The beautiful
Mornington Peninsula, just over an hour's drive from Melbourne, provides endless opportunities to sip, sup and savour world-class food, wine and culinary experiences.
In fact, between orchards, vineyards, olive groves, farm-gate produce, cafes, restaurants, gourmet kitchens, and markets brimming with artisan wares, there's so much to explore and enjoy, there's a whole website dedicated it. Get ready to tantalise the tastebuds and check out
MP Gourmet here.
While you can take a guided tour (I've previously done one with
Epicurean Tours, who were great) you can also do a self-drive tour at your own leisure.
You can read more about the region's food trail
here and design the day in a way that suits your desire and budget.
Check out this fabulous gourmet
food map, complete with descriptions of the delights on offer and 37, yes 37, possible stops. While that's simply not possible in a day, you can simply select from the destinations that grab you.
I do suggest some planning before you go, or you can waste precious time mucking about when you could be indulging.
Then again, if you can swing it, take a few days' break and fill it with this
three-day tour.
Some of my favourite stops include:
Montalto Restaurant & Vineyard in Red Hill, which has a dedicated olive festival coming up on the 17th and 18th of July, and
Mornington Peninsula Chocolates, who use fine Belgian, French and Swiss couverture.
Then there's the
Merricks General Store, which simply re-defines the concept of a general store, and
Red Hill Cheese, a true cottage industry set amidst secluded bushland and producing award-winning, artisan farmhouse cheese from organic cow and goat milk. The Coolart Soft is heavenly.
