Summer Dining in the Great Ocean Road region
Essential Eats: Summer Edition
Nothing tastes more like summer than a foodie road trip along the coast. From fresh seafood to casual café bites and indulgent desserts, these dining highlights are sure to tempt your taste buds. Don’t forget to book ahead when it’s busy!
Dining at The Sands, Torquay
Known for its 18-hole golf course designed by Stuart Appleby, The Sands also offers two public dining options. Bunkers serves breakfast, an all-day grazing menu, and wood-fired pizzas for dinner, seven days a week. Dine indoors or outdoors with views across the golf course, with options catering to families and special dietary needs. Shirley’s, the larger venue, is perfect for functions and weddings. Mid-week specials, happy hour (4–6pm), and events make The Sands a relaxed spot to escape the summer crowds.
Recommended: Any wood-fired pizza (try the Pastorella with slow-cooked lamb shoulder, roast zucchini, olives, tahini, pomegranate and zatar) or Thursday steak night.
Tides Cafe, Bar & Restaurant at Deep Blue
Tides Café, Bar and Restaurant, Warrnambool
Located at the Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs, Tides offers a premium dining experience seven days a week. Enjoy buffet breakfast from 7–11am, wholesome salads and light meals during the day, and a globally inspired a la carte menu for relaxed dinners. Breakfast and bathing packages, or soak-and-graze deals, are a great way to combine dining with the Hot Springs Sanctuary experience.
Recommended: Soba noodle salad or Vietnamese beef salad for lunch.
Pavilion Cafe & Bar
Pavilion Café and Bar, Warrnambool
No trip to Warrnambool is complete without visiting The Pavilion. Overlooking Lady Bay and the Breakwater, it’s open 8am–4pm daily and dedicated to locally sourced, sustainable produce. Watch champion horses train and swim in the calm waters while enjoying great coffee and a breakfast menu that’s hard to choose from. Lunch celebrates seasonal, paddock-to-plate produce, with sunny deck views perfect for soaking up the beachside vibes.
Recommended: Pancakes for breakfast, seasonal grazing board and local wine for lunch, plus the milkshakes!
The Stump Port Fairy
The Stump, Port Fairy
Victoria’s oldest licensed inn, The Caledonian – fondly known as The Stump – has been serving locals and visitors since 1844. Nestled among Port Fairy’s historic buildings, this family-friendly pub offers a welcoming atmosphere, live music, accommodation, and a menu full of pub classics. Enjoy parmas, steaks, and local seafood dishes, along with a senior’s menu, all celebrating the town’s coastal charm.
Recommended: Seafood Marinara or the 900g rump steak for the very hungry!
Fish Market – Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-Op
Fish Market - Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-Op
A must-visit fresh seafood destination on the Great Ocean Road. The Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Co-op offers a wide range of local, Victorian, and Australian seafood, including fish fillets and whole fish, Southern Rock lobster, calamari, prawns, oysters, and more. It’s perfect for picking up fresh produce, a beachside feast, or simply enjoying the coastal vibe.
Recommended: Southern Rock lobster.
Timboon Ice Creamery
At Timboon, ice cream isn’t just a treat – it’s serious fun. Sample 24 delicious, luxury flavours or indulge in decadent sundaes, super milkshakes, spiders, fine teas, and Genovese coffee. Groups of up to 24 can visit the purpose-built ‘Sundae School’ to learn about ice cream from “cow to cone” and even create their own sundae. Nestled in the valley beside remnant tall timber and Powers Creek, it’s the perfect spot to relax and indulge.
Recommended: Passionfruit meringue or Turkish Delight.
Lady Bay Resort Restaurant & Bar
Lady Bay Resort Restaurant & Bar, Warrnambool
Ideally located in Warrnambool’s beach precinct, Lady Bay Resort Restaurant & Bar offers a relaxed dining atmosphere for guests and locals alike. The vibrant, stylish space is perfect for catching up with friends or family, or unwinding after work. The menu features fresh, generous, and flavoursome dishes, from classic beef, chicken, seafood, and pasta to fragrant Asian fusion options.
Recommended: Almond-crusted chicken breast.
Noodledoof Brewing and Distilling Co, Koroit
Part craft brewery, part distillery, Noodledoof is the creation of two mates, Noodles and Doof, passionate about making quality, adventurous, and approachable beer and spirits. Using local ingredients and seasonal influences, their small-batch beers are always evolving, while their gins showcase native botanicals like correa alba, lemon myrtle, and mountain pepper, developed in collaboration with Worn Gundidj.
Recommended: Try a seasonal beer on tap or one of their native-botanicals gins.
Birregurra Grocer
Birregurra Grocer
A licensed café and larder, Birregurra Grocer is a vibrant addition to the town. Enjoy house-made takeaway meals and sweet treats, delicious brunch and lunch, sensational coffee, cheeky cocktails, and seasonal dinners. Open 9am–5pm daily except Tuesdays, it’s the perfect spot to relax, refuel, and soak up the local vibes.
Recommended: Brunch specials and seasonal dinners.
The Captain of Aireys
The Captain of Aireys, Aireys Inlet
Open every day, The Captain of Aireys serves delicious wood-fired pizzas, hand-stretched and topped with fresh local and premium ingredients. Fully licensed and fun, it’s perfect for dining in or grabbing a takeaway. Bookings are recommended to secure your spot.
Recommended: Any wood-fired pizza with fresh local toppings.
Dooley’s Ice Cream
Dooleys Ice Cream, Apollo Bay
Dooleys Multi-Award Winning Premium Ice Cream is made in Apollo Bay using the finest ingredients, with a mission to share the love of incredible ice cream. Enjoy a scoop, milkshake, or sundae along the stunning Apollo Bay coastline, and discover why they’ve won over 323 awards and 17 trophies since 2008.
Recommended: Raspberry flavour – perfect as a classic scoop or in a sundae by the beach.