and duck eggs to jam or pumpkins. There are markets held regularly across the Peninsula at settlements including Red Hill, Dromana and Mornington. Pick up a list from the local tourist office or look online at peninsulapages.com/markets.

where to stayPort Phillip Estate Apartments (see ‘Where to Eat’, from $500 per double including breakfast provisions, portphillipestate.com.au) could quite possibly claim the title of the best country accommodation in Victoria. The generous rooms here have huge soft beds loaded with the crispest linen, Bill Henson photographs on the walls and Missoni robes for lounging around in (that is, when you get sick of lolling on the reindeer hide on the leather sofa while taking in the view). There are also large bathrooms with underfloor heating and lush Aesop products to pamper yourself with.

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At the beautiful Lakeside Villas at Crittenden Estate (see ‘Where to Drink’, from $280 per double with breakfast, crittendenwines.com.au), there’s a choice of three self-contained, one-bedroom villas with north-facing balconies, barbecues and double spa baths.

Max’s Retreat (9 Station Rd, Red Hill South, (03) 5989 3007, from $220 per double with breakfast provisions and a bottle of Red Hill Estate sparkling, maxsretreat.com.au) is a four-bedroom cottage that feels like your own country weekender. They also have a two-bed cottage at Red Hill Estate Winery.Thanks to Tourism Victoria for their assistance with this story. For more information, tel: 132 842 or go to: visitvictoria.com.

Balnarring Vineyard .......................... 13Cafe Jett ..............................................3Cellar & Pantry .................................. 10Crittenden Estate ................................3Darling Park ..................................... 11D.O.C. Mornington ...............................2Dromana Estate ................................. 14Fork to Fork at Heronswood ................3Foxeys Hangout ................................. 11Green Olive at Red Hill ...................... 11La Pétanque ........................................7Lakeside Villas at Crittenden Estate ...3Lighthouse Cafe ..................................4Lilo .......................................................2Loquat .................................................5Main Ridge Dairy .................................7Main Ridge Estate .............................. 11Max’s Retreat .................................... 10McClelland Gallery ..............................1Merricks General Wine Store ..............9Montalto ............................................ 10Mornington Peninsula Brewery...........2Mornington Peninsula Chocolates ......8Paringa Estate Restaurant ................ 10Pig & Whistle .......................................7Port Phillip Estate ............................. 10Portsea Hotel ......................................6Red Hill Brewery ............................... 10Red Hill Cheese ................................. 11Salix Restaurant ................................ 12Stonier Wines ......................................9Sunny Ridge Farm ...............................7T’Gallant ..............................................7Ten Minutes By Tractor .......................7The Long Table .................................. 10Tuck’s Ridge ..................................... 10Two Buoys ...........................................3

merricks generaL wine storeNext to the cafe (see ‘Where to Eat‘), you’ll find Baker Boys’ bread, imported artisan pastas, locally produced cider vinegar, great olive oil from nearby Leontyna and Megan’s Field plus Istra Smallgoods, all alongside wines from the likes of local pinot legend Tod Dexter and Elgee Park.

mornington PeninsuLa chocoLates At last, one of Australia’s best artisan chocolatiers has a sexy new home, complete with chandelier, to match their luxe chocolates. The line-up of flavours constantly changes, but my favourites include the brilliantly tangy lime ganache and the sexy passionfruit jelly. Then there’s the award-winning “strawberries and cream”. Plans for a chocolate cafe next door are also afoot. Look out for their new fave – Argentine-style marshmallow whips. 45 Cook St, Flinders, (03) 5989 0040.

There are plenty of seasonal farm gates around the Peninsula, too. In the summer there are cherry orchards or strawberries at Sunny Ridge Farm

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