The Restaurant at Montalto
Contemporary$$
A legacy estate powered by a substantial kitchen garden.
This Mornington Peninsula grand dame has wowed vinophiles since opening in 2002, but its sphere of influence encompasses a broad demographic - parents sipping wine while their children play on the lawn, multi-generational families celebrating milestones, and young couples dipping their toe into fine dining.
It’s a safe space on that front, with an assured set menu of 10-odd dishes based on the crowd-pleasing flavours of French-Med classicism. There’s nothing more approachable than the carby comfort of a potato doughnut with goats’ curd and a drizzle of estate honey. Hearty pork loin off the redgum-fired grill and accompanying brassicas with creamy taramasalata go straight for the flavour jugular.
A crack team of staff oversees the modern glass and timber dining room overlooking the vines and sculpture trail, while the estate’s friendliness extends to gardeners happy to conduct impromptu tours of the vast kitchen plot.
Best for: A long lunch followed by an exploratory walk along the sculpture trail.
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