Sample Sensational Flavours At The Best Geelong Restaurants

From waterfront winners to elegant fine diners, the best Bellarine and Geelong restaurants encourage serious culinary indulgence.

I’m more than an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s famed restaurant-dotted laneways, but Victoria’s dining scene continues to glitter in Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula. Blending breezy beachfront cafes, Instagram-perfect neighbourhood bistros, achingly cool laneway stars and several special occasion spots, this region is very underrated in my book, especially along Little Malop St (which in itself is one of the best things to do in Geelong). Let’s take a squiz at the standouts for flat-out fabulous meals.

The shortlist

Hottest new opening: Jeffie’s
Family-friendly spot: Little Creatures Canteen
Best design: The Arborist
Best views: Tarra

1. Tulip

share plates at Tulip restaurant, Geelong — The share-plate menu changes frequently at Geelong’s award-winning restaurant, Tulip. (Credit: Supplied)

Little Malop is buzzing but Pakington St remains Geelong’s chic culinary headliner for hot spots like its long-serving titan: Tulip. The hatted Geelong restaurant has been a hit since 2013, but with head chef Johnny Chiang spinning seasonally led magic these days, I feel like there’s never been a better time to experience its joyous, intimate dining room which spills out over brick pavement to a pretty water fountain. The focus is produce-driven dishes that celebrate local and sustainable  – share plates on the winter 2025 menu spanned a prawn sandwich with hot sauce, a honey glazed lamb belly and a Wagyu 7 score Porterhouse with pepper leaf jus. My advice? Wash it all down with a drop from the highly researched wine list which also shifts with the seasons.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Homely

Location: 9/111 Pakington St, Geelong West

2. Woolstore Restaurant & Bar

the dining room at Woolstore Restaurant & Bar — Pull up a stool at the industrial-cool Woolstore Restaurant & Bar. (Credit: Amy Carlon)

I love how so many Geelong restaurants look as trendy as those dotted throughout Melbourne’s CBD yet welcome children in so enthusiastically. Woolstore Restaurant & Bar is among the marvels, fit out all industrial-cool with a magnificent mosaic green bar I’d like installed in my home, but run by an entirely kid-loving team. My little ones loved the ‘Happy Meal’ with its pumpkin bun, beef patty cheeseburger, chicken skewers and fries, while I was impressed by comfort food splashed with local influence like the tomato and nduja arancini, the oyster mushroom Karaage and the Humpty Doo barramundi with caviar beurre blanc. Unsurprisingly, the kitchen is led by the Golden Plate-winning 2024 Regional Chef of the Year, Eli Grubb, but widely, the ethos here is to champion local where possible – that includes the cocktail menu which teams with fellow Geelong businesses to create the standout, fragrance-led, multi-sensory experience amid other delicious concoctions.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Slick

Location: T13, 400 Pakington St, Newtown

3. Felix

the dining interior of Felix restaurant, Geelong — The French-style Felix restaurant brings a menu of classics into its contemporary dining space. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

Another spectacular fit out, paying homage to traditional French brasserie dining while keeping things contemporary and warm-timber coastal, Felix is a beautiful spot for a meal. Built inside a former mechanic’s shed, the Geelong restaurant is tucked down an alley off Little Malop – look for the burgundy painted feature wall and arched windows. Once you’re inside, a menu of classics is nailed with modern perfection, like the chicken liver parfait, piped liked icing on a cake then dotted with quince and sliced baby pickles. Go for the lamb backstrap if it’s on the menu, too – it melts in your mouth while fresh broad beans and sliced carrots dial up the colour.

Cuisine: French

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Cosy

Location: 9 Downes Ln, Geelong

4. The Arborist

a woman sipping cocktail at The Arborist, Geelong — Settle in at The Arborist. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

You won’t miss The Arborist on Little Malop, a striking architectural wonder right in the thick of the buzz. Look for the black framework and caramel timber. True to its name, the Geelong restaurant’s interior takes its cues from an ash tree at the build’s centre and several that frame the place, and the result is sustainable and beautiful, all rendered in natural tones of green, cream and timber. I highly advise tucking into more than a few of its small, medium or large share plates with Middle Eastern (but also very international) hints to team the sights with equally dazzling indulgence: think cod roe with salmon caviar and charred bread, haloumi done with hazelnuts, apricot and saffron, and ricotta dumplings with Jerusalem artichoke, mushrooms, truffle and pine nuts.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Enthralling

Location: 75 Little Malop St, Geelong

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

5. Jeffie’s

dining at Jeffie’s, Geelong — Jeffie’s is a love letter to French cooking and nails European cuisine. (Credit: Amy Evans)

While we’re sending our taste buds around the globe, consider revisiting France through another Geelong restaurant nailing European cuisine. Sitting less than 20 minutes’ drive inland from the coast, Jeffie’s is a love letter to French cooking, staged inside a quiet corner block that lures comfort food-adoring locals with extreme gusto. The unassuming fine diner only opened its doors in August 2025, but dishes like a beef tartare with bone marrow, a cheese fondue with delicious dunkable accompaniments, and a Ratatouille Niçoise with goats cheese, have already impressed.

Cuisine: French

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Chic

Location: Shop 14, 65-71 Barrabool Rd, Highton

6. Little Creatures Canteen

a look inside Little Creatures Canteen, Geelong — Step into Little Creatures for a unique brewery experience.

I love popping heels on as much as the next diner, but I equally adore a solid pub session with quality pub grub. Little Creatures Canteen is a Geelong staple, housed in one of the region’s best breweries, and serving as its own standout eatery. The brand’s east coast home (it hails from WA’s Fremantle) is in fact a converted woollen mill, so it feels more beer factory than fancy, effortlessly cranking up the fun factor from the moment you step inside. Alternatively, you can remain outside in the courtyard as wood-fired pizzas, a Pale Ale battered flake and chips, sticky pork ribs with chipotle maple glaze and a stack of small plates reliably delight. If the kids are eating too, there’s a children’s menu to pluck from, plus a playground to temporarily tucker them out.

Cuisine: Pub food

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Chilled

Location: 221 Swanston St, Geelong

7. Pavilion Geelong

the Pavilion Geelong restaurant — Head to the Pavilion Geelong for a satisfying brunch by the beach. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

Occupying a prime waterfront spot, Pavilion Geelong is a must-try for brunch. Light and breezy, the 120-seater cafe and kiosk offers water views alongside the likes of acai bowls, braised mushrooms on toast, Belgian waffles with ice cream, battered flathead and chips and burgers. Additionally, you’re dining inside a gorgeous slice of Art Deco history, just a few steps from one of Geelong’s best beaches.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Beachy

Location: 95 Eastern Beach Rd, Geelong

8. Two Noble

Asian meals at Two Noble restaurant, Geelong — Savour authentic Asian flavours at Two Noble.

Ready for king-hit flavours? Two Noble is one of my favourite Geelong restaurants for an authentic Asian-inspired feast. The cooking is superb, crammed with seasonal ingredients and dressed in delicately balanced sauces, like the kingfish with burnt onion and soy plus the all-too-popular roasted duck with hoisin and Cointreau. Additionally, this spot is so warm and inviting, somewhat of a hidden gem you won’t spot from the street. Wander up the stairs from the Sawyers Arms Tavern to find Two Noble’s glass entry door and step inside where every made-to-share showstopper awaits.

Cuisine: Southeast Asian

Average price: $$-$$$

Atmosphere: Homely

Location: Level 2, 2 Noble St, Newtown

9. Tarra

drinks on the table with sea view at Tarra restaurant, Geelong — Wine and dine with dazzling ocean views. (Credit: Tarra)

It’s impossible to avoid being swept up by Tarra in Queenscliff, located on the southern end of the Bellarine Peninsula. First, the construction itself is a work of art, located right off the sand and lifting above ground like the hero of a Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. Inside, the ocean views dazzle no matter where you’re placed or which meal you’re there for, as breakfast and lunch are both on offer. If you’re there for lunch, like I was, pick a few items off the small plate menu (the baby beets with smoked yoghurt won me) before diving into something large, like the 500g ribeye on the bone for two, to share. You’ll need to save room for cocktail o’clock too – a total non-negotiable accompaniment when views like this drench the scene.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Elevated

Location: 1 Wharf St East, Queenscliff

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10. Baah Lah! Dining

a hand using chopsticks to get food on the table at Baah Lah! Dining, Geelong — Baah Lah! Dining serves up traditional Singaporean flavours with a twist. (Credit: Jane Fitzgerald)

Yet another stellar Geelong restaurant for sensational global cuisine, Baah Lah! Dining zeroes in on traditional Singaporean flavours to jazz up the finest of local, super-fresh produce. You’ll devour ingredients foraged from the team’s family farm up north in Katandra (Head Chef Brian Anderson’s father still runs the show out there), whipped into small plate knock outs including the crispy leek and zucchini pancake, fried eggplant chips, and Singapore chilli crab doughnuts, before launching into the larger curry chicken in Malaysian sauce or Cantonese-style roast duck breast with boysenberry sauce. Seriously epic, whatever the seasonal menu holds.

Cuisine: Asian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Buzzing

Location: 1/100 Pakington St, Geelong West

11. Geelong Cellar Door

alfresco dining at Geelong Cellar Door — Geelong Cellar Door exudes old-world charm. (Credit: Armelle Habib)

With its exposed brickwork, squishy leather sofa and rustic open fireplace, Geelong Cellar Door, a locally beloved wine bar and store, exudes old-world charm. It makes for the perfect place to showcase the cool-climate wine of the Greater Geelong region, in fact. Slurp down a glass or few of your preferred poison alongside cheese and charcuterie platters or dabble in the region’s local craft beers and ciders. And there’s plenty more to help line your belly – think beautifully crafted terrines, chicken liver pate and local sourdough.

Cuisine: Bar food

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 95-99 Little Malop St, Geelong

12. King of the Castle Cafe

pouring milk over coffee at King of the Castle Cafe — Sip on excellent brews at King of the Castle Cafe.

Looking for Melbourne’s signature understated cool? King of the Castle Cafe exudes warehouse-cool and friendly vibes. You’ll find excellent coffee and an extensive breakfast, brunch and lunch menu covering off everything from Indian Spiced Eggs with roti bread, a fried chicken burger with French fries, white chocolate and raspberry pancakes with ice cream and pulled pork tacos. Produce is sourced from local suppliers and there are also vegetarian and vegan dishes including tofu scramble on grilled roti.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Relaxed

Location: 24 Pakington St, Geelong West

13. 63 Degrees

63 Degrees Geelong — Tuck into Portuguese baked eggs or a Mexican pulled chicken and super grains ‘clean bowl’.

While we’re talking cafes, consider 63 Degrees, too. Further down Pakington, this hot spot is endlessly bright, decked out with white paint and fresh colourful blooms. Like most of its Geelong neighbours, the emphasis here is on clean eating and sustainably sourced produce, so you’ll be choosing between a stack of seasonally led dishes including the ‘Unsmashed’ avocado plate with lemon myrtle hummus and tofu, a chilli scramble bagel and two dedicated all-day Vegan menus (breakfast and lunch).

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $-$$

Atmosphere: Casual

Location: 140 Pakington St, Geelong West

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock, one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915. Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore, one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

Savour coastal produce at the 13 best Geelong restaurants

From waterfront winners to elegant fine diners, the best Bellarine and Geelong restaurants encourage serious culinary indulgence.

The shortlist

1. Tulip

2. Woolstore Restaurant & Bar

3. Felix

4. The Arborist

5. Jeffie’s

6. Little Creatures Canteen

7. Pavilion Geelong

8. Two Noble

9. Tarra

10. Baah Lah! Dining

11. Geelong Cellar Door

12. King of the Castle Cafe

13. 63 Degrees

Makers, good food and the great outdoors: your guide to a long weekend in the Moorabool Valley

Victoria’s abandoned seaside hotel to reopen as a luxe boutique with a bathhouse

8 experiences that prove The Bellarine is the ultimate multi-gen getaway

This luxe trawler tour is redefining Victoria’s seafood experience

Inside Geelong’s glow-up from factory town to creative capital

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces

From waterfront winners to elegant fine diners, the best Bellarine and Geelong restaurants encourage serious culinary indulgence.

The shortlist

1. Tulip

2. Woolstore Restaurant & Bar

3. Felix

4. The Arborist

AI Prompt

5. Jeffie’s

6. Little Creatures Canteen

7. Pavilion Geelong

8. Two Noble

9. Tarra

10. Baah Lah! Dining

11. Geelong Cellar Door

12. King of the Castle Cafe

13. 63 Degrees

Makers, good food and the great outdoors: your guide to a long weekend in the Moorabool Valley

Victoria’s abandoned seaside hotel to reopen as a luxe boutique with a bathhouse

8 experiences that prove The Bellarine is the ultimate multi-gen getaway

This luxe trawler tour is redefining Victoria’s seafood experience

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

The rise of a food and wine destination

Breathing new life into historic spaces