7 Excellent Mount Gambier Restaurants To Try

From a scene-stealing country steakhouse to a fine dining eatery, these are the Mount Gambier restaurants worth visiting.

Located halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne, this Limestone Coast city has plenty of awe-inspiring geological draws to its name, not to mention world-renowned wine regions right on its doorstep.

The coast’s once volcanic landscape is blessed with incredibly fertile soils, too, and as a result, it’s home to a bounty of fresh produce. Whether you’re in town for an extended sojourn or you’re just stopping by on a road trip, these are the best restaurants in Mount Gambier.

1. Elementary by Soul Co

The kitchen at Elementary Dining in Mount Gambier — The dark interiors of Elementary Dining set the mood. (Image: Alex Window)

Those looking for an elevated dining experience should head to Elementary by Soul Co . Helmed by chef Kirby Shearing, the modern Australian menu spans gnocchi with confit duck, mushrooms, and broth, baked egg tart with muntrie compote, burnt sugar and spiced brioche with vanilla parfait, chocolate cream, and hazelnuts. For the full experience, opt for the tasting menu, expertly paired with a range of wines or sakes. If you’re around on a Thursday or Friday, duck in for the express lunch where you’ll get an entree, main course and a side all for just $45.

The intimate space seats just 23 guests and is swathed in moody charcoal tones and dark timber furniture for a cosy dining experience.

Address: 12 Margaret St, Mount Gambier

2. The Barn Steakhouse

wine bottles on the shelf at The Barn Steakhouse — Take your pick from an array of wines at The Barn Steakhouse. (Image: The Barn/South Australian Tourism Commission)

This local heavyweight is the reigning champion when it comes to perfectly cooked steak. And its owners, the Cleves family, go one step further than most steakhouses, breeding their very own Hereford cattle on properties in the region, and ageing all the cuts in-house for a minimum of eight days too.

Beyond its steak credentials, The Barn also takes a holistic view of the veggies and herbs that accompany its dishes, which are house-grown, preservative- and pesticide-free in the rich volcanic soils that surround the restaurant, and plucked fresh daily.

Why not kick off the evening’s proceedings with a glass of something sparkling from The Barn’s award-winning 750-wine-label-strong cellar, with the vast majority of the restaurant’s drops sourced from the surrounding Limestone Coast wineries.

Then tuck into some house-made pâté, served with hot toast and quince glaze, and perhaps some seared scallops with prosciutto before moving onto the main event – a rump, porterhouse, or eye fillet, served alongside a continental salad and a sour cream and spring onion topped baked potato.

The Barn Steakhouse is located amid lush farmland, just a 10-minute drive south of the city.

Address: 747 Glenelg River Rd, Mount Gambier

3. Thyme at The Lakes

a close-up shot of a prawn dish at Thyme at the Lakes, Mount Gambier — Savour the flavourful meals at Thyme at the Lakes.

Perched right on top of the city, Thyme at The Lakes boasts an incredible view of Mount Gambier, with food presented as spectacularly as the city below you. With attentive service to top it all off, Thyme at The Lakes showcases the best of local produce in an exciting and elegant dining experience, with the modern menu taking inspiration from both Australian and international cuisine.

From the mouth-watering Spanish-inspired grilled paella to the melt-in-your-mouth lamb rack, Thyme also boasts a vegetarian and vegan menu for those who aren’t meat lovers. Hot tip: Do not skip their dessert menu. The restaurant boasts MasterChef-worthy dishes like the Strawberry & White Chocolate Sphere, or the Hazelnut Affogato makes the perfect palate cleanser.

Address: 17 Lake Terrace W, Mount Gambier

4. Wild Ginger Thai

Authentic classic Pad Thai with shrimps. Thai shrimp satay with sweet chili sauce. Tom Yum soup with coconut milk (Tom Khaa). Spicy shrimp salad. Flat lay top-down composition on concrete background. — Wild Ginger Thai’s dishes pack a punch of flavour.

When Wild Ginger first opened its doors, it was the new kid on the block. Since then, head chef and owner Bee Ketphong and her team have established a reputation for fine Thai cuisine that has made Wild Ginger one of Mount Gambier’s most popular eating destinations for both lunch and dinner.

From the flavour-packed fish cakes to the range of stir-fries, curries and noodle dishes infused with all those powerful Thai flavours of chilli, lemongrass, basil or satay, Wild Ginger is all about Thai cooking.

Bee is focused on using fresh, local produce to create fine Thai dishes, ranging from mild dishes to those that are packed with spicy flavours. And all of Wild Ginger’s menu items are available for takeaway as well.

Address: 17 Commercial St West, Mount Gambier

5. Natural Born Grillers

Close up image of a freshly flame grilled vegetarian halloumi cheeseburger on a wooden counter at an outdoor food market. This burger is loaded with a vegetarian burger meat substitute, fresh salad, melted halloumi cheese and spanish onion and tomato. The burger is sandwiched between glazed buns. — Natural Born Grillers has an entirely meat-free menu for the vegos and vegans among us.

When only a burger will do, make a beeline for Mount Gambier’s Natural Born Grillers. Whether you’re after fried chicken, pulled pork, beef patties, or even something veggie-friendly (there’s a dedicated meat-free menu), NBG delivers.

There’s a multitude of indulgent, deep-fried sides on offer too: potato gems, loaded fries, onion rings, popcorn chicken, and mozzarella sticks. While this burger joint has Mount Gambier’s fast-food market cornered, Natural Born Grillers’ rather spartan interior means it’s not exactly the place to go if you’re after an evening of ambience.

Address: Shop C, 3 Compton Street, Mount Gambier

6. Bahn Kubo

The decor at this pan-Asian eatery is nothing to write home about (hello bright white lights, plastic-backed chairs, loud lime and orange colour scheme, and wipe-clean plastic tables). But thanks to its friendly and fast service, super reasonable prices and moreish dishes, Bahn Kubo does something of a roaring trade. The barbecue pork (char siu) and Thai roast duck receive rave reviews.

Address: 139 Commercial St W, Mount Gambier

7. Southern Thai Cafe

a dining table with a variety of dishes at Southern Thai Cafe, Mount Gambier — Dine on authentic Thai cuisine.

Adding to Mount Gambier’s amazing Thai offering, Southern Thai Cafe brings a fresh look to the cuisine with a focus on the authentic tastes of Southern Thai food and an emphasis on value and service.

Southern Thai Cafe is the dream of Wilawan Churueangsuk (Jieb), who came to Mount Gambier from Southern Thailand 17 years ago. Now an Australian Citizen living here with her husband, David and their children, Jaime and Emily, Jieb’s Southern Thai Cafe is also about family.

Address: 53 Gray Street, Mount Gambier

Looking for breakfast? Start your day at the best Mount Gambier cafes.

Written by Chloe Cann with updates by Tahlia Pritchard and Rachael Thompson.

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach , the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road . Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.

Split point lookout — The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.

This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.

Lorne to Birregurra

Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park , which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.

Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.

From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.

You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae , helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.

Brae restaurant — Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.

A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.

It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.

The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.

Port Campbell to Timboon

Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)

Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream , Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Warrnambool building — A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)

In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.

Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.

The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River. Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.

The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.

Eating there

The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.

Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.

7 excellent Mount Gambier restaurants to try now