The Mornington Peninsula

This well-stocked cafe is a local favourite. Grab a pastry or a pie to take away, or settle in for a coffee and a toastie. On your way out, be sure to take a look at the thoughtful range of products from some of the peninsula’s favourite makers.

Back in the ’90s, you’d be arriving here with your bowling shoes. Now, be sure to arrive with an appetite for local produce.

Pick your own strawberries.

Bags of lollies and cafe classics, united.

A backstreets cafe worth seeking out, if only for the locally famous breakfast roll.

A cellar door for coffee.

Beach, brunch and books. What more could you want for your weekend?

More fine coffee and a metropolitan-inspired menu from the team at Commonfolk.

Raw food and sweets in an industrial fit-out.

Take your tasting platter onto the deck. You might spot a koala.

Traditional apple pies meet modern-day cronuts at this home-style bakery.

Outstanding coffee hidden in the back streets.

The most grandiose winery on the Mornington Peninsula, complete with its own sculpture park.

Southern American barbeque in a big, pleasant shed.

Crittenden, the vineyard upon which Stillwater restaurant is situated, is renowned for its chardonnays and pinot noirs (but also does cracking sparkling and Spanish wines). It’s a good match for Stillwater, which offers up a confident, well-rounded menu that combines winery restaurant favourites with more esoteric dishes (such as house-made beetroot pasta).

Jackalope’s in-house fine diner is just as extravagant and eccentric as the rest of the sprawling complex. But it's grounded by a steadfast commitment to local produce and seasonality. And caviar.

A warm, communal restaurant next door to Jackalope.

This winery is a great visit. There’s something for everyone. Although T’Gallant specialises in pinot grigio, there’s a full stable of wines to try, including rose, pinot noir and all the other usual suspects. The matching pizzas are best eaten in the huge Italian-inspired courtyard, with views out over the vines .

A quintessential Mornington Peninsula food and wine experience. The dining rooms offers panoramic views of the vines and native trees – a stunning contrast to the clean interiors. The menu, meanwhile, respectfully combines influences from around the world, with an emphasis on share dishes.

A day at Foxey’s Hangout is as laidback and easygoing as the wine it produces. It’s set on a spacious estate with an open kitchen, cosy dining room and sunny outdoor deck. The varied share plate-focused menu is a good match for the easy-drinking wines here.

Come for a paddock-to-plate lunch, stay for a farm tour.

An iconic limestone pub with five bars, a stunning rooftop, restaurant and on-site accommodation with bay views.

A distillery, cocktail bar and rum garden featuring rums distilled on premises.

Yarn to the bartender over a cocktail, hot bird and vegan snacks while listening to ZZ Top.

What this winery lacks in size, it more than makes up for in character. Whether it’s the quaint, well-appointed guesthouses (made from reconverted 1930s train carriages) or the idiosyncratic pinot noirs and pinot gris – naturally fermented with wild yeast, then hand-macerated – a visit here is sure to stand out.

One of the oldest vineyards on the Peninsula is also one of its most elevated: it's eighty metres above sea level.

Footy on the TV, plenty of food and a big outdoor area for kids to play in. This one is made for long, lazy afternoons.

A peaceful, low-key spot that specialises in easy-drinking European-style beers.

An avant-garde bar next to the Jackalope hotel.

At this Mornington Peninsula distillery, you'll learn how to make your gin. Afterwards, you get to enjoy it. If you'd rather leave it to the experts, there's a great bar and shop.

Sample biodynamic apples and their many liquid expressions.

An Italian style deli serving top-notch take home meals, local and imported ingredients and coffee on the weekend.

A bottle shop where you can stay a while, with a glass of wine and a platter.

The owner has been selling vinyl since 1976.

Melbourne street style meets beachside boho.

Here, it’s as if the digital revolution never happened.

A boutique luxury stay on a 10-hectare working farm. There’s a studio that’s made for weekends away, with an optional adjoining living area that looks out onto the olive groves.

An iconic limestone pub with five bars, a stunning rooftop, restaurant and on-site accommodation with bay views.

A converted 1950s holiday home on a working vineyard with three bedrooms, a roomy bathtub and an outdoor firepit.

A modern oasis set among dunes and bushland, just a short walk to the beach.

Glamour and surrealism meet at this designer hotel.