WHERE TO EAT
You’ll find no shortage of amazing culinary experiences in Port Fairy, the food and coffee culture here rivals that of Melbourne with the bonus of having access to some of the tastiest and freshest produce in the region. There is something to suit everyone’s taste and budget level, and if you don’t feel like dining in, there is always the option of grabbing some gourmet treats to enjoy a picnic with picturesque views, or even some fish and chips on the beach.
Here are my top food recommendations in Port Fairy and surrounds.
Brunch & Coffee
Bank St + C0 is the perfect place to enjoy a delicious leisurely breakfast that spills over into lunch. Their menu is interesting and varied with a good range of vegetarian and gluten free options. I highly recommend the Dukkah spiced butternut pumpkin with poached eggs and greens. What a healthy start to the day!
BANK ST + CO
28 Bank St, Port Fairy
(03) 5568 1610
Lazy Lunch & Wine
Basalt Wines Vineyard is the region’s only coastal winery and one of the few bio-dynamic wineries in Victoria. Located just across the road from the Tower Hill volcano crater, the soil is rich with small pieces of basalt (bluestone), hence the name Basalt Wines. If you pay close attention you’ll notice their logo is a topographical map of the volcano crater. The cellar door is open daily from 9am for breakfast, lunch, coffee & cake, tapas and of course, wine tasting. We enjoyed an assortment of nibbles and several stand out glasses of wine, all with spectacular views of the vines. The owner Shane Clancey tells me they are planning to run a shuttle bus into town over the peak holiday period so dinners can safely enjoy a few drinks without worrying about driving home. Great idea!
The Mr enjoyed the new release Pinot Noir so much that he bought a case to take home.
BASALT WINES & CELLAR DOOR
1131 Princes Hwy, Killarney
0429 682 251
Fancy Dinner
Merrijig Kitchen is an unassuming little restaurant located in the historic dining room of the cosy Merrijig Inn, Victoria’s oldest Inn! Serving only the freshest local produce, it’s menu changes daily to best highlight ‘what’s good’ on the day. The food was faultless and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming (even with a child in tow). The dinning room has limited seating so booking are recommended. Open for dinner from 6pm Thursday to Monday nights.
MERRIJIG KITCHEN
1 Campbell St, Port Fairy
(03) 5568 2324
Casual Dinner & Drinks
Coffin Sally makes some of the best pizza you’ll ever eat. It has a simple menu of only pizza and salad but it does them extraordinarily well with some of the best local ingredients including delicious real buffalo milk mozzarella from the Shaw River Buffalo Dairy just up the road. The bar and dining area is located in the rear down a long corridor and the decor is eclectic and moody. It’s a great place to grab a drink with a huge selection of international beers, wine and tasty cocktails. If this place was in Melbourne there would be a queue down the street waiting to get in. Even during quite periods it’s hard to get a table so I’d recommend making a booking and if all else fails, get a takeaway pizza to enjoy at home. Open for dinner and drinks every night and for lunch on busy weekends.
COFFIN SALLY
33 Sackville St, Port Fairy
(03) 5568 2618
High Tea
One of the highlights of our stay, High tea at Time & Tide is the perfect way to finish off a special weekend break. Just a few minutes out of town and perched right on over the water, the Time & Tide tea rooms offer a spectacular champagne High Tea experience with a towering assortment of cakes and savouries all with a magnificent view. Skip lunch that day because you’ll need the extra room for tasty treats.
Only open on Saturday and Sunday from 12-4pm, Bookings essential for a guaranteed table.
Read my full review of Time & Tide
TIME & TIDE HIGH TEA
21 Thistle Place. Port Fairy
(03) 5568 2134
Ice Cream
No trip to the seaside is complete without enjoying an ice cream and Poco Artisan Ice-Cream is a favourite with locals and tourists alike. All the ice cream is made on site with flavours that rotate regularly. You’ll find all your classics as well as interesting flavour combos such as Fig Crustoli, After Dinner Mint and Wattle Seed with chocolate. It gets very busy during peak holiday periods but the ice cream is certainly worth the wait.
POCO ARTISAN ICE CREAM
27 Cox St, Port Fairy
(03) 5568 1979
GETTING THERE
Port Fairy is a 3.5hr drive from Melbourne, or take the scenic route and add it onto the end of a Great Ocean Road road trip. There are regular bus services from Warrnambool, which has connections to Melbourne via train or air.
PIN FOR LATER
My Poppet visited Port Fairy as guest of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism and we were hosted by some of the businesses mentioned. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Oh I love port fairy area. I grew up near warrnambool area. I used to go camping as a kid in port fairy with my family and go to beach everyday as caravan park very short walk to the beach.