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The best winery restaurants in Western Australia for wining and dining

Western Australia has an abundance of wine regions, all of which provide ample opportunities to seek out premium wining and dining opportunities. There aren’t many better ways to spend a long lunch than lazing amongst lush vineyards and placing your culinary desires into the hands of an expert. Take the opportunity to look further than Margaret River when planning a wine trip. The Swan Valley, Australia’s second oldest wine region, sits just 30 minutes from Perth. You’ll find a range of different varietals in the Southern Forests and Valleys and Great Southern Wine Regions. Of course, ensure you have arranged a designated driver before settling out, or book a transfer service in advance if everyone plans a few glasses of wine with lunch.

Frui Momento

Frui Momento is a collaboration between winemaker Larry Cherubino and lauded chef Seth James. Housed on the Cherubino Estate, the stand-alone restaurant offers a different dining experience for those who like like their lunch with a side of vineyard. The menu spirals from a centre based around seafood, with a delightful snack menu if you want an afternoon bite with a glass (or bottle) from the extensive wine list. Cherubino wines are listed, but so are global heavyweights from regions such as Piedmont and Burgundy, and there’s a selection of other top Margaret River producers to round it out. 3478 Caves Road, Wilyabrup; fruimomento.com.au

Mandoon Estate

Also in the Swan Valley, Mandoon Estate is a choose-your-own-adventure, complete with two restaurants on-site, a brewery, a winery, an art gallery and a beer garden. Take your pick from casual dining with boutique brews at the Homestead Brewery, or head to Wild Swan for a contemporary fine dining fix. The menu at Wild Swan is laced with native ingredients and creative seasonal dishes such as Donnybrook marron, sobrasada, finger lime, potato espuma, and beer bread. Be sure to book in advance, as tables are in demand on weekends with Perth day trippers. You can also make a staycation and check in to the on-site hotel, The Colony. 10 Harris Rd, Caversham; mandoonestate.com.au

Cullen Wines

Cullen Wines is a leader in sustainable winemaking practices; the winery is certified carbon positive, organic and biodynamic. Be sure to arrive in time for a tasting at the Biodynamic Wine Room and an educational stroll through the Self-Guided Spiral Garden Biodynamic Tour before lunch. Head Chef Ben Day is no newcomer to the Margaret River and is undoubtedly one of the region’s most talented chefs. The kitchen at Cullen is compact, and the Head Chef’s role is heavily hands-on – something that drew Day to the role last year. Intelligent, ingredient-led cooking aligns with the complexity and beauty of Cullen’s wines. Try the back vintages on offer to see what a little time does to these highly sought-after wines. The four-course menu is crafted with substantial input from the winery’s four kitchen gardens. Expect dishes such as Esperance scallops, Torbay asparagus, organic kohlrabi, and roasted chicken sauce. 4323 Caves Rd, Wilyabrup; cullenwines.com.au

Vasse Felix

While a trip to Vasse Felix is essential for any wine enthusiast – this is Margaret River’s founding wine estate – it’s also home to one of the region’s best dining experiences. Plan your arrival time with time to spare before your lunch booking for a guided tasting and a stroll through the history of the estate in the underground cellar. Pick from a la carte or the five-course tasting menu, and go for the thoughtful and astute wine pairings. With winery restaurants, it’s often the case that the wine outshines the food, or the food is seen as an afterthought to the wine, but not at Vasse Felix. The complete package, the menu is refined with many Asian ingredients and influences layered amongst locally sourced produce. Dishes such as Kombu cheesecake and truffle have attained a cult following amongst West Australian food lovers. Head chef Brendan Platt has recently announced he will be moving on and placing the stewardship of the restaurant in the capable hands of sous chef Cameron Jones. 4357 Caves Rd, Wilyabrup; vassefelix.com.au

Pepper & Salt

The Great Southern is geographically Western Australia’s largest wine region. It’s a vast expanse that covers multiple sub-regions and takes several hours to drive across. Denmark’s coastal vibe and green rolling hills are the perfect destination for a relaxed lunch accompanied by cool climate Riesling and Chardonnay – ideal for pairing with the substantial menu by head chef Silas Masih. Enjoy warm country hospitality, relaxed dining, and a carefully crafted menu driven by provenance at Pepper & Salt above the Forrest Hill Cellar Door. Masih’s Fijian-Indian-inspired flavours are an ideal match for Great Southern white wines’ acidity and citrus drive. 1564 South Coast Hwy, Denmark; pepperandsalt.com.au

Millbrook Winery

At a 50-minute drive from Perth, Millbrook Winery in the Perth Hills is a destination for diners looking for a picturesque lunch. While the wine production has recently moved to the Fogarty Winery in Margaret River, the menu at the winery restaurant is well crafted to support the wine portfolio. The on-site kitchen garden contributes to the menu with over one hundred heirloom varieties grown on-site. No Waste Mondays offer a win-win opportunity for diners: enjoy creative cooking from the weekend’s leftover produce. Be sure to set aside time to stroll through the beautiful gardens and orchards before or after your meal. Old Chestnut Ln, Jarrahdale; millbrook.wine

Glenarty Road

After a relaxed, mindful, and generous winery lunch? Or perhaps you fancy an afternoon drifting through a sundrenched, green-paddocked rural dreamscape? Either way, Glenarty Road is the destination for you. Run by a fifth-generation farming family, farmer Ben Mcdonald was about to rip out his vines when winemaker (and now wife) Sasha appeared on his doorstep, hopeful to purchase some grapes. Fast-forward a few years, and the husband and wife team has built an authentic paddock-to-plate dining experience and cellar door central to their fully operational farm. Take a farm tour to see the abundance of the market garden and the oh-so-cute piglets before they make their way to chef Jess Widmer’s epic house-made charcuterie. Settle in under a flowering sweet pea arbour and unbuckle your belt for the generous multi-course set menu. Everything from sourdough, cultured butter and cheese is made on site. Vege is from the garden, and meat is farm reared. If you’re lucky, Ben’s father, the real deal Old Macdonald, might join you for a chin wag and a post-lunch cuppa. 70 Glenarty Rd, Karridale; glenartyroad.com.au

Voyager Estate

Voyager Estate is well on its way to organic certification, and the sustainably farmed vineyards surround the impeccably manicured gardens. Cape Dutch farmsteads of South Africa inspire its original buildings. The spacious restaurant has risen to new heights over the past few years, and it will be exciting to see where recently appointed head chef Travis Crane leads the team and the dining direction. Take a vineyard tour before settling in for a tasting under the wine room’s chandelier. Choose from a four or seven-course menu, each themed with a seasonal directive title. Summer is entitled BACCA, aligning with the grape harvest; the action outside amongst the vines contrasts with the calm dining room interior. A combination of iconic wines and project wines pave the way for dishes centred around wine choice. Where possible, ingredients are derived from the kitchen garden and estate’s farm and supplemented by produce from local growers. 41 Stevens Rd, Margaret River; voyagerestate.com.au

Hidden River Estate

Pemberton is pinot country, and the menu at Hidden River Estate provides the option to enjoy a glass of the region’s wine alongside generous and unpretentious dining by Owner-Chef Ardal Nigg. The menu has a distinct Middle Eastern flair thanks to Ardal’s heritage and culinary background. It’s a rarity to have such flavours highlighted on a menu at a winery restaurant, but it is very well suited to a region that specialises in cool climate wines that can handle the spices in this style of food. Look out for great guest wines on the list too, such as a local Gruner and Riesling. You’ll want to spend the whole afternoon gazing at the pastoral views with a glass of wine. 156 Mullineaux Road Pemberton; hiddenriver.com.au

Leeuwin Estate

Chef Dan Gedge’s pedigree includes seven years spent working within Rick Stein’s restaurant group, and he’s one of Western Australia’s most skilled chefs. Take your pick from the three-course seasonal menu or the six-course tasting menu, and settle in for a culinary voyage. With Gedge at the vessel’s helm, be gently guided by a classically trained crew of front-of-house staff. Local produce and the Leeuwin wine portfolio provides wind in the sails. The menu is elegant, clever, and while it’s innovative, it’s by no means contrived. No matter the season, the kitchen consistently delivers artful dishes such as Cuttlefish, fennel, taramasalata, lime, chicken skin and for dessert, Nannup nectarine, elderflower, white chocolate, lemon verbena. Combined with one of the nation’s most outstanding chardonnays (Art Series) and the tranquil views over the concert lawn framed by karri trees, it’s easy to see why Leeuwin has remained a must-visit for any visitor to Margaret River. Stevens Road, Margaret River; leeuwinestate.com.au

Chow's Table

Finally, honourable mention goes to a couple of unofficial contenders. At some point, the question must be asked, what constitutes a winery restaurant? Does it need to sit within a cellar door? Must it be owned and operated by the winery? Must it be a restaurant that serves food purely to highlight and elevate the wines produced on-site? These questions are best left to answer in a separate discussion, but there are a couple of restaurants set amongst the vines that deserve mention. Right next door to the House Of Cards cellar door and surrounded by the wineries’ vines, Chows Table offers generous portions of share food inspired by Owner-Chef Mal Chow’s Malay heritage. In the warmer months, you can grab a bottle of wine from the cellar door and crack open a relaxed picnic of Chow’s “Summer Bites” on the lawn. 12/5 Quininup Rd, Yallingup; chowstable.com.au

Sittella Winery

Sittella Winery is a multi-generation family business. Thanks to winemaker Yuri Berns’s obsession with sparkling, the winery is producing some of the best traditional method sparkling wine in the state. Pair bubbles with the beautiful wine at the winery restaurant, or if you fancy a more robust option, learn towards their old vine Grenache. Chef Mike Price serves generous portions of well-cooked classics such as seafood chowder and house-made pappardelle with lamb and tomato ragu. Thanks to the stunning surroundings and warm service, Sittella is often the choice for tables of diners celebrating. The Swan Valley is known for its fortified wines, so don’t skip a sticky with (or as) dessert. 100 Barrett St, Herne Hill; sittella.com.au