5 Award-Winning Bellarine Restaurants That’ll Rock Your Taste Buds
The Bellarine Peninsula isn’t just about stunning coastal views and top-tier wineries—it’s also a paradise for food lovers. Whether you're celebrating something special or just pretending to be fancy for the night, these five award-winning fine dining restaurants will blow your taste buds away (and possibly your budget, but hey, you deserve it). Get ready to have a ‘grape’ time!
Tucked away in Connewarre, Moonah Restaurant is what happens when nature and fine dining have a love child. With a 16 Chef Hat rating (yes, that's a thing), this place takes ‘farm-to-table’ to the next level. Expect dishes so beautifully plated you'll hesitate to ruin them—until hunger wins. You’ll be ‘forking’ delighted with every bite.
Location: Connewarre, VIC
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Why Visit: It’s the highest-rated Chef Hat awardee in the region, which means you can impress your foodie friends by casually name-dropping it.
If you're looking for a stylish spot in Geelong West where the food is just as trendy as the décor, Tulip is your place. With 13 Chef Hats (seriously, how many hats do these chefs have?), this modern Australian hotspot is all about creative dishes, seasonal produce, and flavors that make you rethink everything you knew about food. It’s ‘thyme’ to treat yourself!
Location: Geelong West, VIC
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Why Visit: The food is as artistic as the walls, and the flavors are as bold as your decision to order that extra cocktail.
3. Jack Rabbit Vineyard Restaurant
Imagine sipping wine on a hill overlooking the ocean while enjoying some of the Bellarine’s finest local produce. That’s Jack Rabbit Vineyard Restaurant for you. Awarded Best Menu of Local Produce and Best Customer Service, they’ll make you feel like royalty—even if you're just there for the wine and Instagram pics. Hop to it and book a table!
Location: Bellarine, VIC
Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Why Visit: Stunning views, estate-grown wines, and food that’ll make you contemplate moving to the Bellarine permanently.
Perched among olive groves and vineyards (because regular dining settings are overrated), Merne at Lighthouse offers a communal dining experience that makes sharing actually enjoyable. The dishes are fresh, locally inspired, and so good that you may ‘accidentally’ take more than your fair share from the shared plates. Lettuce celebrate good food!
Location: Drysdale, VIC
Cuisine: Contemporary Australian
Why Visit: Beautiful setting, expertly crafted dishes, and a chance to prove you can be a team player when it comes to sharing food.
5. The Q Train
Who needs a regular restaurant when you can dine on a moving train? The Q Train combines fine dining with a scenic railway journey, serving up a multi-course degustation menu featuring the best local ingredients. You’ll feel like you’re in an Agatha Christie novel—minus the murder mystery and with much better food. Hop aboard for a ‘loco-motive’ dining adventure!
Location: Drysdale, VIC
Cuisine: Degustation, Modern Australian
Why Visit: It’s a train. With gourmet food. And wine. Need we say more?
Plan Your Gourmet Escape to the Bellarine Peninsula
Our luxurious holiday rental is the perfect home base for your fine dining adventure. After indulging in these top-tier restaurants, retreat to your private heated pool, sip wine in the landscaped gardens, and remind yourself why life is ‘so gouda.’
Book your stay now—because food this good deserves an equally luxurious place to nap afterward.
Follow my blog for more Bellarine travel tips and recommendations—it’s the ‘yeast’ I can do!