There’s so many great places to eat, so I’ve put together a list of the best winery lunches in Margaret River. As they say, where’s there’s good wine, there is good food, and Margaret River being a premium winery region is a point fact. Spend time in Western Australia’s south west and you’ll too soon discover that you’re spoilt for choice of great places to eat.
With any trip to Margaret River, be sure to pick up the latest map of the region found at various tourist attractions and of course the Busselton, Dunsborough and Margaret River Visitors Centre. It’s essential as there’s plenty of mobile blackspots ‘down south’ so Google maps might not work.
Below is a longer description of each venue, and here’s my short list of the best winery lunches in Margaret River.
Special occasion or a splurge
- Amelia Park
- Frui Momento
- Leeuwin Estate
- Voyager
- Wills Domain
Casual winery lunch in Margaret River
- Fishbone Wines
- Mr Barval (cheese board)
- Providore
- Rustico at Hayshed Hill
- Swings and Roundabouts
- Walsh & Sons
- Wise Winery
Best wineries lunches for families
- Aravina Estate
- Glenarty Road
- Swings and Roundabouts
- Walsh & Sons
Best Margaret River wineries for views
- Mr Barval (cheese / charcuterie boards and gelato only)
- Vasse Felix
- Wills Domain
- Wise Winery – ocean views
Can’t go wrong
- Amelia Park
- Cullen Wines
- Glenarty Road
- Leeuwin Estate
- Vasse Felix
Vasse Felix winery has a fantastic restaurant that shouldn’t be missed
A-Z of the best winery restaurants for lunch in Margaret River
Amelia Park
From the outside, the separate Cellar Door and Restaurant buildings are fairly non-descript, but that soon changes as soon as the ‘Get Smart’ sliding doors open up to reveal a dimly lit barrel room and that unmistakable heady aroma of oak, then another set of heavy sliding doors open to reveal the tasting area, flooded with light from floor-to-ceiling windows and commanding views of undulating hills covered in vines. Wow. It’s worth a stop at Amelia Park for the architecture alone. After a wine tasting – their Chardonnay was my pick – venture to the next building, to the restaurant for lunch run by husband and wife team Blair and Renee Allen. They make everything from scratch and use local produce including that from their kitchen garden. It’s fantastic and worthy of its reputation as one of the best winery restaurants in Margaret River.
Amelia Park Restaurant, 3857 Caves Road, Wilyabrup WA 6280. 08 9755 6747
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Aravina Estate
It’s been a couple of years since I last ate at Aravina, but I keep hearing good things about it – lots of compliments for head chef Ben Day, who worked under esteemed chef Aaron Carr at Vasse Felix for three years. Families love it and not just for the fantastic playground for kids, but for the beautiful cellar door and Hamptons-style homeware shop, and a very cool if somewhat out of place car museum with Ferraris and muscle cars (my favourite, the Torana SLR 5000 – brings back so many high school memories). It also has a kitchen garden with its bounty often featuring on the menu. A favourite for weddings which is easy to understand given the opulent fit out of the function room, pretty garden and immaculately manicured lawn.
Aravina Estate, 61 Thornton Rd, Yallingup WA 6282. (08) 9750 1111
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Cullen Winery
Biodynamic and organic principals guide not only the wine making but the kitchen too. A rustic cellar door leads through to the restaurant with a deck overlooking the vines. The food is delicious, simple, mostly organic and sourced from the kitchen garden on site. Highly regarded prized wines and good service make any lunch at Cullen a fab experience. A wander through the spiral kitchen garden is a must.
Cullen Wines, 4323 Caves Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280. 08 9755 5277
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Fishbone Wines
Fishbone Wines specialises in sushi and Japanese food. The seafood, all sourced from 34 Degrees Blue, is designed to be light, fresh, and complement their wines. The modern cellar door and indoor seating area includes a huge fish tank. Outside on the terrace, there are views of green pastures. Located conveniently opposite the Margaret River Chocolate Factory – pop across the road for sweet treats and ice cream after.
Fishbone Wines, 422 Harmans Mill Rd, Wilyabrup WA. 08 9755 6726
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Frui Momento
Newly opened in January 2022, the “chick on a stick” winery, now owned by its neighbour, Cherubino Wines, has a stunning building with a slick fit out. There’s a lake, with the famous gold statue of a woman protruding out, arms outstretched, and it’s surrounded by gorgeous gardens – the sort where you wish your wedding photos were taken. It is a really lovely place to spend an afternoon. The menu is seafood heavy with Asian influences and includes a selection of caviar for those who like to splurge. Expect a few raw dishes. It’s a trifecta of fabulous food, wine and exceptional service. I love the complementary little dishes brought to the table – just-baked bread and little hors d’oeuvres of crunchy whole fried shrimp. The restaurant is quite formal. Outside on the patio it seemed more relaxed. There’s a cold seafood bar menu that’s available all day and the a la carte menu inside. Bookings essential.
Frui Momento, 3478 Caves Road Wilyabrup WA 6280. 08 9380 9278
Scampi sashimi and octopus at Frui Momento
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Glenarty Road
Take a drive south through the Boranup Forest to Glenarty Road. This little family run winery and restaurant is a favourite. They run their own lambs on the regenerative farm, which you might see between the grape vines just outside. A little disconcerting is the lamb on the menu, but once you taste it, you’ll soon forget how cute those little creatures are outside. You’ll see much of the produce from the extensive kitchen garden out the front on your plate. The food is always bang on. Indoors, it’s cosy and rustic, and outside there are long wooden tables under tall-timber Karri trees. The vibe at Glenarty is welcoming, relaxed and comforting. Family friendly, kids will love the space to run around and seeing lambs and chickens roaming beyond the wire fence. Definitely worth the drive to Karridale and in my opinion, one of Margaret River’s best value winery lunches.
Glenarty Road, 70 Glenarty Rd, Karridale WA 6288. 0475 085 305
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Leeuwin Estate
With helicopters parked on the lawn, this is where those in the know go for lunch. The menu s a degustation during Covid, One of the best regarded wineries not only in Margaret River, but in Australia with a reputation that reaches far beyond our shores. The drive into Leeuwin Estate is as impressive as their award-winning wines, a meandering road flanked by tall timber Eucalypts with glimpses of vines in between.
The restaurant’s bi-fold doors seamlessly carry the outside in as does the glass-covered roof added during the restaurant’s recent refurbishment. Step out onto the sweeping veranda with its impressive views over the manicured gardens, expansive lawn and the permanent stage that hosts some of the region’s most prestigious events. The setting, service, amazing wines, and fabulous food are a reason why so many love Leeuwin Estate. There is an impressive art gallery downstairs and owner Dennis Horgan has an order of Australia for his services to tourism in Western Australia. Definitely worth a visit, and once you’re settled on the upper deck, you may never want to leave.
Leeuwin Estate, Stevens Rd, Margaret River WA 6285. 08 9759 0000
Dessert at Leeuwin Estate.
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Mr Barval
There’s not a restaurant, but Mr Barval does do a sublime cheese board with olives, perfect for those who like to relax and pick while you sip. And relax you will, the setting is just so chilled with outdoor picnic tables, wine barrel tables and bean bags and rugs on the lawn. The views down the hill to the river and forest beyond is very calming. There’s a couple of resident friendly dogs and you can bring yours too.
What I love best about this place is the wine. Owner Rob Gheradi trained in Barolo in Piedmonte and has experience working for some of the biggest Margaret River wineries. Rather than only own a winery and plant a number of varietals on the one plot, Rob also rents vines from the best producers with varietals growing in the best locations. He tends to those vines himself and picks the fruit when he wants to, letting it ripen for a few days more or picking it early if that’s the expression he’s looking for. Wines are made the traditional Italian way with minimal intervention and are some of the best value top quality wines in Margaret River.
Mr Barval, 7087 Caves Rd, Margaret River WA 6285. 0407 726 077
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Rustico at Hayshed Hill
If you like tapas, then you’ll love Rustico. And if you love great food and you love a casual but cool vibe, then you’ll love Rustico. I can’t really fault this place. The food, the service, the menu choice and the wine are all on point. It’s a pretty setting too. Be sure to book, it’s a popular place and for good reason. And do yourself a favour and try the K&B Riesling in the cellar door – one of my faves.
Rustico at Hayshed Hill, 511 Harmans Mill Rd, Wilyabrup WA 6280. 08 9755 6046
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Swings in Roundabouts
Awesome authentic, wood-fired crisp Italian pizza is as good as it gets at Swings in Roundabouts. I can never go past the margarita, it’s pizza perfection. The baked camembert is rich and gooey and worth every calorie. A casual winery lunch at its best. Grab a picnic table or a provided rug and stretch out on the lawn. Family and dog friendly too.
There is also a Swings in Margaret River town which has a great bar and serves decent pizzas and is a good option for dinner if you’re staying in town.
Swings in Roundabouts, 2807 Caves Road, Yallingup, WA. 08 9756 6640
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Vasse Felix path to the restaurant
Vasse Felix
The oldest winery in Margaret River, Vasse Felix’s restaurant is gorgeous and the food exceptional. The restaurant places great importance on sourcing the best local produce. Everything is made from scratch, including kangaroo pastrami. The Australian food critic John Lethlean wrote that Vasse Felix ‘set the benchmark for winery restaurants’ in his stellar review. Beautiful wines too with the Heytsbury and Tom Cullity recently rated 98 and 97 points by James Halliday, so don’t skip a tasting at the cellar door. Downstairs you’ll find an art gallery and cellar room. The view of the stunning grounds from the upstairs restaurant make this a lunch you won’t forget.
Vasse Felix, Caves Rd & Tom Cullity Dr, Margaret River WA 6284. 08 9756 5000
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Voyager
Each course of Voyager’s signature seven-course Discovery Menu is inspired by one of their wines. The setting reminds me of a French luxury Chateau with the rich drapes, chesterfield sofas, and ornate light fittings – sitting inside you could forget you were at a winery. It does have the prettiest rose garden in the region and the biggest Australian flag in the country, after the one at Parliament House in Canberra. The white stucco Dutch inspired building stands proud in the beautifully manicured garden. Their wines are sublime and the restaurant service absolutely first class. A good choice for a fine dining experience or if out to impress. The food really is fantastic – worth splashing out for.
Voyager Estate, 41 Stevens Rd, Margaret River WA 6285. 08 9757 6354
Cuttlefish
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Wills Domain
Now get ready to have your foodie socks blown off. Will Domain has a friendly yet premium atmosphere which isn’t stuffy. You’d be forgiven for daydreaming while taking in the stunning scenery – views of rolling hills and straight vines that lead to a Manor House perched atop a distant hill. But as soon as the food hits the table, daydreams stop and delicious reality kicks in. Sophisticated and beautifully presented dishes that have been perfectly executed will wow you. The price point is at the upper end of the spectrum but totally worth the indulgence. Don’t miss an experience eating at Wills Domain, it’s a truly special experience and worth forking out for.
Wills Domain, Cnr Abbey Farm Rd &, Brash Rd, Yallingup WA 6282. 08 9755 2327
Gravlax trout, bread and butter pickles, buckwheat snacks at Wills Domain
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Wise Wines
The only winery restaurant in the region with ocean views, Wise Wines is tucked up the northern part of the region adjacent the Meelup National Park and Eagle Bay. The menu is largely Mediterranean inspired. In fact, one of the best gnocchi dishes I’ve ever had was at Wise. It’s not overly formal and there’s a large grassy area outside where kids can run. Like many in the region, local seasonal produce is at the centre of the menu which has daily specials based on fresh produce available. Price wise, it’s at the higher end of the spectrum but how many times are you going to enjoy a great lunch with ocean views?
Wise Wines, Eagle Bay Road, Dunsborough WA 6281. 08 9755 3331
Wise Winery views. Source: www.wisewine.com.au
Xanadu
Situated quite close to Margaret River town, Xanadu is a delightful lunch spot. High ceilings, big fire place, impressive stone walls, comfy chairs, great service and delicious food. You can opt for a two course lunch, three course or the six course degustation. If you just want to graze, olives, charcuterie and cheeses are served on the lawn area. Head chef Melissa Kokoti and her team take inspiration from local producers, the sea and what’s seasonally fresh in the Xanadu vegetable garden. Awarded a chefs hat in the Australian Good Food Guide. There’s not really views from inside the restaurant but that doesn’t detract from the restaurant’s charm or overall experience.
Xanadu, 316 Boodjidup Road, Margaret River WA 6285. 08 9758 9500
Special mention
Yarri is owned by acclaimed chef Aaron Carr who has teamed up with Snake & Herring wines to open a fantastic restaurant in Dunsborough. Even though is adjacent to the Coles complex, you’ll feel a million miles away gazing out over the deck to the Eucalyptus tress and South West bushland beyond. Yarri’s cuisine honours nature, seasonality and the South-West – its people, produce and place. While not technically a winery, this restaurant is one the hottest place to eat and awarded two chefs hats in the Good Food Guide.
Other wineries with restaurants
What are your favourite winery restaurants in Margaret River? Let me know if you get to any others, let me know what you think.
Did you know?
Margaret River produces just three per cent of wine in Australia but 25 per cent of Australia’s premium export wine? In short it means the wine here is really good.
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