4 Best Restaurants in The Dandenong Ranges, Victoria

With crackling open fires in winter and a covered, dog-friendly deck for summer grazing, this buzzy cottage café–cum-purveyor is the perfect place for a big breakfast, a heartwarming casual lunch, or afternoon tea. The menu changes daily but may include baguettes, fish, or pasta, with a focus on vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices. And while the Dandenongs have a long tradition of Devonshire teas, temptation here mainly comes in the shape of mouthwatering cakes, all made with free-range eggs, and spiced, organic chai latte.

This determinedly old-fashioned and charming establishment is modeled after an English tearoom and is renowned for its afternoon teas. Named after the famous Agatha Christie detective, this place is a holdout from the era when the Dandenong Ranges were visited by genteel folk looking for polite conversation over a civilized cup of tea. On the menu are classic light meals such as quiche Lorraine and cottage pie, but what this tea room is really known for is its scones. The large light, fluffy square-cut scones are served in sets of two, accompanied by homemade raspberry jam and whipped cream. They go nicely with the house tea blend, Yorkshire Gold.

All the baked goods in this popular café began from Victorian biodynamic wheat flour that's milled here in the bakery. Proserpina bakes its organic breads daily, including the popular pane di'casa wheat bread and the sprouted grain spelt and rye. Stock up on Parmesan quiches or croissants stuffed with smoked ham and Gruyere cheese, or sit down for a lunch of fresh or hot-pressed sandwiches with such stuffings as grilled eggplant or prosciutto. Finish with an organic, fairtrade coffee, quality tea or a glass of local wine, beer, or cider. Vegan and vegetarian options are available.

This popular café-restaurant, right in the heart of Olinda, buzzes all day and is the perfect place for a snack or meal after browsing the adjacent curio shops or gardens. Its lunchtime fare includes a lemon-pepper calamari salad, "loaded" burgers, and soup or pasta of the day.