The Best Restaurants in Mornington Peninsula Right Now

Locals and weekenders are spoiled for choice when it comes to dining in the Mornington Peninsula, as an ever-growing list of trendy new eateries swing open their doors across this magnificent region.

The central hub of Main Street Mornington is your epicentre for drinking and dining, but neighbouring streets (and suburbs) are increasingly home to drawcard venues too. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick bite or dinner spent amongst the vines, we’ve whittled down the best restaurants on the Mornington Peninsula that are guaranteed to impress. 

Tedesca Osteria

In just three short years, Tedesca Osteria has cemented itself as one of the must-visit restaurants in not just Victoria, but all of Australia. You won’t know exactly what you’ll be eating until you sit down, with lauded chef Brigitte Hafner working with the day’s best and most inspiring produce. Guests can expect a long and leisurely meal that starts with antipasto, moves onto handmade pasta, and then seafood or meat cooked lovingly over woodfire, before closing off with a rustic dessert. The gorgeous dining room is centered around an open-plan kitchen and impressive brick hearth, making visitors feel right at home. A must-visit restaurant in Mornington Peninsula. 

1175 Mornington Flinders Road, Red Hill

Shi-hui-shi

The striking Hotel Sorrento has recently welcomed renowned chef and restaurateur George Calombaris as Culinary Director. With George's experience and expertise, the hotel's food offerings have already started to evolve, with modern Cantonese restaurant Shi-hui-shi arriving. It's serving up an innovative and flavorful menu that showcases a contemporary take on traditional Cantonese cuisine, fused with local ingredients. An intimate, sensory experience -the artwork and dressings are a nod to the eateries of 1960s Hong-Kong, the cinematic and photographic works of Wong Kar-wai and Fan Ho. One of the best new restaurants in Mornington Peninsula to indulge your inner foodie.

5/15 Hotham Road, Sorrento 

Trofeo Estate

A boutique restaurant with lush vineyard views, Trofeo Estate is serving up award-winning lunch that you need to add to your culinary calendar. 

Inside a 1930s passionfruit cannery building is where you can settle into the estate's main dining space. It stretches out onto a stunning deck and wine garden overlooking 50 acres of rural vineyard.

Headed by Executive Chef, Steve Davidson, the menu is a representation of the region – showcasing local and seasonal produce and designed to be paired with Trofeo's award-winning terracotta wines. There are also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available. 

On the weekend, groups of up to 7 can enjoy the a la carte menu, where you can choose from a two course menu ($67 per person) or three course menu ($79 per person). Groups larger than 8 get to experience a sharing menu for $86 per person. There's even a garden menu available, for a more relaxed experience. 

One of the best restaurants on the Mornington Peninsula right now. 

85 Harrisons Road, Dromana 

T'Gallant Vineyard

Experience the flavours of Italy amidst the picturesque vineyards of T'Gallant Vineyard. Indulge in the finest wines, handcrafted with expertise, as you settle in to savour authentic Italian cuisine made from the freshest local ingredients. This recently reopened vineyard and restaurant offers a delightful blend of rustic charm and contemporary elegance, creating the perfect setting for a memorable dining experience. 

It also has a little something for everyone (kid-friendly pizza alert). 

1385 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge

Laura at Pt Leo Estate 

The Peninsula's Pt. Leo Estate is home to Australia's most comprehensive sculpture collection, but did you know that there's a two-hatted restaurant onsite that's made for long, lazy lunches? Laura is a gourmet hideaway promising an ultra-luxe dining experience in a gloriously intimate setting. With a choice of four, five, or six courses, alongside a beautifully paired wine list, diners will take a gastronomic tour of the region through every plate consumed. 

3649 Frankston - Flinders Road, Merricks 

HABA 

We love the cool, laid-back vibes at HABA, one of Rye's newly kept secrets. From the brilliant mind of Jerome Borazio (who kick-started Laneway Festival into fruition), it's a serving of beach club attitude meets live music, great cocktails and tasty bar bites.

An all-in-one watering hole made for your next weekend evening out with friends, it's one of our favourite new venues on the Pen to kick back and sip margaritas over prawn skewers and parmas. 

2201-2209 Point Nepean Road, Rye

Many Little Bar & Dining

Red Hill's Many Little Bar & Dining is a local bar and modern Asian inspired restaurant. It offers an elevated modern Asian set menu based on the authentic traditions of Executive Chef Gayan Pieris’s homeland, Sri Lanka.

Think dishes like Mooloolaba swordfish with curry leaves, finger lime, and bull horn peppers, fourteen day dry aged Aylesbury duck breast, served with pineapple and lychee, and Kithul jaggery watalappam (a type of cardamom spiced pudding) for dessert.

Many little elements have gone into making this one of the best restaurants in Mornington Peninsula, from the use of sustainably-grown local produce and intimate interiors, to the taste of exceptional Australian and international wine and the friendly, knowledgeable service on hand. They've all combined to ensure this is a dining experience you won't soon forget. 

Dining weekends only

2-5/159 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South 

The Bay Hotel

Mornington's newly restored The Bay Hotel is an absolute beauty, and a true all-rounder for pints, pub grub and live music. Set in the former Commercial Bank building on the main street, the interiors have been fitted out in a nod to the Aussie pubs of yesteryear, with an added dose of Irish charm - and a winning mix of both homeland and American flavours.

Enjoy pub favourites like the chicken parma or a signature cheeseburger, or mix it up with a grilled salmon Nicoise salad or blue swimmer crab linguini. Snackier offerings include yellowfin tartare, oysters mignonette and buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing; a menu that strikes the right notes of refined and approachable.

Sundays also bring a rotating weekend roast special to the table. 

62 Main Street, Mornington

Rare Hare

Rare Hare is the fun and funky winery and restaurant attached to the famed Jackalope Hotel. With three levels of wine tastings available, wine romantics in-the-making should indulge with the Wine Immersion Experience, spending an hour exploring the vineyard, tasting their stellar single vineyard wines and snacking on an expertly-curated cheese board.

Afterwards, warm your spirits with a food fanfare complete with adored seasonal staples, served alongside a tipple (or two) of their finest grapes. 

Oysters glisten with Rare Hare sparkling and a cucumber mignonette, and staple dishes like fried barramundi wings with almond skordalia and nduja butter, spatchcock chicken with potato, artichoke, leek and chestnut, and slow cooked beef with cime di rapa, pumpkin, shallot and salsify will have you tapping open your calendars and making hasty plans to return. 

166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North

Wildgrain

One of the shining stars on Mornington’s foodie scene, Wildgrain is the perfect place to settle in for the afternoon or evening. With its iconic matte black facade juxtaposed with bright interiors brimming with greenery, the restaurant has a chic European vibe that keeps the locals coming back for more. Serving contemporary Australian with a commitment to fresh ingredients, tuck into a handful of share plates like miso cured yellowfin tuna and smoked lamb & saganaki croquettes before moving on to heartier main dishes like dry-aged confit duck leg with buttered brussels sprouts and poached quince.

1 Blamey Place, Mornington

Ten Minutes By Tractor

Ten Minutes By Tractor is a must-visit for those passionate about food and wine. Named after the convergence of three family-owned Mornington Peninsula wineries (each ten minutes by tractor apart), the estate offers some of the truest expressions of the region's varieties as well as inspired dining. Having received two hats as recently as 2018, Chef Adam Sanderson’s tasting menu celebrates the incredible local produce taken from neighbouring farms, the kitchen garden and ingredients foraged from around the region.  

1333 Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge

Assaggini

For chic, comfort food and contemporary wines, Assaggini is the place to be. The quintessential neighbourhood wine bar, there’s a distinctly Euro feel in both the ambience and offering that makes it the perfect spot for an Aperitivo and bite. To browse through their thoughtfully curated wine list is to take a trip to every winemaking corner of the world, starting with a local Pinot Gris from Paringa Estate and ending with a drop-dead gorgeous Domaine de la Tour du Bief Beaujolais. Leaning into its Italian allure, you’ll find everything from cavatelli with oxtail ragu to seafood fritto misto and salumi platters coming out of the kitchen.

1C Albert St, Mornington

Red Gum BBQ

Red Gum BBQ takes you on a journey to the Deep South, a sprawling barbecue joint on the Mornington Peninsula serving local meats cooked low-and-slow over local wood. With rustic country vibes, fine local wines, exceptional craft beer on tap and some of the best Aussie-smoked, American-style BBQ on offer, get ready to roll up your sleeves for some finger-licking good times, with a side of traditional, Southern-style music sure to get your toes-tapping too!

87 Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill

Doot Doot Doot

Did you know that the striking Jackalope Hotel in Mornington Peninsula is home to one of the best restaurants regional Victoria has to offer? Acclaimed fine diner Doot Doot Doot is one for the five star hotel dining books, presenting some of Australia's finest produce and championing a menu that's intrinsically linked to the surrounding land.

Every dish is methodical yet explorative, a tempting tale that weaves fresh goods from their expansive kitchen garden with pleasing flavour profiles, classic techniques, and kitchen curiosity that will have you savouring 'til the last bite. The wine list is also thoughtfully curated, spanning local vineyards to the world’s foremost producers.

Destination dining at its finest, and one of the best restaurants in Mornington Peninsula to indulge your inner foodie times a thousand. 

166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North

Paringa Estate

Established by schoolteacher turned winemaker Lindsey McCall in 1985, Paringa Estate has consistently turned out some of Australia’s top chardonnay, pinot noir and cool-climate shiraz. Arrive on the weekend to sample some of their iconic single-vineyard wines and stay for an intimate dining experience at their highly-lauded restaurant, overlooking the valley and beyond. In 2014, Paringa Estate confirmed its position as of the best winery restaurants in Mornington Peninsula, when it was awarded one Chef Hat in The Age Good Food Guide. It has achieved this every year since!  

Their menu is a celebration of locally sourced, seasonal produce. The beef is typically sourced from Gippsland, the pork from the Western Plains of Victoria and the seafood is local. The team also love foraging for ingredients in the region. It's sincerely a real food and wine dream. 

Paringa Road, Red Hill South

Audrey’s

This sweeping fine diner by the sea is prolific restaurateur Scott Pickett’s first regional venture, and my-oh-my is she a beauty. The anchor restaurant of the revamped Hotel Continental, Audrey's is a homage to the grandmother who inspired Pickett’s cooking. Diners are taken on a journey of premium local seafood reimagined – think Mornington Peninsula squid with shiitake XO, or Shark Bay scallop with kampot (a Cambodian pepper) escabèche – paired with thought-provoking wines. The dining room is a vision of old-world elegance awash in sea green velvet, marble and priceless bay views everywhere you look.

1 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento

Loosie's Diner & Bar

Tucked away in the unassuming pocket of shops on Beleura Hill, Loosie's Diner & Bar is a go-to for fried chicken and burgers, chill vibes, lush cocktails, cold beer, great wine, and excellent tunes. A place to unleash your cravings, we love their Buffalo Burger, mac n cheese patty burger and Reuben Roll; plus the buttermilk chicken tenders and jalapeno poppers are notoriously good for hitting the spot. Wash it all down with one of their fun named cocktails (the Wowee Zowee Whiskey Sour, anyone?) and finish with the popular and oh-so-comforting apple pie. The rock 'n' roll, boozy, 70's LA diner vibes only add to the many reasons why this is one of the best restaurants in the Mornington Peninsula... but did you know that it's also kid-friendly? Winner! 

97 Beleura Hill Road, Mornington

DOC Mornington

DOC Mornington is a favourite for both locals and visitors, thanks to its feather-light and stylish pizzas, set in a large and lively dining hall with alfresco tables. The bases are thin and crispy just like a Neapolitan Nonna would make, and ingredients are imported (complete with a menu map) to ensure the utmost quality. Flavour combinations are simple, yet-oh-so effective. Visit for lunch or dinner and don’t forget to stock up on their take-home pasta and sauces before you leave.

22 Main Street, Mornington

Donna Maria

Continue the European love affair at Donna Maria, the charming Italian sister venue of Bistro Elba. The talented hospo trio put a sophisticated spin on classic dishes that champion Italy’s time-honoured culinary traditions. First things first, start with an aperitivo (the negroni sbagliato is a winner) paired with a fritto misto of crispy fried local seafood and salsa calabrese for the table. For mains, look out for local Flinders legend Harry’s Mussels served with agretto grown on the owner’s farm; hand-cut taglioline with calamari and pistachio pesto, and a fresh as they come barramundi fillet with pesto alla Trapanese.

Shop 1/52 Cook Street, Flinders

Stringers Sorrento

Over 126 years Stringers has lived many lives – corner store, café and now a stylish all-day restaurant and bar. Pop by for fancy breakfasts à la ricotta hotcakes, baked cherry croissant pudding and truffled mushrooms on toast, while from midday they fire up the oven for woodfired Neapolitan pizza made with 72 hour fermented dough, pasta and grilled meats. The sleek and sun filled space is a delight to spend the afternoon in, and you can even pick up some gourmet groceries at the attached provedore on your way out. 

2-8 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento 

Portsea Hotel

This Tudor-style bayside beauty is worth it's weight in ocean salt - and we can think of nothing better than dining here alfresco, slurping oysters, and locally sourced glasses of Chardonnay. 

Say hello to Portsea Hotel.  Get set to uncover a menu brimming with regional produce, pub classics, and seasonal dishes making the best use of these local items.

The large outdoor space has roaming lawn, beach views and French Rivera-esque blue and white brollies open wide, and the recently renovated interiors are sophisticated, chic and light-filled.

The gorgeous Longshore Room in particular feels more like a restaurant than a pub, with wicker chairs, leather banquettes and all the potted greenery giving way to a tiled alfresco area and French doors.

The food and drink have been kept well up to date, given the hotel's near 150-year history. The menu leans Italian, with lashings of pizza, kingfish crudo and vongole pasta that sit pretty alongside pub classics like steak, fish and chips and the almighty parma. 

One of the most picturesque hotels just so happens to be one of the best restaurants in the Mornington Peninsula.

3746 Point Nepean Road, Portsea

Bistro Elba

Travel to the French Riviera without leaving Sorrento at this light-drenched restaurant on Ocean Beach Road. They’re serving gorgeous cuisine from the South of France, plying guests with house baked fougasse, blue swimmer crab soufflé and Provençal style spring vegetables alongside an extensive wine list. Tall windows, skylights and a quaint courtyard bring the sunshine in, while eclectic art covers the walls – perfect for happy snaps. Whatever you do, make sure to leave space for chocolate éclairs and fine imported French cheeses at the end of your meal.

100-102 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento 

Worked your way through the best restaurants on the Mornington Peninsula and looking for more? Why not extend your culinary travels and check out our top picks for dining in Geelong, Daylesford and Albury Wodonga on your travels as well!