The best food Regions in Australia that will delight Foodies

Australia’s large farming industry, ecosystem, and rich cultural diversity have made it a top country with the finest food in the world. In the eyes of most travellers, however, Australia is not a top food destination. If you also expect to get Vegemite on bread for breakfast, meat pie for lunch, fish and chips for dinner, and an invite to an Aussie BBQ, think again—real Australian food is much more than this. And you will be surprised by the excellent blended flavours you will taste!

5 Food Regions of Australia for your bucket list

If you love road-tripping, these are easy day trips that you can take from 5 Australian cities to some of Australia’s premium food regions and the finest Australian cuisine.

Victoria

Melbourne is world-known for its coffee culture and multicultural cuisine. With the higher number of cafes and restaurants, Melbourne is great for food in Australia, especially freshly prepared food from all over the world, in your favourite format.

Melbourne has everything you need, from street food to food halls, takeaways, brunch bars, and excellent restaurants. If you love food, then Melbourne is the right place to start your food tours.

Yarra Valley

Melbourne offers a truly multifaceted surrounding and is an excellent location for a day trip. Within 65-90 km from the city, you can drive through a diverse landscape growing local produce and wines. Yarra Valley wineries are world-famous.

The region has some excellent sparkling wines, like Chandon and De Bortoli. Next to wine and food tastings, you can go on a hot-air-balloon ride to view the breathtaking panorama or walk in one of the national parks and explore the Dandenong Ranges.

Mornington Peninsula is another great region for food lovers. Its scenic coastal views, pristine landscape, and great walking trails are worth a visit—it is only a one-hour drive southeast of Melbourne.

New South Wales with Hunter Valley

Depending on what your Australia trip includes, a visit to Sydney is usually an iconic destination for travellers visiting the country. If you are into wine and food, a day trip from Sydney to the Hunter Valley must be on your list. There is no public transportation from Sydney, though. So, the only way to visit is by taking a food and wine tour or hiring a car in Sydney and exploring this fantastic region.

South Australia

Adelaide and South Australia take pride in having the best food markets in Australia, from Adelaide Central Market to smaller farmers’ markets and organic food markets. Adelaide is also the hub for top-notch food and wine festivals like Tasting Australia, held in May this year.

Start your foodie ventures in the Adelaide Hills to taste some of the finest bakery, chocolate, and local produce with Hahndorf‘s distinctive German heritage flavours. If you love shellfish, try the delicious oysters, like the award-winning organic oysters from Smoky Bay.

Barossa Valley

You can hire a car from Adelaide, and in less than one hour drive, you can visit Barossa Valley, a world-famous and the oldest region for Australian premium wines. Try the Pepper Jack Wine, which is an absolute hit.

There are a variety of food and wine trails, two popular ones being the Barossa Wine and Cheese Trail and the Tanunda Heritage Trail. You should not miss the legendary Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop, a paradise for food and nature lovers. If you prefer going on a tour instead of self-driving, check out this food and wine tour in Barossa Valley.

McLaren Valley

The McLaren Valley in the Fleurieu Peninsula is a lesser-known but worth-visiting South Australia food region. It’s one of my favourite day trips, with its picturesque, relaxing landscape, sandy beaches, and little villages with quirky restaurants.

Besides great wines, you can taste a locally brewed beer produced only for local pubs, regional retailers and restaurants.

You can read more about what you can do and see in the Fleurieu Peninsula on this page. Clare Valley is another excellent wine region north of Adelaide, famous for its wine and microbrewery.

Western Australia

South Western Australia is another top place in Oz for food experiences. Only one hour’s drive from Perth can reach the Swan Valley for excellent wine and local produce. From lavender fields to the best homemade honey bakery, chocolate, and fine restaurants, the Swan Valley is the first stop for your food and wine explorations.

Margaret River

Margaret River is the top wine region in Australia, producing over 25% of all premium wines. The district stretches over 100 km south from Cape Naturalist to Cape Leeuwin, a spectacular coastal landscape with an untouched ecosystem carpeted with fields of wildflowers.

I would rate this region no. 1 for the variety of outdoor activities you can do on a road trip, from surfing, swimming, hiking, and biking to whale watching, art galleries, food exhibitions, and sports events.

If you want an itinerary that includes everything, then Margaret River is the food region. Alone in this area are over 150 wineries and dozens of microbreweries. You can learn more about all Food and Wine Experiences of Margaret River.

Albany food region

If you have a week or ten days, head south to Pemberton, Denmark, and Albany to explore more South Western Australia. Next to local wines, you can taste the local truffles, speciality honey, local fruits, cheeses, seafood, shellfish, etc.

Food Regions in North Tropical Queensland

Australia’s best food regions are not limited to the southern areas of Australia. In North Tropical Queensland, you can have all tropical foods. You have it all from mangos, bananas, pineapple, coffee and tea plantations, organic dairy and farming products, beef and seafood. If you plan a trip to Cairns and love food, add a road trip to Atherton Tablelands.

Where to eat the most exquisite food in Australia

While Australia, in general, is an expensive country for groceries, it will not be so easy to find the local produce in ordinary supermarkets. That’s why food and farmer’s markets in Australia are trendy and a great way to get local produce at reasonable prices.
Moreover, there are many places to eat in Australia where you can buy premium local food without breaking the bank.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to the best Australian food, which shows some of the premium food regions I have encountered during my travels.

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First published in 2017, last updated in May 2024

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