Cafes & General Stores
Casual creativity
Here’s proof you don’t need fancy surroundings to deliver fine hospitality. The cafes found in Victoria’s Heartland take food and drinks seriously, using locally grown produce and carefully roasted beans to serve up excellence to visitors and locals. Plus, many of them still retain the spoils of old-fashioned general stores. You could easily spend weeks trying them all.
Cafes
Cafe charm
Every seat, but especially one by the fire, is the best one at Wombat Hill House, set in Daylesford’s botanic gardens. It serves scrumptious seasonal dishes, often with slow-fermented sourdough, prepped daily by the bakers at one of proprietor Alla Wolf-Tasker’s other establishments, Dairy Flat Farm.
The delightfully named Bad Habits Cafe, within Daylesford’s The Convent art gallery, is the ideal place for a delicious high tea. On the town’s most prominent corner is Cafe Koukla, a bohemian-inspired eatery where the staff will happily serve you breakfast, lunch or dinner (and cocktails).
Just outside Daylesford, Lavandula Farm is home to Post Office Deli & Larder, located within the original bluestone post office. Stop here for takeaway coffees, quick bites and pantry treats. Set in the former National Bank building of its charming hometown, Trentham General is a beloved cafe, most famous for its chilli scrambled eggs.
The Social Foundry in Kyneton is more than a cafe; it’s a community. This social enterprise helps those facing barriers to employment learn hospitality skills. The result? A welcoming spot serving food with heart. Before heading off on a hike in Hanging Rock Reserve, make your way to Hanging Rock Cafe to fuel up.
Pair your visit to the grand Maryborough Train Station with a coffee or lunch at The Station, a welcoming cafe, restaurant and bar located within the historic station buildings.
Food & drink inspiration
Take your pick of acclaimed restaurants and congenial gastropubs, rustic trattorias, vineyard eateries and cosy village cafes.
Read moreCaffeine fix
In need of coffee? Head to Daylesford’s Larder, where single-origin dreams come true. Heading north, there’s nothing quite like Das Kaffeehaus in Castlemaine. This establishment, with its velvet lounges and sparkling chandeliers, is modelled on Vienna’s grand coffee shops. Plus, it’s a micro-roastery. Be sure to order a serving of its apfelstrudel or babka to have with the Austrian-style coffee.
Tucked just off the main drag in Woodend, Nellie’s Shed is a local secret. Great coffee and home-style treats are popular with locals, who appreciate the kid- and pet-friendly space in a rustic shed setting surrounded by the lushness of a nursery. Set right near Gisborne Train Station, Baringo Food & Wine Co. is stylish, spacious and has some serious coffee cred. Here, you can start your day right then browse the providore, stocked with local produce and crafts.
Small, lively and well-loved are just a few ways to describe Mr Macedon. Expect quality coffee, friendly locals and a solid menu that will tempt you to stay for lunch. Tucked into Clunes’s historical streetscape is Cafe Fifty Two, delivering great coffee with vintage charm. Welcoming and down to earth, this is a local favourite for good reason.
General Stores
General goodness
As well as serving a fabulous selection of take-away meals and food boxes, charming Hepburn Springs General Store also stocks wine, beer and a range of gifts, fashion and homewares. It’s a one-stop shop for all your tastes, including the one crying out for a donut – they’re made in house daily.
What can’t you get at Harcourt Produce and General Store? Chef Annette Larson has transformed the town’s old shop into a cafe and wine bar. After you’ve enjoyed lunch and a coffee, peruse the locally grown fruit, vegetables and eggs, as well as Larsen Produce products, including preserves, relishes, jams, cordials, wines and craft beer.
Visitors love Cliffy’s Emporium in Daylesford for its homespun decor, hearty brunch and veranda draped with grapevines. Plus, the old timber shelves are full of local produce and preserves, while specialty groceries are chosen from near and far.
A short drive from Daylesford will find you at Glenlyon General Store, where old photographs adorn the walls. As well as serving tasty meals and snacks, it sells pantry items and booze, perfect for stocking your holiday house.
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