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The Best Restaurants in Daylesford to Book Right Now
Make your holiday a feast with a delicious meal at one of the best restaurants in Daylesford.
The charming town of Daylesford has long been one of Victoria’s most loved regional escapes. People come for the mineral springs, spa retreats and storybook landscapes — but increasingly, they stay for the food. From historic pubs and relaxed wine bars to destination fine dining and paddock-to-plate experiences, Daylesford’s dining scene punches well above its postcode.
Whether you’re planning a long weekend or a full Spa Country escape, these are the restaurants worth booking while you’re there.
Lotte
On Hepburn Springs’ main strip, Lotte moves gently between moods. Daylight brings good coffee and plates guided by season and appetite; Saturday night’s summertime energy shifts the room into something more intimate, with confident cooking and a thoughtful Victorian wine focus. It’s relaxed, instinctive dining — rewarding those who arrive hungry and stay curious.
Thursday to Monday, 8am to 3pm, with Saturday nights extending into evening service
97 Main Road, Hepburn Springs
Daylesford Hotel
Historic bones, modern energy. Revived by the team behind Cliffy’s and Beppe, the Daylesford Hotel is everything a great country pub should be — generous, lively and welcoming at every hour. There’s a buzzing public bar, a firelit bistro serving polished pub classics, and a sun-drenched beer garden made for spritzes and pints alike. Wood-fired pizzas remain a drawcard (yes, there’s still a drive-through), but it’s the atmosphere that seals it. Come for lunch, stay for sunset.
2 Burke Square, Daylesford
Bar Merenda
One of Daylesford’s most compelling dining rooms, Bar Merenda is a relaxed wine bar and eatery built around seasonal produce, thoughtful cooking and a seriously good cellar. The handwritten blackboard menu changes weekly, hovering somewhere between bistro and share-plate territory. Expect olive focaccia, local vegetables with mozzarella or ricotta, comforting slow-cooked mains that steal the show, and fruity sorbets come summertime.
Wines span Victoria and Europe, with a particular love for Italy. Casual, warm and deeply satisfying — this is the table locals fight hardest for.
117 Vincent Street, Daylesford
Le Bouchon at Attwoods
A short drive from town brings you to Attwoods Wines, where Le Bouchon delivers refined French dining without the stiffness. Chef Sean Marshall works closely with the kitchen garden to create a five-course menu that evolves monthly — think duck à l’orange, truffle-poached lobster or perfectly judged desserts. Paired with cool-climate wines and vineyard views, it’s super impressive and absolutely worth the detour.
260 Green Gully Road, Glenlyon
Lake House
A heavyweight of the regional dining scene, Lake House remains one of Australia’s great destination restaurants. Two-hatted and proudly seasonal, much of what you eat is grown, baked or cured onsite. Dine overlooking the lake on dishes shaped by the kitchen garden and surrounding farms, then take an aperitif on the deck as dusk settles. This is Daylesford at its most refined.
4 King Street, Daylesford
Kadota
Kadota’s approach is calm, considered and deeply intentional. Japanese-trained chef Aaron Schembri serves a seasonal seven-course menu that unfolds slowly, with dishes that might include sashimi, XO pork dumplings or wagyu sirloin. The timber-lined dining room sets the tone for a restorative, quietly luxurious experience that has earned national attention.
1 Camp Street, Daylesford
Sault
Set across a lavender-lined estate, Sault is as much about setting as it is about the food. The modern Australian menu showcases regional produce and ingredients grown onsite, served in a country house dining room overlooking rolling fields. After lunch, wander the gardens and lake — it’s part of the ritual.
2349 Ballan-Daylesford Road, Sailors Falls
Du Fermier
Dining at Du Fermier feels like being welcomed into someone’s home. Chef Annie Smithers creates a four-course set menu each weekend based entirely on what’s coming out of the garden and pantry. Rooted in French farmhouse cooking, the food is generous, soulful and designed to be shared. Book well ahead.
Open for lunch Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Reservations essential
42 High Street, Trentham
Bistro Terroir
Schedule a delicious rendezvous at Bistro Terroir, a French neighbourhood bistro in the heart of Daylesford where classic technique meets modern mood. Chef-owner Matthew Carnell brings experience from Michelin-starred kitchens in France to an intimate dining room of his own, serving assured takes on crab soufflé, beef tartare and steak frites. The wine list leans confidently French — Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Loire well represented — while the dramatic black and exposed-brick interior gives the room a contemporary edge that feels entirely seductive.
6/8 Howe Street, Daylesford
Boathouse Daylesford
For a long lunch with a view, the Boathouse delivers. Sitting right on Lake Daylesford, the menu is fresh and unfussy — oysters, grilled fish, pastas and salads — best enjoyed slowly with a glass of local wine as the water glints beside you.
2 Leggatt Street, Daylesford
The Surly Goat
Let the kitchen decide. The Surly Goat’s weekly changing four-course menu is driven by what’s freshest and most inspiring, drawing flavours from across the globe. Friendly service, strong local wines and a leafy outlook make this one of the region’s most beloved dining rooms.
3 Tenth Street, Hepburn Springs
The Virgin Kitchen
Set within Hotel Bellinzona, The Virgin Kitchen is a light-filled all-day restaurant where food, art and place come together effortlessly. Part cafe, part dining room, part gallery, the space champions local produce through menus that feel fresh, thoughtful and quietly expressive. Original artworks line the walls, while the kitchen keeps its focus firmly on the region’s best growers and makers. Settle in for breakfast, lunch or a long afternoon meal in the garden. It’s refined, relaxed and a true Spa Country favourite.
77 Main Road, Hepburn Springs
Winespeake
A bonafide paradise for wine and cheese lovers, Winespeake is a cellar and deli in the heart of Daylesford tailor made for the lull between lunch and dinner. They’ve got a stunning range of local and imported pâtés, parfaits, charcuterie, cheeses and accompaniments that you can buy or enjoy in house with a crusty baguette and a glass of fine wine.
4/26 Vincent Street, Daylesford
Betel Boy
Betel Boy brings vibrant pan-Asian flavours and zingy cocktails to Daylesford’s main street, wrapped in an energetic, contemporary setting made for sharing. The menu opens with snackable hits like DIY veggie rolls, spiced chicken ribs and duck leg pancakes, before settling into bolder mains — think earthy eggplant Penang curry or crisp barramundi salad. Designed for groups, conversation and late evenings, it’s a go-to for a lively night out in town.
57A Vincent Street, Daylesford
Daylesford Cider Co
Reminiscent of an English-style tavern, Daylesford Cider’s cellar door is an all-seasons beauty worth putting on your itinerary. In summer, their expansive courtyard comes alive with merrymaking groups sipping tasting paddles and playing bocce, while in winter, you’ll find people huddling inside over hot spiced cider. Their crowd-pleasing menu is top rate too, with fresh wood-fired pizzas, generous grazing platters and beer snacks keeping punters sated.
155 Dairyflat Road, Musk
GRAIN x Daylesford Brewing Co
Where better to spend a slow afternoon than GRAIN x Daylesford Brewing Co’s flagship taproom and restaurant? Settle in with a tasting paddle or pint from their ever-evolving craft beer lineup, paired with rotating share plates and pub snacks designed to match the pours. When hunger calls for something more substantial, the burgers are the move — from a classic cheeseburger to their much-loved fried chicken burger with double cheese and chipotle aioli. With sunlight flooding the space and relaxed outdoor seating, it’s an easy place to lose track of time.
97 Vincent Street, Daylesford
Farmer’s Arms Hotel
Open since 1857, Farmer’s Arms Hotel remains one of Daylesford’s great dining institutions. Behind the ivy-traced brick façade and arched leadlight windows is a welcoming pub serving some of the town’s most reliable bistro cooking. The menu changes with the seasons, drawing on local produce for dishes like beef tartare, mushroom pâté with port jelly, venison pot pie, coq au vin and burnt Basque cheesecake. Settle into a cushioned booth with a glass of wine and it’s easy to feel right at home.
2 East Street, Daylesford
Loved our guide to the best restaurants in Daylesford and surrounds? Plan the ultimate Daylesford getaway with our guide to a girls’ weekend away, top accommodation picks and all the must-dos in town.
