Melbourne Region
Operating as a general store and post office since the 1920s and retaining many of its original features, this is the type of shop that every country…
Must-see restaurants in Victoria
Melbourne
This cosy Sicilian restaurant with hanging pot-plants inside is intimate and relaxed, with a share-plate menu ranging from cotolette Sicilian fried pork…
Melbourne Region
Occupying a stylishly converted weatherboard cottage on Hepburn's main drag, this bistro is owned and operated by chef Caliopi Buck, whose Greek heritage…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
Seating more than 200 brunchers and employing a full-time indoor gardener, plant-covered AU79 is also a coffee roastery, bakery, patisserie and…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
Uncle delivers stellar Vietnamese cooking in a space complete with colourful, upside-down baskets and a rooftop dining area. Pho (noodle soup) is fragrant…
Victoria
Definitely worth making a detour for, this cool little gastropub specialises in local Gippsland beers and wines. The menu is all about regional produce;…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
There's Sanskrit and pictures of father-figure Babu Ji on the walls, and you can smell the char of the tandoor as soon as you walk in here. Try prawn…
Victorian High Country
It’s worth a stop for a coffee or light meal at this unassuming but inviting cafe in an old general store in Oxley. It serves scrumptious lunches that…
Victorian High Country
This cafe-restaurant specialises in local produce and has good valley views. Highlights include a tasty wagyu burger and there are occasional one-off…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
Local favourite Jinda has a loyal following, making booking ahead necessary. Located in a warehouse with exposed brick and Thai lanterns, it gets noisy…
Victoria
This small spot on the main street brings a hipster vibe to Yarrawonga. Fresh-roasted coffee beans hail from nearby Albury, and you can stock up on…
Melbourne
If you're looking for something beyond pho, this casual spot specialises in bun cha, a northern Vietnamese dish of smoky gilled pork and vermicelli…
Victorian High Country
Self-catering travellers can stock up on bacon, ham and other European-style smallgoods at this country-style smokehouse, but it's also a good location…
Victorian High Country
There's views of Lake Eildon's houseboat marina from Aqua's wraparound decks, but the other reason to eat and drink here are the vintage photos of the…
Melbourne
Its graffitied facade makes it look like an abandoned house…before opening up to reveal the cafe as an inviting space with exposed brick and friendly…
Victoria
Fryers Street Food Store is a casual provedore-cum-cafe that's convenient for breakfast (anything from porridge to eggs) and lunch (think focaccia, wraps…
Victoria
The 1890 Lakeside Lodge was designed by WH Piper and today it’s a lovely light-filled cafe with a courtyard and huge windows looking out over the lake…
Melbourne
If you eat in order to Instagram, this cafe spread over two shopfronts has the brunch for you. Think Japanese 'raindrop cakes' and 'freakshii' (a creative…
Victoria
Located within a heritage 1878 building on Sorrento's Esplanade, this noisy, family-friendly pizzeria offers filled piadine (Italian flatbread) and panini…
Victoria
Along Sale's main strip, this happening cafe is often packed with folk who've come for the excellent coffee, and breakfasts such as mushroom and whipped…
Victoria
Within an impressive art deco building (c 1939), this iconic pub, with a big mullet plonked on its roof, is Fish Creek's best spot for a meal. Food is…
Melbourne Region
Enjoy a Mediterranean meal served outside in summer or indoors next to the wood fire in winter – both are pleasant spots to nosh on Dudley's thin-crust…
Great Ocean Road
No longer doing pizzas, the new owners of this iconic Jan Juc surfer hangout now cover both ends of the spectrum: healthy and not-so healthy. At one end…
Victorian High Country
Known locally as the ‘Top Pub’, this 1863 hotel does classic counter meals, but of more interest is its American-style BBQ using a red-gum smoker. It's…
Victoria
The fabulous Prevue, whose large windows and terrace afford views over the Ovens River, is the spot to visit. Local friends, businesspeople and families…
Victoria
This ticks the right boxes in terms of colour: not only the cups (an array of bright hues), but the lovely courtyard and the vibrant dishes – granola with…
Victorian High Country
The 1960s dining room furniture combines with comfy old sofas at this welcoming spot. The coffee's excellent, local beers and wines are served, and hearty…
Victoria
Fresh bread, Calabrese eggs, pastries and, of course, good coffee – this casual daytime cafe and bakery keeps things fresh and simple. It’s also a gourmet…
Village People Hawker Food Hall
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
A dingy old pub at the unfashionable southern end of Brunswick St has been transformed into a multi-level food hub. This eatery on the 1st floor focuses…
Melbourne Region
Just off the main road in the heart of Hepburn Springs, this contemporary bistro has a deceiving name, as no one seems at all cranky. At lunch, $40 gets…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
Miss this end of Johnston St and you'll miss these boiled bagels, rolled fresh and wood-fired daily. Chewy in all the right places, they come slathered in…
Great Ocean Road
Bringing some contemporary style to PC's main strip is this tasteful little cafe-provedore, with a tasty menu of gourmet breakfast and brunch dishes made…
Victorian High Country
The perfect destination for a spot of healthy refuelling after High Country exercise, What You Eat combines loads of virtuous vegan and vegetarian…
Victoria
Inside Maryborough's grand railway station is this lovely space with polished floorboards and period furnishings. It's now used as a cafe and bar, with…
Port Fairy
One of Port Fairy's best places for seafood, the Irish-owned Blakes has a cosy atmosphere, set in a former stables and with a roaring fireplace in winter…
Victoria
The deconstructed name might be a tad pretentious (black milk, get it?) but the coffee and food are anything but. If you're like us, you'll find yourself…
Fitzroy, Collingwood & Abbotsford
Is this Melbourne's best gelato? Messina fans are crossing Smith St to find out. Either way, Piccolina appeals more to traditionalists without any quirky…
Tidal River General Store & Cafe
Victoria
Tidal River's general store has grocery items, ice, some camping equipment and gas bottles, but if you're hiking or staying a while it's cheaper to stock…
Great Ocean Road
Modern and stylish, this cafe is run by a well-travelled couple and is popular for all-day breakfast rolls, including the signature 'Mr T & Me', with…
St Kilda, Elwood & Elsternwick
This chef-owned burger joint uses Aussie produce and makes its own sauces. If you're up to the challenge, order the Recovery Burger: two 150g patties and…
