It's hard not to be impressed when you visit Laura. Sweeping vistas, thoughtful food and matched wines, and front-row seats to the world-class, 16-acre sculpture park that attracts locals, out-of-towners and art fanatics from even further abroad. When you drive from the city, it's an overland route. Even driving into Pt Leo Estate, you are surrounded by vines, with the view of the sea well kept secret. So the effect of entering the front doors of the cellar door and restaurant, seeing the verdant sculpture park running off down towards Western Port Bay and Phillip Island, is nothing less than breathtaking. "From the moment guests arrive, we want them to feel a sense of calmness and connection to the art and landscape, allowing the food and wine to be the focus," shares General Manager, Roger Lancia. In its founding years, Laura was in the experienced hands of Phil Wood, who then passed the baton to charismatic, widely successful, yet humble, Josep Espuga. Espuga's resume spans Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, including Mugaritz in Spain and Nahm in Thailand. His ethos of cultivating authentic relationships with suppliers and producers aligns seamlessly with Laura's unwavering commitment to heroing local produce and putting premium Peninsula produce on a platform. Here, the dedication to sustainability and bridging the gap between grower and table is evident in a kitchen garden that supplies the kitchen with many of its fresh ingredients. The eight-course seasonal menu, or the four-course signature menu, is peppered with impeccable produce grown on the property, and where possible, supplemented with premium ingredients found along the pristine Mornington Peninsula, or further afield in Victoria. Perennial favourites on Laura's signature menu include the likes of Tuerong farm bread with Cape Schanck Estate olive butter, sea urchin mousse with Carnaroli rice and quince, cod with Mt. Zero chickpeas and Pt. Leo Estate garden rocket, savoury wakame doughnuts with Yarra Valley salmon roe. The second breathtaking moment of the experience is the arrival of the flambéed Southern Rock Lobster, accompanied by white asparagus and sauce Pauline. The matched wines are taken just as seriously, with Director of Beverage, Amy Oliver, at the helm. In 2025, Laura received the highest rating, Three Glasses Status, from the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards, recognising it as "a masterpiece for which Amy Oliver should be congratulated. It covers all bases with value wines spliced alongside regional benchmarks and icons. One of the highlights is the incredible diversity of regions, styles and varieties with many, many cult and rare wines adding panache. The 'by the glass' list is to be applauded as too the thoughtful wine pairings matched to the degustation menu. A strong list of spirits and other drinks rounds out this astonishing list." At any point in your journey, your waiter will happily pour whichever wine you are drinking into a less precious glass so that you can take a digestive stroll around the sculpture park, which is home to sculptures by renowned artists including Yayoi Kusama, KAWS, Reko Rennie, and Deborah Halpern. Make sure to take a 360-degree walk around Laura, the restaurant's namesake and a monumental cast-iron head by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa. Laura has been a prominent member of Relais & Châteaux for seven years, which aptly sums up the experience. "Laura at Point Leo Estate is a bit like paradise for foodies who love art and fine wines. All three are combined here to perfection." Images: Chris McConville.
