The Best Daylesford Restaurants for Every Foodie’s Bucket List

From lavish lunches to a true farm-to-table experience, these top restaurants highlight Daylesford’s burgeoning dining scene.

In Victoria’s stunning spa country, there are endless incredible things to do in Daylesford, including indulging in its renowned dining scene. With a focus on fresh, locally sourced produce, many restaurants boast their own kitchen gardens or partner with nearby farms to create seasonal line-ups bursting with flavour.

Whether you’re seeking a lavish lunch with breathtaking vistas, a modern twist on pub classics, or an Asian-fusion degustation experience, Daylesford has firmly established itself as a haven for food lovers. Here’s a round-up of some of the best restaurants to explore during your visit.

The shortlist

Fine Dining Gem: Lake House Restaurant
Best Date Spot: Sault Restaurant
Best Farm-to-Table: Du Fermier

Lake House Restaurant

Overlooking the tranquil waters of Lake Daylesford, Lake House Restaurant exudes sophistication and serenity, under the leadership of Alla Wolf-Tasker AM. The multi-course fare is crafted from the finest Australian ingredients, much of which comes directly from their nearby Dairy Flat Farm (think: lemon thyme gnocchi with pine mushrooms, broad beans, and brown butter). Guests can opt for an additional farm tour, deepening the connection to your meal.

For a complete escape, indulge in rejuvenating treatments at the onsite spa—one of Daylesford’s top things to do. Better yet, extend your visit by staying in the venue’s luxurious accommodation, surrounded by peaceful nature.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Review: 4/5

Location: 2 Leggatt Street, Daylesford

Kadota Restaurant

a Japanese meal at Kadota, Daylesford — Each meal is served in a traditional Kaiseki style.

Blending Japanese precision with local flavours, Kadota Restaurant exemplifies the Japanese concept of omotenashi—offering honest service and food. Helmed by Chef Aaron Schembri and Front of House Director Risa Kadota, Kadota beautifully reflects Aaron’s Daylesford roots and Risa’s Japanese heritage. The restaurant curates an intimate dining affair that combines the best of both worlds.

Kadota’s menu features traditional kaiseki-style dining, with six-course classic and seven-course luxury dinner options. A reduced five-course selection is also available for lunch, with add-ons, sake pairings, and curated beverages to enhance the experience.

Cuisine: Japanese Cuisine

Average price: $$$$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Review: 5/5

Location: 1 Camp Street, Daylesford

Sault Restaurant

Framed by gorgeous fields of flowers, Sault Restaurant delivers an exquisite culinary journey with its expansive bay windows framing sweeping views of the countryside. Its refined modern Australian menu evolves with each harvest, showcasing regional produce, much of which comes straight from the restaurant’s own kitchen garden, including herbs, vegetables and trout smoked on site.

Guests can indulge in three to four courses, or opt for the impressive seven-course tasting, complete with wine pairings. Each beautifully plated dish is a feast for the eyes and perfect for capturing an Instagram-worthy moment.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$$-$$$$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Review: 5/5

Location: 2349 Ballan-Daylesford Road, Sailors Falls

Farmers Arms Hotel

Steeped in history and charm, the Farmers Arms Hotel is Daylesford’s oldest pub, serving locals and travellers alike since 1857. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick drink or settling in for a hearty meal, this revamped heritage-rich venue welcomes you in with vintage features and a warming fireplace—adding to the pub’s comfort and camaraderie.

The seasonal menu offers a creative take on classic pub fare. Signature favourites include the duck sausage with mash or the porterhouse steak with shoestring fries and Cafe de Paris butter. Pair your meal with one of their curated local wines or craft beers.

Cuisine: Classic Pub

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Review: 4/5

Location: 1 East Street, Daylesford

Bistro Terroir

Bringing a touch of French flair to Daylesford, Bistro Terroir is an intimate neighbourhood gem helmed by Michelin-trained Chef Matthew Carnell. With its moody interiors and a tucked-away courtyard, it offers an inviting space for a relaxed yet elegant dining experience. The menu highlights classic French dishes like duck liver parfait and steak frites, with a focus on in season ingredients and rotating mains.

To elevate your meal, pair it with a selection from their expertly curated wine list, featuring bottles from Victoria and France, perfectly complementing the French-inspired cuisine.

Cuisine: French Cuisine

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Moody

Review: 5/5

Location: 6/8 Howe Street, Daylesford

Boathouse Restaurant

Perched on the banks of Lake Daylesford, the Boathouse Restaurant offers a serene and sophisticated gourmet indulgence with stunning water views from every seat. Whether you’re enjoying lunch or dinner, the venue’s warm indoor space is ideal for cosy winter meals, while the outdoor deck becomes a sun-soaked haven during the warmer months.

Diners can choose from two to four-course dining options, with complimentary dinner rolls and an amuse-bouche on arrival. Dishes include the likes of pork tenderloin with tiger prawn, dutch carrot, potato gratin, and garlic white wine sauce.

For a special touch, their in-house sommelier is on hand to help pair your meal with the perfect wine.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Review: 4/5

Location: 1 East Street, Daylesford

Jackie’s on Vincent

Far from your typical local Chinese restaurant, Jackie’s on Vincent brings a unique fusion of Asian and Western flavours to Daylesford, reflecting Chef Jackie’s Chinese heritage and Australian culinary influences. The cosy, intimate setting, paired with dishes made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, creates an inviting, homely vibe that keeps diners coming back for more.

Situated on Vincent Street, this well-loved spot is ideal for a delicious meal (think: tempura honey king prawns and scallop and shiitake wontons) followed by a relaxing stroll through Daylesford’s picturesque town centre.

Cuisine: Asian Fusion

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Review: 5/5

Location: 1/123 Vincent Street, Daylesford

Du Fermier

Tucked away in Daylesford’s neighbouring town of Trentham, Du Fermier offers a flavourful exploration akin to enjoying a meal in someone’s home. With its cosy, French farmhouse-style ambience, this beloved restaurant is helmed by Chef Annie Smithers, who crafts produce-driven dishes using ingredients harvested from her own garden.

Without a set menu, diners are treated to a surprise multi-course meal, often featuring local meats, fresh vegetables, and classic French flavours. With only a few service days each week, it’s wise to book ahead to secure a spot. Opt for the matched wines for an extra indulgent touch, and be sure to visit during the spring and summer months when the kitchen garden is in full bloom.

Cuisine: French Cuisine

Average price: $$$$$

Atmosphere: Rustic

Review: 5/5

Location: 42 High Street, Trentham

The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

From the moment you arrive in Mildura , the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura. — Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

Taste Mildura’s produce

It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey . Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed ’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers , a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

Hatted dining & Italian history

Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s . Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel. — Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

Discover a thriving culture scene

The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project . Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery. — Find culture around every corner.

Wonder at ancient landscapes

The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park . Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity. — Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

Meet your home away from home

On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama . A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats . Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura. — Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com .

Top Daylesford restaurants for every foodie’s bucket list

From lavish lunches to a true farm-to-table experience, these top restaurants highlight Daylesford’s burgeoning dining scene.

The shortlist

Lake House Restaurant

Kadota Restaurant

Sault Restaurant

Farmers Arms Hotel

Bistro Terroir

Boathouse Restaurant

Jackie’s on Vincent

Du Fermier

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Farm fresh produce to a trail of lights: the ultimate guide to Mildura

The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

Taste Mildura’s produce

Hatted dining & Italian history

Discover a thriving culture scene

Wonder at ancient landscapes

Meet your home away from home