5 regional restaurants worth driving to

Destination dining has formed its own tourism category in recent years, fuelled in part by big-name chefs leaving the big cities to fulfil their restauranteur dreams. There’s also an increasing appetite for truly local produce that comes directly from small-scale producers – and is best eaten at the source. From large-scale vineyard venues to intimate eateries, here are five regional restaurants worth planning a road trip around.

Chauncy, VIC

Where: Heathcote (one hour and 45 minutes’ drive from Melbourne)

At Chauncy, you can step inside a heritage-listed sandstone building in the Goldfields town of Heathcote and seemingly find yourself in provincial France. This fine-dining restaurant is a collaboration between a French-born chef and an acclaimed Australian sommelier, and is elegantly styled with marble, gilded mirrors and billowing linen. While the presentation is distinctly European, the menu du jour is proudly local, and might feature something like Macedon duck with beetroot puree and preserved cherries; smoked eel from Bellarine Smokehouse with pickled winter vegetables; or Dreaming Goat Dairy’s goat’s curd with charred leeks. Named The Age Good Food Guide’s 2024 Regional Restaurant of the Year, Chauncy is exclusively open for lunch and is perfect for a country day trip from Melbourne.

Bistro Livi, NSW

Where: Murwillumbah (one-hour drive from the Gold Coast)

Murwillumbah is a sleepy town in the Northern Rivers region, not yet on the tourist map – but Bistro Livi might be about to change that. Crowned The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide 2024 Regional Restaurant of the Year, Livi’s roasted quail with sweet and sour sauce was highlighted as one of the best dishes the Good Food Guide team ate all year. Still, this is a proud “neighbourhood restaurant” where you feel like you’re in on a local secret. The seasonally dictated menu changes daily and is designed as Spanish-influenced share plates, showcasing small-scale Northern Rivers producers and underrated seafood. Located in the Art Deco arts precinct, the warm timber, terracotta and leather interiors invite you to stay a while… and then get out and explore some of the other small-town gems this region has to offer.

Maxwell, SA

Where: McLaren Vale (40 minutes’ drive from Adelaide)

It’s hard to go wrong with dining anywhere in McLaren Vale, but Maxwell makes this list for its swoon-worthy views and edible-artwork plating. The tasting menu can be experienced over 6 or 10 courses, and wouldn’t seem out of place in any Michelin-starred restaurant. A dish of duck and sunchoke arrives in a plume of smoke, delicately nested on a bed of rosemary; while an island of cured and smoked rainbow trout sits in a dashi reduction, painted with ribbons of black garlic emulsion and topped with caviar. This is a very special dining experience, in a very special location

Frui Momento at Cherubino, WA

Where: Wilyabrup (three-hour drive from Perth)

Declared ‘New Restaurant of the Year’ in 2023 by The West Australian Good Food Guide, Frui Memento combines all the best things you would expect from a vineyard fine-dining experience (beautiful views, slick service, great wine) with a creative menu that heroes Australian produce from the land and the sea. A three-course menu might feature scallops with kimchi; pork collar with artichoke; followed by prickly pear with finger lime. The restaurant’s name is Latin for ‘enjoy the moment’ - exactly what you’ll be doing in this gorgeous pocket of the Margaret River.

Van Bone, TAS

Where: Marion Bay (40 minutes’ drive from Hobart)

Everything about Van Bone feels down-to-earth, from the walls (rammed-earth outside and Tasmanian Oak-lined on the inside) to the warm service and the menu ingredients, which are all sourced from small-scale local producers and the restaurant’s garden. Expect to spend three to four hours experiencing a set menu of up to 14 courses while enjoying views over verdant countryside and beyond to Maria Island. It’s hard to predict what will feature on a truly seasonal menu, but you can guarantee it will be a showcase of Tasmanian talent. “In our wood-oven and charcoal grill - everything is cooked over coals or kissed by fire in some way,” explains chef and co-owner Tim Hardy. “We forage, preserve and utilise the changing season to create a ‘uniquely Tasmanian’ experience.”