Wrestle a fighting salmon from the Barham River mouth and dive amongst the rocks spying the glaring eyes of a wary lobster. Or, trusting the expert team of fisherman and chef to serve up the ‘catch of the day’.
Craving for crayfish
Plucked from the shores of Bass Strait moments before the dinnertime rush. Crayfish are the specialty of Apollo Bay and come as fresh as you will find anywhere in the world. A stroll down to the harbour will see the days catch of crayfish being hauled ashore. Follow the watery trail to the Fisherman’s Co-Op to hand select your own banquet of underwater delicacies; crayfish, prawns and snapper, to be enjoyed amongst good company and sand between your toes. Local chefs are a match for Apollo Bay’s reputation as the crayfish capital. Find a restaurant advertising ‘Fresh Fish’ and you are sure to be on to a winner. Looking for that something special? Book in an eve at Chris’s for crayfish matched with a locally crafted Sauvignon Blanc and a epic view over the very coastline your dinner was plucked.
Catch of the day
For a town with a reputation for the freshest of fresh seafood, local chefs promise not to disappoint with a range of restaurants serving up ‘catch of the day’ delights for lunch and dinner.
Dining options are broad in Apollo Bay and well worth the holiday on their own. But if you only have a few meals to share, let your tastebuds lead you to the local faves renowned for serving up local fresh seafood.
Discover places to eat in Apollo Bay
The lure of the ocean
Teaming with treasures of the sea, commercial fishing in Apollo Bay dates back to the 1930’s when road improvements first made transporting a catch of barracoutta to the city plausible. Today the fishermen of Apollo Bay predominantly fish for rock lobster (crayfish), snapper, scallops, squid, salmon, flathead and trevally. Head down to the Fisherman’s Co-Op as the boats arrive into harbour for a true boat to BBQ ‘catch of the day’.
You don’t need a boat to find your own fish in Apollo Bay. Both the surrounding rivers and coastlines are abound with fish for your skillful taking. Drop a lure off the harbour wall and you are likely to catch a trevally or squid. Cast a line from Marengo surf beach or the Barham River entrance and you might snag a salmon, bream or mullet. (A Victorian Recreational fishing License is required by law) Find your sea legs and reel in something a little larger from the productive waters of Bass Strait. Out at sea you will be hunting salmon, pike, barracoutta and gummy sharks. Fishing charters operate from the Apollo Bay harbour. Booking information can be found at the local Visitor Information Centre.
The famous Scallop Pie
Ready to add to your ‘best ever’ list? You’d better be, because this pie will soon be your new fave.
The flavour is Scallop Pie and the location is the Apollo Bay Bakery located right on the Great Ocean Road. Made with local fresh scallops, the all important gravy is a light cream (not to buttery) with a hint of curry that complements rather than over powers the more delicate flavours. The pastry is flaky, nothing to heavy, packaging everything to a treat.
Apollo Bay Bakery has a long list of round #2 pie flavours (1 x visit is never enough) including the standards plus a few gourmet varieties. Some standouts are the lamb, honey, mustard and rosemary pie, the seafood pie and the vegetable and chickpea korma pie.
Apollo Bay Bakery is open from 6am – 4pm daily.
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