Tea Rooms of Yarck

Forget about making the weekend drive from Melbourne: this kind of restaurant inspires moves to the country. Filled with folksy antiques, platters of antipasti and jars of preserves, the sun-drenched dining rooms of this weatherboard cottage are made for lingering in. A good thing, too, as the Tea Rooms' fabulous weekend lunch is no hurried affair. You could go a la carte, selecting pasta or braises from the blackboard menu, but by handing over the reins to the chef, you're assured a procession of dishes, generous both in flavour and size. The meal kicks off with small tastes from the sideboard, perhaps rockmelon and pancetta salad, or tiny pork meatballs, all delivered swiftly by a team of switched-on staff. Part of the joy of dining here is that you never know what's coming next. Scampi with ricotta tortellone may follow, or you could spy a duck version being ferried to the next table. Cross your fingers that dessert features a fine apple and quince tart.