As the weather cools and winter descends, there's nothing quite like cosying up by an open fireplace and tucking into a good meal or a glass of something warming. From historic pubs to beachside breweries, the Mornington Peninsula boasts a stack of top-notch venues offering fireside dining. Here are our top spots to heat up this winter:
Merricks Store
Nestled in the rural heart of the Mornington Peninsula, Merricks Store is a great spot to visit year-round, but is particularly cosy in winter. Combining a bistro, cellar door, coffee window and lifestyle store, it's the perfect spot to settle in for a meal, a coffee or a glass of the Peninsula’s finest in front of the large open fireplace.
📍3460 Frankston - Flinders Rd, Merricks, VIC 3916
Barmah Park
Set amidst rolling farmland in Moorooduc, the restaurant at Barmah Park is spacious yet intimate, with a crackling fire and serene views over the vineyard. Expect relaxed and polished service and a menu that celebrates the surrounding countryside. You can stop in to savour a long lunch whilst avoiding the well-trodden tourist route and the usual crowds in town.
📍945 Moorooduc Hwy, Moorooduc, VIC 3933
Yabby Lake
Renowned for its award-winning wines, Yabby Lake in Tuerong offers a relaxed dining experience amidst serene vineyard surroundings. Enjoy a two- or three-course meal featuring local produce, perfectly paired with their single vineyard wines.
📍86-112 Tuerong Rd, Tuerong, VIC 3915
Hotel Sorrento
Perched on the clifftops overlooking Port Phillip Bay, Hotel Sorrento is an iconic institution steeped in local history. Established in 1872 and now incorporating two renowned restaurants, four bars, luxury accommodation and wellness facilities, there are several sandstone fireplaces spread throughout the various dining settings.
📍5-15 Hotham Rd, Sorrento, VIC 3943
Many Little Bar and Dining
Locate in leafy Red Hill South, Many Little Bar and Dining serves up a modern Sri Lankan menu that celebrates the produce grown on their farm down the road. Owned by the same team behind Polperro Wines, it’s no surprise that the drinks list is also outstanding. Here, a cylindrical fireplace sits atop a tiled hearth in a multi-level dining room designed by Hecker Guthrie.
📍2-5/159 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South VIC 3937
St Andrews Beach Brewery
Transforming a historic horse training facility in Fingal, St Andrews Beach Brewery offers a unique dining experience with locally brewed beers and a modern Australian menu. Gather around the indoor fireplace inside the brewery or park yourself beneath the overhead heaters in the repurposed stables outside.
📍160 Sandy Rd, Fingal, VIC 3939
Rare Hare
A double-sided fireplace and wood-fired oven take pride of place in the Rare Hare dining room, which offers sweeping views across the vineyard below. Seasonal share plates include local produce cooked and charred to perfection over the flames, from wood-fired eggplant and gold band snapper to charred octopus. For dessert? Try the wood-fired chocolate chip cookie served with malted vanilla ice cream and your pick of the estate wines.
📍166 Balnarring Rd, Merricks North, VIC 3926
The Dining Room, Red Hill
Located inside the boutique hotel at Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill, The Dining Room is a hatted slow food restaurant helmed by Executive Chef Tony Brazendale. The restaurant spans two distinct spaces; one light, bright and overlooking the outdoor terrace, the other dark and moody, with an open fireplace and views across the vines. It's the perfect spot to settle in for a long lunch or romantic dinner, or stay the night to experience the seasonal buffet breakfast served to hotel guests each morning.
📍142 Arthurs Seat Rd, Red Hill VIC 3937
Keen to discover more of our favourite dining destinations on The Ninch? Check out our guide to The Best Restaurants on The Mornington Peninsula.
