The Yarra Valley is well-renowned for its wine, with day trippers and locals alike enjoying world-class vintages at vineyard restaurants with breathtaking views. Additionally, its cuisine showcases fresh local ingredients.
Welcome the “farm to table” concept with long lunches at outstanding winery restaurants like Eleonore’s Restaurant at Yering Station or indulge in delightful cafe experiences such as breakfast and Devonshire tea around Healesville.
Winery Restaurant
Yarra Valley wineries boast elegant dining rooms that overlook vineyards and wide open plains, perfect for long lunches with wine tasting. Enjoy hatted restaurants’ wine list or sample some of the region’s best produce at farms, orchards and dairies within one hour’s drive of Melbourne – where exceptional food, fine wines and country hospitality come together perfectly.
Bianchet Wine Cellar Door draws couples and girls’ weekend gatherings comparing vintages at its bar before moving inside to find nine-gen winemaker Dominique Portet and his team crafting gourmet cuisine that complements his wines in what he terms a style he refers to as ‘simplicity with complexity’ – for instance shaved truffle is added to oyster mushrooms before being placed atop chardonnay-spiked cashew butter on a bed of slippery oyster mushrooms! Their menu also offers Gippsland black Angus steak served alongside braised daikon, fennel puree, plus Gold Band Snapper complete with Bouillabaisse King Prawn and Fennel.
Some of the Yarra Valley’s premier restaurants have earned themselves a spot in the Good Food Guide and are renowned for serving seasonal and contemporary fare featuring regional produce. Settle into one of No. 7 Healesville’s leather booths for an exceptional tasting and dining experience paired with wine from this region; or check out Yering Station – an open, light space with wide views of vineyards and cattle pastures – where contemporary dining takes centre stage.
Other highlights in the Yarra Valley include Michelin-star Aria in Healesville, run by Chef Jo Barrett. There, indigenous ingredients finally find their place on fine dining menus: pea-sized native apples provide caperberry sharpness to burnished kangaroo loin, while saltbush leaves add the final flourish on dishes of lovage, Murray cod and spiced emu mortadella.
For an interactive dining experience, join a Cook’s Tour of the Region? With Fever, you and your family will collaborate to navigate around your location meeting local producers and collecting seasonal artisanal ingredients from them before following a recipe to cook up an incredible roast dinner using everything that has been collected!
Cellar Door & Restaurant
Melbourne’s main water catchment area, it boasts spectacular scenic beauty with scenic hills meeting sweeping valleys, charming regional towns and vineyards. Additionally, this destination is also one of Australia’s renowned and most visited day trip spots where wine enthusiasts come for wine appreciation; here you can find well-established wines as well as innovative producers pioneering new varietals and techniques of wine production.
TarraWarra offers both wine and cultural experiences in one. Open for just over a decade, TarraWarra stands as one of the region’s premier cellar doors. Set on 400 ha, its vineyards, cattle grazed from them, bushland reserved as bushland with honey bees buzzing through it, tunnelling cellars where one can sit back, taste wine or dine out there; not forgetting its impressive rammed earth buildings emerging from beneath earth and tunnelling cellars where visitors can sip wine! All this plus its significant regional gallery showcasing contemporary art; plus its restaurant make it worth your while visiting!
TarraWarra’s winery experience can be enjoyed without needing a guided cellar door tasting tour, with winery tasting packages that include food available online for booking. Their seasonal and French inspired cuisine features dishes like confitted celery root with blood oranges or Sardinian-style dumplings filled with ricotta served with cultured brine butter – the choice is yours!
Coldstream Winery boasts an idyllic setting high up on the ridge in Coldstream with breathtaking views. Visit alone to sample wines and take in the beautiful sights, or book a table for lunch in their restaurant which specializes in seasonal, local produce.
Coombe Yarra Valley pride themselves on producing world-class wines and offering world-class dining experiences. Their menu showcases local produce and cheeses alongside award-winning wines produced at Coombe Yarra Valley’s heritage listed former home of celebrated opera singer Dame Nellie Melba; guests may choose whether to dine indoors amongst wine barrels or outdoors overlooking lush gardens for an unforgettable dining experience.
Dining Experiences
Indulge in local produce combined with world-class wines at one of Yarra Valley’s fine restaurants. Enjoy an indulgent three-course dinner at Yering Station Winery Restaurant’s three-course dining option with seasonal dishes and an impressive wine list, or dine out with the family at Meletos Cafe within a restored farmhouse – it has Tuesday Pizza Night and Thursday Pasta as well as nine Parma types from Nacho Parma to Vegan Dream Parma served up alongside beer battered chips, salad or vegetables for everyone’s pleasure.
The lush farmlands of Yarra Valley also produce delicious cider and craft gin, so be sure to make time to sample these local spirits as well. Four Pillars Distillery – an iconic destination for gin enthusiasts worldwide – and Healesville Cidery both offer cider made with apples or pear juice; for beer or cider tours Coldstream Brewery, Hargreaves Hill Brewery and Buckley’s Brewery offer guided experiences.
After wine tasting, take a break with coffee at one of Yarra Valley’s cafes for either morning espresso or a leisurely lunch. Cafe Meletos serves up gourmet breakfast and lunch items in an old farmhouse, while Stones of the Yarra Valley features rustic barn decor serving gourmet meals in an all-day diner setting.
Dining options in the Yarra Valley are as diverse as its vineyards and farms themselves. Modern, glass-walled restaurants with breathtaking vineyard views are often found at wineries in this region; Oakridge features Executive Chef Aaron Brodie who crafts menus using ingredients sourced directly from its kitchen garden; while Eleonore’s offers five-course tasting menus in an 18th century chateau.
Visit the Yarra Valley Cheese Factory for an unhurried dining experience, or venture out on Saturday and Sunday mornings to the Healesville Farmers Market. Or if winery dining isn’t your preference, take your own picnic from any number of food trucks at Coldstream and Healesville Markets with ample parking nearby – there’s sure to be something perfect.
Events
Yarra Valley is well known as an exceptional wine region, but also for its delicious food offerings. To maximize your Yarra Valley day trip experience, why not take part in a culinary tour that showcases some of its top local produce. Enjoy gourmet meals such as handcrafted chocolates or gourmet cheeses before pairing it all with regional wines!
Yarra Valley restaurants boast some of the finest cuisine in Australia, many offering breathtaking views. Enjoy long lunches at one of its outstanding vineyard restaurants such as Eleonore’s at Chateau Yering or Meletos at Stones of the Yarra Valley; or sample contemporary fare at 1309 Balgownie Estate.
Try dining on delicious farm-to-table fare at one of Healesville’s quaint cafes, while relaxing with a glass of wine while supporting local farmers. Or take your dining on Puffing Billy with you; dining cars provide convenient service; or visit Miss Marple’s Tearooms for high tea services from Victorian-era icons!
Visit the Yarra Valley Market to complete your gastronomic experience – this popular market takes place every third Sunday of each month and features fresh local produce and gourmet treats such as delicious berries and apples from Yarra Valley farms, freshly baked bread from nearby bakeries, cheeses from nearby cheesemongers, chocolate from nearby chocolatiers.
Visit Yarra Valley this winter and be sure to experience Fireside: an event that celebrates all that makes winter special. Toast to moody skies, cozy fires and delicious cuisine during over 30 events held over 16 days at this festival!
Yarra Valley is easily accessible from Melbourne, making it the ideal day trip or weekend getaway destination. Take a scenic drive through its breathtaking valley scenery while spotting native Australian wildlife and enjoying beautiful landscapes. Visit one of Melbourne’s many wineries such as Chandon or Oakridge to sip exquisite vintages such as bubbly or Chardonnays before stopping off in charming towns to explore boutique eateries, shops or take cooking lessons to master classic dishes in style.