The good life comes easy in Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges region.
Take your pick of acclaimed restaurants and welcoming gastropubs, rustic trattorias, vineyard eateries and cosy village cafes. Discover where to eat and what to eat, where to find our best cafés, restaurants and wineries, along with the top spots for brunch, lunch and dinner in Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges.
Sample gourmet dishes of seasonal produce, grown locally. Whether your dining experience is simple or lavish, cheap and cheerful or outright indulgent, you’ll dine on food straight from local farms and sip wines from vineyards just down the road.
Food & drink inspiration in Daylesford & the Macedon Ranges
Rosé in the Ranges
Rosé, a style of wine that is characterised by a light copper to pink hue, crunchy red fruits and the image of a long afternoon lunch in the south of France with everyone dressed in their finest white cotton threads. It is a style of wine that is synonymous with fun, friends and good times. Yet, most people know very little about rosé.
New Drinks To Savour
They say variety is the spice of life. When it comes to drinks, we all have our favourites, and, with the weather warming up, it’s the perfect time to try some fantastic new taste sensations. From underwater wine and beer made from grapes to some amazing gin varieties and brews, this region has it all. Read on and add some extra spice to your life this summer.
Green Scene
Want to support places that put sustainability at the heart of what they do? You’ll uncover ethical producers, regenerative farms, low-impact accommodation, restorative walks in nature and more throughout the region.
Shaken or Stirred
Whether you’re looking for the perfect pairing to enjoy at home, a delicious cocktail while you’re out and about, or something of the non-alcoholic variety, you’ll find some amazing drinks in the many restaurants, bars, breweries and distilleries dotted around the region
What To Do For Under $50
So, this inflation thing… is a thing. The increasing cost of living (and enjoying your life) means that many of us are having to live more frugally. So, while we’d love to stay in five-star accommodation and dine at two-hatted restaurants, many of us are searching for more affordable options when we travel. Here’s a collection of fantastic activities that won’t cost a bomb.
A Good Old Sunday Road Trip
Order a picnic, throw a rug in the back of the car, or book a late lunch in a beautiful country location eatery because we're going on a day trip.
What’s New
The cool winter air didn’t stop a flurry of activity in our region, with an exciting collection of businesses either newly opened or set to open soon. Here we take a look at what’s new around the region.
Pop Into a Providore
Fun fact: some of Australia’s very first providores popped up right here, in Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges, way back in the 1850s. Our region was at the epicentre of the gold rush, and Swiss Italians settled here early on; some earning a living as providores. One of their enduring legacies is the Bull Boar sausage, which you can still find at some local butchers. The Swiss Italians were also instrumental in helping preserve our famous mineral springs, which were at risk from the extensive mining, but that’s another story.
Meet our Food & Drink operators
Kuzu Izakaya
The legend of Kuzu begins!
Dromkeen
Dromkeen is a heritage homestead with gallery, tearoom, conference and wedding…
Lost Watering Hole – The Lancefield Brewery
We take great pride in our craft brewery, offering an impressive selection of finely…
Newham General Store
Showcasing the very best produce and crafts from across the Macedon Ranges.
Gindu
Gindu is a proudly Australian multi-award-winning distillery that calls the Macedon…
Mt Franklin Estate
Mt Franklin Estate blends into the contours of the ancient lava flow from Mt Franklin a…
Shedshaker Brewing
Fine craft beer at the historic Woollen Mill in Castlemaine.
Hepburn Springs Brewing Co
An independent Brewery and Taproom in Hepburn Springs, creating a range of award winning…
Recipes from our talented chefs
Mountain Distilling G&Ts
Get creative with your G&Ts. Use fruits, citrus and herbs from your garden, experiment!
Blackbird Cakes Easter Bunny Chocolate Cake Recipe
Blackbird Cakes is not your standard cake shop or bakery, they do things a little differently. They don’t just create delicious, one-off cakes, they can also help you to create your own, from afar, via their very own Make a Blackbird Cake magazine or online classes.
Beef Short Rib Rendang
Rich and fragrant, delicious and warming, Southeast Asia’s beef rendang is a dish with a long history that is as layered and diverse as this curry-like, dry stew.
Spaghetti With Chestnuts And Buttered Sage
This simple, yet delicious recipe draws on the sweet and buttery flavour of boiled chestnuts. You can pick up these seasonal delights at one of the many Farmers’ Markets or providores within our region (chestnuts are in season from March to July). Or take it one step further and join a chestnut foraging workshop with the creator or this recipe, Mara Ripani. This is just one of the many sustainably focused workshops available at her Blampied based artisanal cooking school, Village Dreaming.
Beetroot and Horseradish Kraut
This combination of beetroot, cabbage and horseradish is very eastern European, so you can readily imagine it with foods stemming from those parts and is particularly gorgeous served with (kefir) crème fraîche on a potato latke or on a slab of dark rye with caraway cheese.
Richard Cornish’s Tomato and Basil Summer Pie
The perfect way to make the use of the late summer, early autumn bounty of ripe tomatoes. Use the best basic ingredients to make this superb summer pie to serve with food fresh from the grill washed down with an aromatic red wine.