I’m just sat here in lockdown dreaming of the yummy food I should be eating right now! Not that I’m a bad home cook or anything, I absolutely love cooking, but I also really really enjoy other peoples cooking!
One place I was actually really shocked by the quality of the food was Australia, I didn’t do any research before I went so had no idea that the cafés, restaurants, and wineries are out of this world! And my favourite foodie destination had to be Margaret River!
We were supposed to spend a week here at the very start of our road trip but quickly realised we would be there for longer. On the day we left Robbin picked me up from my last day at work in Fremantle and we had a quick 3 hour drive down there. We decided we wanted to stay right in the centre for our first few nights and booked a simple campsite right on the edge of Margaret River town. It had been a mad few weeks before we left so we really needed to chill and relax
We headed into town stopped in a quaint bar for a glass of vino before heading over to the local deli for cheese and more vino supplies. The quality of the food we had bought was amazing and we knew instantly it was going to be an epic foodie week! There were so many highlights it’s hard to pinpoint the best bits. But I have, and here are my top foodie choices in Margs
- Xanadu Winery
This was one of those rare places that I will never forget! Xanadu has been listed as one of WA’s Top 50 restaurants and has featured in the Good Food Guide for 3 years in a row, and all for good reason
We decided to dine here because the menu proudly show cased the best local produce and there was a winery attached, win win right! What we arrived to was beyond our expectations!!
The restaurant itself is nestled between the vineyards and we were seated in a beautiful courtyard overlooking the picturesque Margaret River Landscape. Everything on the menu sounded delicious and we quickly decided to go all out and try the degustation menu.
We had 10 amazing courses with everything from fresh seasonal vegetables to pate, and an abundance of the regions award winning fish and meat, everything was pure perfection, we tried dishes we had never experienced before, all paired with Xanadu wines suggested by are fabulous waitress.
I believe we started with a chardonnay and moved onto a Cabernet sauvignon, but in all honesty I was a bit tipsy by the end of an amazing afternoon and would have tried anything that was sent my way, this is the kind of place where nothing can go wrong.
We finished everything off with the most incredible dessert that I can only describe as a magical unicorn and a local cheese platter before taking our very full and merry selves back to the campsite to allow everything to sink in.
- The Berry Farm
The Berry Farm is a short drive away from Margret River and is a not to be missed lunch spot. We heard this lovely cottage café had the best scones in Margaret River and they did not disappoint.
We started with a huge cheese and meat platter served with homemade chutneys and seasonal fruit! It was beautifully balanced with homemade pickles, grilled seasonal veg and everything from Brie to Chorizo and of course a nice glass of local chardonnay.
We were stuffed by the time we had finished it but being true to our English nature we had to have Scones with Jam, Cream, and a nice pot of tea. I can see why they are the best in the region they are soft, light, and crumbly and the homemade Jam was just the cherry on top!
With it being Margaret River of course there is a winey attached, but the beauty of The Berry Farm is they offer something a little different including sparkling fruit wines, Dessert wines, Ports as well as Ciders and a range of Vinegars
- Cheeky Monkey Brewery
If you’re after an afternoon of fun in the sun or a great place to catch up with friends, then the Cheeky Monkey Brewery is the place to be!
We had a great afternoon here relaxing in their huge beer garden overlooking the picturesque lake and vineyard whilst catching some rays and listening to the live music.
You can try their full range of seasonal and core releases straight from the tap, me and Robbin both have similar tastes and absolutely love the cheeky pale ale, we couldn’t leave without taking a crate home!
If that wasn’t enough, they also have an award-winning restaurant serving amazing seasonal pub grub …
Beer battered WA caught fish and chips with slaw and aioli yes please!! They also have loads of great gluten free options here and are family friendly.
- The Black sheep
The Black sheep is an amazing hidden Gem just out of Margaret River, this quirky wholesome café has something for everyone and caters for Vegans, Gluten free, Veggies and carnivores alike. To me The Black Sheep perfectly defines everything I love about Margaret River. We stumbled across this place as we were driving around looking for lunch and as soon as Robbin saw they had Grass Fed Beef Burgers he was sold! We walked in and they had a deli counter filled with the most amazing salads, they did juices and smoothies. They even sold locally grown organic fruit and veg and had an amazing bakery section. Even better whilst were there a lady walked in to bring a gift of her epic kombucha scoby, that had everyone buzzing. Everything about this place screams fantastic local produce!
As some of you know I’m actually not supposed to eat gluten and you’ve guessed it after what I had eaten over the last few days my body was screaming for a break!
So I went for the gluten free beef burger and it was delicious no horrid stodgy bread I didn’t feel like I was missing out at all, the burger was also topped with pickled beetroot that was out of this world. Robbin was reluctant to try his but turns out he loves beetroot once its pickled.
If you’re reading this, I really hope you are planning to visit Margaret River soon, it was 100% my favourite region in Australia. Keep an eye out for my next posts on Margaret River including my Top Things to do and the Best wineries
