Where Chefs Eat: A Mornington Peninsula Restaurant Hit List From Many Little’s Gayan Pieris

Gayan Pieris (formerly of Cumulus) has led the kitchen at Red Hill restaurant Many Little since 2019. He turned the bistro and bar, previously known for dishes such as veal schnitzel and spaghetti bolognaise, into a must-visit Sri Lankan restaurant where you’ll find egg and string hoppers, bay lobster served with sambol and sourdough roast paan (a Sri Lankan bread), and a parfait made with pani pol (coconut-stuffed crepes).

“I always wanted to create a restaurant that represents my culture and gives back to the community that made me who I am today,” says Pieris. In December, the chef took over ownership of Many Little, now renamed Many Little Bar Diner, from Polperro, though he says drinks will remain heavily influenced by the winery. He plans to refurb the kitchen later this year, and will continue to make food that is “alive with spice and flavour”. 

We caught up with Pieris to find out where (and what) he’s been eating on the Peninsula lately.

Favourite bakery:
Miller’s Bread Kitchen in Dromana. I especially love pies from here during winter.

Go-to breakfast spot:
Merricks General Wine Store. My go-to dish is the crispy chilli scrambled eggs with roti.

Best coffee shop:
Commonfolk never disappoints.

Best ice-cream or gelato:
Okay Lucy in Mornington. My go-to is a tub of salted caramel and chocolate gelato.

Best place for a casual dinner:
Pizza Luna in McCrae. I love the pizza dough and unique range of toppings. It’s a great local spot with honest food.

Takeaway you can eat by the water:
Peninsula Fresh Seafood. They usually have their seafood truck parked near Safety Beach foreshore on weekends, serving great seafood-style food truck dishes.

Special occasion spot:
We’re lucky to have so many options on the Mornington Peninsula, but Tedesca Osteria is hard to go past. Chef Brigitte Hafner and her husband Patrick Ness have built a restaurant that any chef would dream of.

Date spot:
Ten Minutes by Tractor. I love Karen and Martin [Spedding]’s concept, and they’ve got a highly talented new chef, Craig Lunn, bringing fresh energy to the menu.

Best place to solo dine:
Le Bouchon French Cuisine. It’s an easygoing, casual venue that always delivers well-known French classics.

Most underrated restaurant:
Sapori Di Casa in Red Hill. It has solid country-style Italian food.

Best place to go with kids:
My kids love Dinosaur World in Somerville. You can easily spend the whole day there, and they even have BYO barbeque facilities on-site.

Best place with a view:
Point Leo Estate. The views over the sculpture park and ocean are stunning, and the staff are lovely, too.