Best Lorne Restaurants To Visit On Your Next Beach Break

You’ll be spoilt for choice with Lorne’s collection of top-notch restaurants, including long-time favourites and fresh reopenings.

Considered the most cosmopolitan town along the Great Ocean Road, it’s no surprise that Lorne’s dining scene punches well above its weight. Fresh, seasonal and local produce reign supreme here, best paired with Aussie drops and refreshing cocktails. Seafood, naturally, is popular throughout most menus with the town’s rich history of commercial fishing, and there’s no better place to enjoy it than against the stunning backdrop of the coastline.

So let the sea air stir your appetite, and make your way through our curated list of Lorne’s best restaurants.

The shortlist

Family-friendly spot: In The Skies Restaurant & Bar
Budget-friendly: Tacos ‘N’ Tequilas
Best views: Almyra Restaurant and Bar

Grand Pacific Hotel

The Grand Pacific Hotel has been perched at the end of Mountjoy Parade, close to the Lorne Pier, since 1879. Built to serve the tourism, timber and fishing industries, it has been recently renovated by operators Maryann and Matt Humphries yet retains its Gothic-style façade and historical charm. Whether you’re here for the history, the fresh pub fare, or the stunning views of Louttit Bay – perhaps all three – this is the kind of establishment that’s a destination in itself.

If you’re hungry, their chicken parmigiana is right up there with the best of them, or you can sample one of the Italian-inspired dishes, such as the pappardelle with slow-braised lamb shoulder and tomato ragu. Thirsty? The extensive drinks list covers local and international wines, craft beers, and classic cocktails and mocktails. They even have live music on the outdoor terrace in summer – follow their socials to stay up to date.

Cuisine: Modern Australian, Italian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Lively and friendly
Location: 268 Mountjoy Parade

In The Skies Restaurant & Bar

Part of the Lorne Bowls Club, In The Skies is an under-the-radar local gem serving up a classy sharing menu by chef Simon Holloway. The venue has been run by the local Mclldowie and Holloway families since 2024, who wanted to continue its reputation as a friendly and accessible restaurant and bar for the community. We suggest pairing a meal with barefoot bowls and making an afternoon of it. The chargrilled Southern Rangers sirloin is a winner, while vegetarians will love the orecchiette pasta with zucchini, white wine, cream and a fresh herb pangrattato.

Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Average price: $$-$$$
Atmosphere: Welcoming, family-friendly
Location: Lorne Bowls Club, Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

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IPSOS Restaurant & Bar

This family-run restaurant has held one hat status from 2019 through to 2026. One look at the meals coming out and it’s easy to see why; the food is oriented around fresh, local ingredients, and is simple yet refined (think authentic Greek meets modern Australian).

You’re by the coast, so this is the time for fried kalamari, pickled octopus and chargrilled King prawns; although meat lovers won’t want to miss the slow-cooked lamb shoulder. Can’t decide? Let the chef choose for you with the $85 Chef’s selection menu. It gets busy, so book ahead. Note that outdoor seating is at ground level, but there are steps up to the entrance.

Cuisine: Greek
Average price: $$-$$$
Atmosphere: Buzzy
Location: 48 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

Tacos ‘N’ Tequilas

What’s better than fresh, zesty Mexican by the beach? Tacos ‘N’ Tequilas brings a bright splash of colour to Lorne’s main strip, from the pink and blue outdoor tables to the bold Mexican wall art. The menu is a celebration of modern Mexican cuisine, and it all goes down a treat with the margaritas, sangria jugs and tequilas that fill the drinks list. Start with the chilli con carne loaded fries, and don’t miss the fried fish tacos with papaya slaw, jalapeño garlic aioli and ricotta cheese.

Cuisine: Mexican
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Fun and laidback
Location: 46A Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

Pholklore

You can’t miss the blue umbrellas of Pholklore right next to the Lorne Theatre. After success in Torquay and Geelong, co-owner Dom Friend opened the third Pholklore in Lorne, bringing its fresh Vietnamese-fusion further down the Surf Coast.

Grazers will be drawn to the popcorn cauliflower, spring rolls (rolled fresh to order) and Sydney Rock oysters with Pandan-infused coconut milk, fingerlime and toasted sweet rice. If it’s a chilly coastal evening, opt for a soul-warming pho laksa; you’ll be lapping up that flavourful broth. Note that only the outdoor section is wheelchair accessible.

Cuisine: Vietnamese fusion
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Cheerful
Location: 82 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

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a variety of pizzas at Salonika Social Pizzeria — Grab a slice of Salonika’s signature sourdough pizzas. (Credit: Supplied)

This highly rated pizza restaurant brings a touch of Greek influence to its seasonal entrees and hand-stretched sourdough pizzas. Think fried local kalamari with housemade tztaziki and the aptly-named Greka pizza, topped with tomato, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, feta, capers and oregano.

The earthy-toned space is warm and cosy, with booth seating that’s great for groups. Swing by during their daily happy hour from 3.30-5.30pm for $14 spritzes, cheap wine and beer, and discounted pizzas Monday to Friday. Every Saturday night, live music turns the vibe up a notch – book to secure a table.

Cuisine: Italian
Average price: $$-$$$
Atmosphere: Warm and vibrant
Location: 122 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

Raas Leela

The mission of owners Aditi and Rachit Kapoor was to bring authentic Indian cuisine – often with a contemporary or creative twist – to Lorne with Raas Leela. The menu takes diners on a journey with street foods –such as mixed vegetable and cheese croquettes with brioche toast and turmeric tartare – and well-known classics like butter chicken and paneer curry. They also boast the best fried chicken in town, served with masala mayonnaise; we’ll let you be the judge.

If you’re free before dinner, the accessible restaurant houses the stylish Karma Bar, open for happy hour 3-6pm every day with a curated drinks menu.

Cuisine: Indian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Sleek and modern
Location: 116 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne

Almyra Restaurant and Bar

You can’t get more beachfront than the family-owned Almyra. Its unmatched location, metres from the sand with front-row ocean views, is complemented by fresh Mediterranean cuisine that celebrates local produce and the art of chargrilled and woodfire cooking. The wood-fired saganaki is a standout, as are the pizzas – we suggest the prawn and chorizo. The dining room is a beautiful space filled with natural light, but you can’t beat drinks and seafood on the deck at happy hour. It’s no surprise that this is a popular wedding venue for the area; it’s also wheelchair accessible.

Cuisine: Mediterranean
Average price: $$-$$$
Atmosphere: Refined yet relaxed
Location: 81 Cypress Ave, Lorne

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten, the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery, a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho, José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits. At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial, which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle, ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.

The best Lorne restaurants to try on your next Great Ocean Road adventure