One of the things I loved most about our trip to Australia, especially in the Margaret River region, was the food! In Singapore, everything is imported, and we don’t always have access to the freshest, most flavoursome ingredients. But in Australia, everything tasted so good, and I rediscovered flavours I hadn’t had in a long time, like yummy tomatoes, cucumbers, mangoes…
During our stay, we did a mix of eating out and cooking at home, so in addition to the restaurants we tried, I’ve also included what I think is the best supermarket of all time at the end of the list.
Here are my recommendations for restaurant in the Margaret River region.
This restaurant came highly recommended, and with consistent praise from various sources I read, so I made a lunch reservation (they also serve breakfast/brunch) as I didn’t want to risk not getting a table!
And I’m so glad I did, I absolutely loved the place and the food! The restaurant is set in the Australian bush, about 10 minutes from Dunsborough, surrounded by typical local vegetation and a beautiful garden full of sculptures made from recycled materials.
Everything we ordered was fantastic! We tried a grilled octopus dish, an Asian-influenced rice bowl with prawns and kimchi, and even the kids’ menu pasta from Maria Rita was delicious. The menu changes frequently as the restaurant is committed to using seasonal and local ingredients, and you can really taste the difference. Highly recommended!
The Beer Farm is located in the town of Metricup, and you should definitely plan to spend several hours there!
We didn’t book in advance and we were pretty lucky to get a table, so if you’re going during the high season, I’d recommend booking ahead. Although the place is huge, it was packed when we went!
There are two separate areas: one for ordering food and another for drinks. We started with a tasting board of four beers, a sort of mini tasting of different brews made on the Beer Farm. There are several tasting options depending on your preferences. For food, we had some incredible tacos and lamb ribs, all with a delicious smoky flavour. The beers were great too, so much so that we even took a few home with us.
The atmosphere is super relaxed: there’s a large lawn with tables and picnic rugs where to chill out on, live music, and the highlight for kids: a water slide! (It only seems to run during the summer holidays, so pack swimsuits for the little ones.)
If you come to Beer Farm, I’m sure you’ll love it. It was a great afternoon for all!
Aravina Estate has a huge lawn with absolutely stunning view over the vineyards, and I think that’s what convinced me to book one of our lunches there.
The booking process was a bit confusing, as only the pizza bar seemed to be available online. But when we arrived, we found that the restaurant and the pizza bar were in the same space, and we could order from both menus.
We ended up having pizzas and a starter, and it was all really tasty.
As we had lunch in the restaurant, we were entitled to a wine tasting at the wine counter. None of the wines particularly impressed us, but the Chardonnay was actually a nice surprise, even though I’m not usually a big fan.
The winery also has a large playground, live music, and even a separate beer bar. Another place I would definitely recommend for a relaxed and enjoyable afternoon.
As we were leaving Meelup Beach, we looked for a nearby place to have lunch and found Meelup Farmhouse on the map. When we got there, we quickly realised that it wasn’t quite what we were looking for, it was a bit too fancy for people still wet and carrying sand from the beach 🤦♀️😅
However, it was New Year’s Eve and we didn’t want to risk missing lunch, so we decided to stay. We definitely spent more than we would have liked for a simple post-beach meal, but the food was really delicious and the restaurant setting was lovely.
The kids’ menu came with a small bag of maize to feed the chickens that roam freely outside. We also saw two Highland cows and a few other free-range animals in the garden.
All in all, I’d recommend this place more for a nice brunch rather than for a beach-day lunch.
Swings and Roundabouts comes highly recommended, and if we’d had more time, it would definitely have been a place to try.
As well as wine tastings, which cost AUD 25 per person, they also offer menus specially designed to pair with specific wines. You can find out more details in here.
If you’re just looking to spend a relaxed afternoon on the estate’s lawns and enjoy one of their famous wood-fired pizzas, then it’s best to make a reservation here.
Here you’ll find a very an eclectic menu ranging from burgers, pizzas, and snacks to slow-cooked meats, and of course, Shelter beers to suit all tastes.
The space is modern and spacious, with views over Busselton beach. That’s why I recommend stopping here after visiting the Busselton Jetty, as it’s just across the road.
There’s also a smaller counter that only serves coffee, toasties, and bagels for those looking for something lighter.
I absolutely loved the Bunbury Farmers Market (we visited the one in Vasse, which was less than 5km from our accommodation).
The layout is IKEA-style, meaning you have to go through all the sections before you get to the checkout, which would normally be a bit annoying, but in this case I didn’t mind at all!
I’ve never enjoyed walking around a supermarket so much. From the beautiful fresh fruit and vegetables (and yes, they do taste great!), to the bakery and pastry section, the butcher, the ready-made meals, and even the pizzas cooked on the spot, everything looked so good I wanted to buy it all!
Important tip: go in the morning! One day we went in the late afternoon and almost everything was gone.
There’s a small café right at the entrance and an outdoor playground that Maria Rita absolutely loved.
If you need to stock up on non-food items, there’s also a Coles supermarket in the same shopping area.
If you’re driving from Perth/Fremantle down to the Margaret River region (or vice versa), this is a great place to stop about halfway. This café, which is also a farm, serves breakfast and lunch and is very popular in the area.
Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to stop there as we were travelling on public holidays, and the Crooked Carrot was closed. Pitty, as everyone seems to recommend it.
I also regret not making it to the Margaret River Bakery, which is recommended everywhere.
For more restaurant suggestions in this region, check here:
