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

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

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

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

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

5. Jeffie’s

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

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

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

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

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

10. Baah Lah! Dining

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

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

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

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