7 Restaurants in Mornington Peninsula

You're never far from the sea on the Mornington Peninsula, lapped as it is by the waters of Port Phillip Bay on one side and Western Port Bay on the other. Coastal villages like the picturesque cliff-top settlement of Flinders are the perfect places to tuck into some succulent catch of the day. Dotted along the sandy beaches and quiet coves of Mornington Peninsula are many restaurants serving outstanding seafood. There's nothing like working up an appetite with a walk along the shore, then sitting down to a plate of fiery oysters Kilpatrick, a popular Aussie dish that comes with a kick of Worcestershire sauce and a topping of grilled bacon. After that, you might like to hook yourself some pan-seared John Dory, a fillet of sea needle garnished with herbs or a chunky flat head tail served in beer batter with handmade chips. Or if your taste runs to pasta, Mornington Peninsula restaurants are usually good for a lip-smacking seafood linguine.

Many of the top restaurants in the Mornington Peninsula are blessed with beautiful settings, allowing you to sight-see while you enjoy some tasty local dishes. They're frequently located in heritage properties and estates which are tourist attractions in their own right. Other restaurants use produce grown in their own kitchen gardens, which create an attractively green, leafy backdrop for meals al fresco. Decor and interiors range from nineteenth century period styles to chic modern designs with rammed earth walls, huge picture windows and timber decks. A particular nexus for gourmet restaurants in Mornington Peninsula is the small, scenic market town of Red Hill in the centre of wine-growing country. Here you can choose between traditional European menus and contemporary Australian cuisine, and try local game such as barbecued quail and roast duck as well as more niche Aussie dishes like wallaby rump.