Margaret River Restaurants & Cafes

Welcome to Margaret River’s Indoor and Outdoor Dining Scene

Rene Redzepi, the world renowned Danish Chef, once said: “People will travel anywhere for good food.” And when it comes to planning that perfect Forest Rise weekend getaway, you’ll want to know where all of the good food is in Margaret River. In addition to being the primary tourist area for wine enthusiasts, we are also home to a number of top rated dining establishments that will please both epicurean and modest appetites. The prices of Margaret River restaurants and cafes are also wallet friendly; ranging from economical to moderately expensive.

It is completely understandable that a secret little weekend holiday in Australia’s premier wine country is a must-do occasion for couples, young and not so young. And yet, the beauty of a 2 or 3 day getaway can be just as luxurious and private in the middle of the week. While it may be the vineyards (view our top recommended wineries here), the oceans, the walking trails, or another event that brings you to Forest Rise, it is definitely going to be the food that will bring you back.

Satisfy Every Taste, Culinary Style, and Dietary Demands

First Meal of the Day

Within and around the Margaret River central area there is a variety of cafes, breakfast bars, coffee vans, and fast food eateries that specialise in serving residents and visitors with some of the most delectable early morning foods and beverages.

You’ll discover some of the most mouth pleasing croissants, egg dishes featuring locally grown and caught produce, meat, and fish, as well as some of the country’s best brewed coffee and tea. Forget about big named, chain eateries. In Margaret River cafes, breakfast is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. No rush, no hassle, just fine food served with a big helping of friendly, authentic, Western Australian hospitality.

Midday Meals and Desserts

Wherever you are in the greater Margaret River region, there is a dining adventure waiting for you. We have a cornucopia of eating establishments that feature both local specialties and popular midday meals. Most of our fabulous vineyards also accommodate their visitors with restaurants or verandas for leisurely meals and snacks that can be paired with a glass or bottle of award winning wine. There are also non-alcoholic beverages for those driving and for children.

You can enhance your outdoor, travels with takeaway food and drinks from any of our Margaret River cafes, pubs, pizzerias, bakeries or sandwich shops. If you’re planning a romantic excursion through the countryside or beaches, the picture is complete with a food hamper, a blanket, a favourite bottle of wine, and your favourite special person. A truly memory making event.

Elegant Evening Dining

Margaret River is home to some of Western Australia’s top rated restaurants. We offer a choice of diverse evening dining cuisine that feature Italian, Asian, Indian, Native Australian, European, American, Mediterranean, Mexican, Vegetarian, and Seafood selections. If you select a Margaret River restaurant that does not serve alcohol, you can bring your own bottle, but there may be a corkage fee. With the right selection, you may encounter a restaurant that entertains their diners with local singers and musicians.

After a divine dinner in an atmosphere of candle lights, elegant food, fine wine, and soft music, you can top off the evening with the excitement of visiting a local pub for some beer, cheer, and dancing to a favourite local band. If your plans for the evening are to stay in and enjoy a cozy, romantic night in front of the fire in one of our beautiful chalets, you can order a special food hamper prepared by our gourmet chef or have a meal delivered from your favourite restaurant.

Our Top Recommended Dining Establishments

With our vast variety of general and specialty Margaret River restaurants, cafes, dinners, fast food eateries, and pubs, we guarantee you will never go hungry. But deciding on where to begin may go more smoothly with a few recommendations. Here are some regional restaurants that have nearly outpaced the popularity of their vineyards. Any one of these outstanding restaurants will leave your taste buds clapping with delight.

Vasse Felix Restaurant

This fine wine and dining restaurant is not only a regional treasure, it is ideally situated amid the oldest vines on the original winery in the Margaret River region. The view from the outdoor dining facility encompasses both the picturesque, rolling vineyard landscape and the adjacent Wilyabrup Brook.

The result is a total epicurean journey of visual pleasures coupled with the luxurious tastes of a truly unique Australian cuisine designed by the creative genius of their new head chef, Brendan Pratt. Since Mr. Pratt assumed the culinary helm in July, Vasse Felix has received two prestigious Chef Hats, awarded by the National Good Food Guide for 2018. Learn more about the Vasse Felix Restaurant here.

Rustico Restaurant at Hay Shed Hill Vineyard

The current Rustico restaurant sits on the site of the former Hay Shed Hill Café and Deli. The enhanced dining experience features the award winning Rustico Tapas, Mediterranean style cuisine enjoyed by so many diners at its Rockingham Beach location.

While the Rustico does offer an ala-carte menu that emphasises a shared plate style of dining, their renowned six course degustation venue is the house specialty that requires a minimum of two people. Learn more about the Rustico Restaurant here.

Fishbone Restaurant

The Fishbone Restaurant is an exceptional adventure in authentic Japanese cuisine. This highly rated, locally popular, dining establishment has proudly earned a number of restaurant awards for both its Asian culinary dishes and its Sushi bar.

The sand colored, angular exterior of the building belies the bounty of cultural delicacies to be found inside. The Fishbone serves a lunch menu that includes world-class Sushi rolls; Asian themed salads; starter dishes that feature pan-fried dumplings, kimchi, and edamame; several larger main lunch dishes that include Japanese Curry and Tempura Udon. Learn more about the Fishbone Restaurant here.

Morries Restaurant

When in the Margaret River area, Morries Restaurant is that one, uniquely, local dining establishment that will fulfill all of your culinary expectations.

The delectable dishes served at Morries have been created by their Executive Chef and local celebrity, Tony Howell. Tony Howell is outstanding at pairing his culinary skills with the original cocktails offered by Billy Phillips. Learn more about the Morries Restaurant here.

Voyager Restaurant at Voyager Estate

The magic of dining in an exquisite Dutch Colonial Era restaurant is what you will have when you visit the main building of the Voyager Estate.

The Voyager Restaurant offers seasonal 7 course and 4 course Discovery menus served daily and weekend only High Tea service. Learn more about the Voyager Restaurant here. Learn more about the Voyager Restaurant here.

Miki’s Open Kitchen

If Japanese cuisine is in your heart when you are here in Margaret River, then Miki’s Open Kitchen is where you want to be. The ambience, the conviviality, the alluring aroma, and the total open kitchen experience is as authentic as you can get without actually being in Japan.

The restaurant features four degustation menus, an ala carte menu, and a tempura bar. Vegetarian and children’s menus are available with prior notifications. Miki’s Open Kitchen offers nightly seating reservations for 6 PM and 8 PM from Tuesday through Saturday. Be sure to reserve your seating well in advance as this small local favorite restaurant books up quickly. Learn more about the Miki’s Open Kitchen here.

Wills Domain Restaurant

Dining at the Wills Domain restaurant is more than just a meal. You’ll enjoy an extravagant, 5 star experience draped in a modern Australian, casual dining ambiance.

The restaurant features Australian cuisine, with added selections of international entrees personally created by Executive Chef, Seth James. In addition to the exquisite Chef’s Tasting Menu of the day, a 5 to 7 course degustation hand curated by the Chef James, the restaurant has an a la carte menu, a shared feast menu, and a children’s menu. Learn more about the Wills Domain Restaurant here.

Cullen Winery Restaurant

The Cullen Winery restaurant exudes an aura of calm natural beauty that blends in seamlessly with the surrounding vista. The casual dining atmosphere is a perfect setting for relaxed, leisurely dining on the upscale, unique, modern Australian fare created by the genius Executive Chef Iain Robertson. Chef Robertson’s passion for the use of local produce, fish, fowl, and meats in his Australian creations, combined with his culinary experience as a chef in Italy and his mastery for Asian cuisine, make every edible bite a taste bud adventure not to be missed.

The Cullen Winery and Cellar Door are open daily from 10AM to 4:30PM, and the Cullen Winery Restaurant is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11:30 AM to 2:45PM. We recommend their private food and wine flights that match their award winning biodynamic wines with their exceptional Australian cuisine dishes. The food and wine flights require reservations. The restaurant is open from 10AM to 4:30PM for coffee and cold beverages. Learn more about the Cullen Winery Restaurant here.

Food Terminology (Just for a Bit of Fun)

Nothing says Western Australia like our fondness for colloquialisms and unique names for our favourite food and liquids. We all know about the idiom, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Well, that tiny bit of advice will certainly stand you well when visiting our native eateries. For interstate and overseas travellers, to help you understand what’s on the menu, we’ve made a short list of our favourite Aussie terminology for food and drinks.

Adam’s Ale is a slang term for water
Adjigo is uniquely native yam, harvested only in Western Australia
Anzac is a tasty biscuit made with honey hued syrup, rolled oats, and coconuts
Aubergine is a lyrical sounding name for eggplant
Baked Dinner is a style of traditional family dining where the meal consists of a roast or baked meat served with vegetables; now a standard selection at Australian themed restaurants
Banger is a sausage, very popular as a breakfast food
Barra is a reference to a variety of fresh fish
Brekky is the term for breakfast
Bush Tomato is a tart berry grown on a tomato-like shrub that is also called a Desert Raisin
Bush Tucker is term for outback food
Cauli is the nickname for cauliflower
Chockies is the local term for chocolates
Chook is the term for chicken
Flake is a reference to shark meat
Grog is a catchall term for any form of alcohol
Ice Block is ice cream on a stick or a Popsicle
Lamington is a square of sponge cake covered in chocolate and shredded coconut
Lemonade is not lemon flavored water, it is the beverage 7-Up
Lolly is a term for a variety of candy
Middy is a local term for a mid-sized glass of beer
Milk Bar is a local, small grocery shop or convenience store
Muntry is a small, crisp, berry with an apple-like taste, also called a Native Cranberry
Murphy is a potato
Pavlova is a dessert made with fruit and whipped cream
Pot is a pub term for a small glass of beer (pint is a larger glass)
Quandong is a fruit that is native to the area, and it has the taste of a tart peach, also called Desert Peach
Rockmelon is a cantaloupe
Sammie is a reference to a sandwich
Serviette is how you ask for a table napkin
Silverside is how you order corned beef
Snatch and Grab is a term for take away, or take out, food
Stubby is the term for a squat shaped bottle of beer
Tea is a term for an evening meal or dinner
Tinny is novel term for a can of beer

While this is by no means an all-inclusive list of food and drink terminology, it will certainly help you navigate through the offerings at the local cafes, restaurants, and pubs. Food may be a necessity of life, but good food prepared to perfection is a delight to be savoured. Bon Appetite!

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