Courthouse Restaurant and Garden Bar

The old Warragul courthouse has been a restaurant for several decades, but it took a modern turn at the end of 2016 when it received a much-needed renovation. New owner Leigh Marino peeled back the plaster to reveal the original brick walls, and maintained the impressive wooden ceiling.

Marino took the building’s history as the town’s courthouse and carried the theme through to the menu and decor. There’s an indoor dining room that feels like it could have drawn a revelrous crowd in the Prohibition era, and a garden bar that’s good for a relaxed lunch.

The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, featuring mains such as pork belly with roasted pears, apple sauce and fennel, paired with sides of figs, beetroot, yoghurt, orange and balsamic across both sittings.

Outdoors you can enjoy more casual dishes such as pizza and schnitzel. And depending on your timeframe, there’s a chef’s table menu (for the leisurely diner) or an express two or three-course lunch option for those trying to make the most of a lunch hour.

If you’re eager to sample the region’s best produce, try the Gippsland grass-fed or grain-fed beef done on the grill, and wine from Wild Dog Winery, Lightfoot and Sons, and Blue Gables.

Explore Gippsland further using our detailed Out of Town to West Gippsland guide.