Discover the Yarra Valley, home of premium cool-climate wines setting international benchmarks, culinary creativity paired with country hospitality and long lunches in winery eateries or hatted restaurants that showcase local dairy products, fresh produce and seafood.
Modern Australian cuisine blends local ingredients with Asian and Mediterranean techniques. Consider red-braised caramelized wallaby tail with black beans and chiles or roast duck with quandongs (sweet native peaches). Gladysdale Bakehouse provides road trip snacks; stop by today!
Lamb
The Yarra Valley is an absolute foodie’s delight. From small dairy purveyors selling eclectic roadside shops, to five-star restaurants offering award-winning wines and fresh produce, this region is revered for its abundance of produce and its small town charm. Only an hour or so from Melbourne city life, chefs are taking advantage of their surroundings by opening restaurants, bistros and cafes which take full advantage of their surroundings.
At Healesville Hotel, local produce is at the core of their dining offerings and dishes are carefully tailored to pair with their premium wine list. Diners can indulge in dishes like beer battered fish and chips or slow-cooked lamb shoulder served with roasted vegetables; plus there’s also an extensive vegetarian menu on offer!
Grilled lamb chops seasoned with mint and fragrant spices make an irresistibly succulent dinner option when enjoyed alongside a glass of cool climate Australian pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon. Not only is lamb high in protein content, it is also packed with essential nutrients such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12. Lamb is an ideal option for family meals as part of a nutritious diet plan.
If you’re craving something more substantial, why not try a lamb pot roast or casserole? These hearty dishes often have plenty of fat and rich flavors, which requires wines with body and acidity; something like the smooth yet weighty Pinot Noir from Yarra Valley, southern Oregon or Victoria or an elegant Rioja Tempranillo will pair nicely.
An Australian tradition, sausage sizzling is sure to delight on Australia Day. Enjoy these delectable treats whether at the beach, backyard, or at a hardware store’s sizzle – whether on their own or as part of a grander event!
Healesville Chocalteier is another fantastic option in Healesville. Their menu boasts locally-sourced ingredients and the Choc-o-Licious sausage sizzle is sure to please. Plus, with an emphasis on using high-quality local products they should definitely be on your itinerary if in the area!
Beef
Australian cuisine has much to offer the world. From pies to vegemite, Australia has developed its culinary culture over time and now features many delicious national dishes with amazing backstories.
Don’t leave the Yarra Valley winery tour without tasting some of Australia’s iconic cuisine! Vegemite, eaten for generations by indigenous Australians, should definitely be tried; and Anzac biscuits were baked by wives and mothers of soldiers in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during World War I – making for delicious tasting experiences that truly reflect its roots!
Yarra Valley is home to some of Australia’s finest restaurants, featuring dishes that blend traditional Australian ingredients with modern culinary techniques. Oakridge in Healesville stands out among these with award-winning chef Joel Alderdice operating the establishment; Joel has trained in some of the world’s premier kitchens before opening Oakridge with passion and flair! Joel takes great pride in using local ingredients in his dishes while adding local flavours that shine through in every dish served there.
Roast lamb is a classic Australian home-cooked dish and often served with vegetables and potatoes as part of a satisfying and filling meal. Roasting creates crisp vegetables while the juicy meat adds flavourful textures, providing an irresistibly delectable dish!
Apart from its delectable main courses, Yarra Valley also boasts some exquisite desserts. One such dessert is the world-famous caramel slice: an irresistibly tasty shortbread-based sweet confection covered with thick layers of chocolate topping. Also popular among Australians is a puffed pastry roll filled with cheese and bacon.
Yarra Valley vineyards are famous for producing award-winning wines that rival those produced in Burgundy – making them the perfect accompaniments for food of various kinds. From refreshing Chardonnays and velvety Pinot Noirs, to delightful blends like Lavender Rose or Shiraz – whatever your palate demands there’s sure to be something delicious waiting in Yarra Valley vineyards!
As part of your winery tour, be sure to stop at the Yarra Valley Dairy, home to some of Victoria’s best handcrafted soft cheeses like Dill & Maple Ash Cheese as well as delicious marinated spreads. Yarra Valley Dairy makes for the perfect place to round off a day in wine country with their tasty selection.
Fish
The Yarra Valley is well known for its wine production, as well as for its world-class restaurants housed in beautiful Victorian buildings. Foodies will appreciate visiting this region and sampling regional cuisine at one of its numerous world-class eateries like the Yarra Valley Grand Hotel Bistro; ideal for couples or families on budget-friendly Australia road trips looking to sample regional fare. Modern interpretations of pub classics, beautifully presented dishes such as beer-battered fish and chips or slow-cooked lamb shoulder served with roasted vegetables can all be found here!
Healesville Restaurant is another culinary treasure in Yarra Valley. Here you can sample an eclectic range of dishes inspired by its vast diversity, paired with locally produced wines from Hubert Cellar Door. Plus you can even take part in hands-on cooking classes led by experienced chefs; demonstration by chef followed by participants preparing seafood dishes themselves to pair with wine pairings served up afterwards! Tempura pine mushroom with freeze dried miso or wafer thin hibachi pork jowl topped with ribbons of daikon and fuchsia salvia flowers are amongst these dishes on offer here – you won’t want to leave hungry!
While many of these dishes originated in British and European cuisines, they’ve since taken on uniquely Australian flavours and ingredients. Some dishes – like Vegemite and Kangaroos – may surprise you, but they all form part of Australia’s rich culinary legacy.
Jock Zonfrillo of Adelaide-based native food crusader fame uses indigenous ingredients in his cuisine. Working closely with indigenous communities he adapts their recipes for his dishes using items such as finger lime – an edible citrus fruit with tiny balls of citric juice inside; lemon myrtle leaf (lemon meets eucalyptus); samphire; an edible coastal succulent similar to asparagus – among many more!
Visit Yarra Valley without trying one of Australia’s most celebrated desserts – lamingtons are an irresistibly decadent square sponge cake covered in chocolate icing and desiccated coconut. A popular treat among locals, you’ll find them served up everywhere from cafes, bakeries and supermarkets – and best enjoyed alongside hot coffee or tea!
Vegetables
Yarra Valley region boasts many family-owned farms and producers, which offer delicious produce like fruits, vegetables, cheeses, poultry, decadent ice creams and more! Stop at signposted farm gates along the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges U-Pick Trail and purchase directly from growers; or tour Yarra Valley Preserves’ small batch production factory before shopping jams, chutneys mustard jelly salad dressings mayonnaise made in Australia!
At Healesville Hotel in Healesville and its surrounding regions, you’ll find restaurants that celebrate regional Australian cuisine. Their menu showcases everything from local meats and classic beer-battered fish and chips to vegetarian and vegan offerings.
Chef Graeme Taute of this restaurant places great emphasis on using regionally sourced ingredients in his modern Australian dishes, like duck and Yarra Valley feta stuffed puff pastry or local chicken with wild rocket and heirloom tomatoes topped with wild rocket.
Lamingtons are another well-known dish, consisting of square sponge cakes topped with chocolate icing and desiccated coconut, serving as a popular treat across both Australia and New Zealand, due to their shared colonial heritage and shared culinary traditions.
Be it just for a day trip from Melbourne or planning to spend several days immersed in its valley, it is worthwhile visiting one of these delicious eateries in the Yarra Valley – you won’t be sorry you did!
There are plenty of other Australian dishes, but these stand out as some of the more iconic offerings. Enjoy them and other delectable Australian cuisine on your next vacation!