4 Best Restaurants in Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Named for the Jaume Plensa​ sculpture of a girl's head, which is in full view of the best tables, this award-winning restaurant sits at the heart of a A$60-million-plus sculpture park, and its set menus celebrate the peninsula's bounty and its connections with local farmers. The decor is calm and elegant, with white-linen tablecloths and neutral, soothing tones that do not distract from the stunning setting framed by its walls of windows. The signature and seasons menus are tight, creative, and special; the only stress is with the wait list for reservations. Dinner is served only on Saturday night. One of but a handful of Australian appointments to Relais & Châteaux.

Good food, local wines, and notable art mix at this beautiful community hub, which has been a general store for a century. Pull up a chair at a farmhouse table and order the buttermilk hotcakes for brunch, or settle in for a long lunch—start with the salumi and move on to elegant mains—beneath the vines on the terrace. Alternatively, you could create a seriously good hamper for the ultimate beach picnic. The store has lovely gift ideas, and is also the home of Elgee Park and Baillieu wines, so the walls are stocked with an extensive range of wines from lesser-known labels, with highly knowledgeable staff on hand to talk you through your choices. 

Overlooking a vineyard of rolling green hills, the feted restaurant at this cellar door has a set menu that changes regularly based on available local produce, much from its gardens. The wine list borrows from the best of the estate's vintages, as well as classic wines from other regions. For a more casual option that suits families, opt for the open-air Piazza Café & Cellar Door or, to escape the crowds on sunny days, picnic on the grounds from hampers prepared by the restaurant. They're are hugely popular, so book well in advance. Take a postprandial stroll through the permanent sculpture display. If the timing is right, you'll be able to see the entries in the Montalto Sculpture Prize and vote for your favorite. The expansive property also includes a natural wetlands and specially built boardwalks, from which visitors have a chance of spotting more than 90 bird species.

Set in a 1920s apple cold-store and packing shed, there's nothing shabby about The Epicurean. Take a seat out in the sunshine and enjoy a coffee and pastries, or load up on their substantial sandwiches. It also has a good range of locally produced condiments and teas, for fancy self-caterers. If you've more time (and a booking), sit down for lunch or dinner in the Italian restaurant, The Shed.