If you’re planning a Portarlington Mussel Tours experience, we’re guessing you already have pretty good taste when it comes to food and wine.
Luckily, you’ve come to the right place.
The Bellarine Peninsula is packed with great places to eat and drink, from waterfront seafood and relaxed local cafes to cellar doors, vineyard restaurants and some seriously good spots for a glass of wine.
So if you’re staying a little longer, here are a few places worth adding to your Bellarine itinerary.
Pier Street, Portarlington
For local seafood by the water
Pier Street is an easy favourite, just metres from Portarlington’s foreshore and pier.
The menu has a strong local focus, particularly seafood, and Portarlington mussels regularly feature front and centre. For us there’s an extra connection too — Pier Street serves mussels grown locally by Sea Bounty, the same family behind Portarlington Mussel Tours.
Come for breakfast or lunch and settle into Portarlington’s relaxed seaside atmosphere.
Portarlington Grand Hotel
For lunch, dinner or drinks in the heart of town
The beautifully restored Portarlington Grand Hotel has a bit on offer.
There’s a Bistro, Atrium, Front Bar and Lawn, with menus showcasing plenty of local Bellarine wine, beer and produce. And because the Grand also has boutique accommodation, you can quite easily turn lunch or dinner into an overnight stay.
Pop’s Wine Bar, Portarlington
For a relaxed glass of wine
Sometimes you don’t need a full meal — just somewhere good to sit, have a drink and watch the world go by.
Pop’s is a small boutique wine bar right in central Portarlington and a great spot for a pre-dinner drink, an afternoon wine or a relaxed end to the day.
Staple Eatery & Deli, Portarlington
For coffee, brunch and an easy local bite
A favourite with locals, Staple is a good one to know for coffee, breakfast, lunch or something casual.
The menu moves from toasties and focaccias to weekend brunch and heartier dishes, and there’s a strong selection of Bellarine wines on the drinks list too.
Follow the Bellarine wine trail
One of the best things about eating and drinking on the Bellarine is how close the vineyards are to the coast.
You could easily spend an afternoon — or several — moving between cellar doors, stopping for tastings, lunch and some of the best views on the Peninsula.
Terindah Estate
With panoramic views across the vines and Port Phillip Bay, Terindah is as much about the setting as the wine.
Stop for a tasting or stay for lunch at The Shed, where the menu focuses on seasonal regional produce alongside Terindah’s estate-grown wines.
Jack Rabbit Vineyard
Possibly one of the Bellarine’s most recognisable vineyard views, Jack Rabbit offers several ways to visit.
There’s more relaxed dining at the House of Jack Rabbit, along with the vineyard’s restaurant for a more elevated lunch or dinner, plus cellar door wine tastings.
Scotchmans Hill
One of the region’s established wine names, Scotchmans Hill combines its cellar door with a restaurant overlooking Port Phillip Bay.
The menu has a strong focus on fresh regional produce, making it an easy place to settle in for a long lunch with a bottle of Bellarine wine.
Bennetts on Bellarine
Bennetts has a wonderfully relaxed feel, with wine, food, vineyard views and regular live music.
It’s the kind of place where you can stop for a tasting and end up staying much longer than planned. Their current menu even includes Portarlington mussels.
Circulus Wine
For something smaller and more boutique, Circulus produces cool-climate, maritime-influenced wines from its Portarlington vineyard.
It’s a nice reminder that the Bellarine wine story isn’t only about the larger established estates — there are plenty of smaller producers worth discovering as you explore.
And these are only the beginning. The Bellarine is dotted with cellar doors and wineries, so leave some room in your itinerary to discover a few more along the way.
Take a drive to Queenscliff
Around half an hour from Portarlington, Queenscliff is another excellent stop for anyone planning a food-focused Bellarine getaway.
TARRA
Set right on the water at the Queenscliff Ferry Terminal, TARRA serves contemporary Australian food with a focus on seasonal, locally sourced and even foraged ingredients.
The views are hard to beat, with the restaurant sitting just metres from the water.
The Queenscliff Hotel
Following an extensive restoration, the historic Queenscliff Hotel reopened in 2026 and has quickly added another reason to visit town.
For something special there’s Miettas, its refined dining restaurant focused on seasonal produce, while The Conservatory offers more relaxed dining and The Boat Bar is an easy stop for drinks and snacks.
Make a meal of the Bellarine
The food and wine is a big part of what makes this region special.
Our waters produce incredible seafood, our cool maritime climate produces some exceptional wines, and across the Peninsula you’ll find chefs, growers, winemakers and hospitality people who genuinely care about where their food comes from.
So don’t rush home after your mussel tour.
Stay another night, book a long lunch, find a cellar door you haven’t visited before, take a drive to Queenscliff and make food and wine part of your Bellarine experience.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore more places to eat and drink across Geelong and the Bellarine with Visit Geelong & The Bellarine.
