Now Open: Barragunda Dining Has Brought the Simple Joys of Paddock-to-Plate Cuisine to Cape Schanck
Though the journey to open was long and winding, the result has made this eco-driven Mornington Peninsula restaurant well worth the wait — and visit.
Four years in the making, the doors have finally opened at Barragunda Dining – an innovative produce-driven restaurant nestled into Cape Schanck's rugged coastal landscape. Set on 1000 acres, regenerative farmland brushes up against the native bush, enabling a hyperlocal menu where seasonality is at the heart of everything on the plate. And with just 40 seats in the restaurant, each meal is set to be an intimate one, too.
Food system advocate and philanthropist Hayley Morris, of the Morris Family Foundation, is at the helm of this forward-thinking operation. Working in close collaboration with executive chef, farmer and Mornington Peninsula local Simone Watts (Coda, MoMo, Daintree Ecolodge), this eco-conscious pair's vast experience in regenerative farming and creative hospitality ensures this part of the Mornington Peninsula resonates through every bite.
"Creating Barragunda Dining has been a long-term aspiration of bringing to life and sharing the story of the opportunity and the challenges of small-scale regenerative farming," says Morris. "Barragunda Dining is more than a restaurant – it's a place to reconnect, learn and partake in the simple joy of sharing a meal."
For guests, the paddock-to-plate experience starts before reaching the restaurant doors. Flowing along the property's driveway through native bushland, a landscape rich in tea tree, coast wirilda, she-oaks and moonah guides your arrival. Stepping inside a rejuvenated farm shed, Melbourne-based architecture practice Dubois reimagined the space as a top-notch dining experience while elevating its heritage and estate views. Think corrugated iron, recycled timber and raw concrete set against terracotta-toned brick and leather dining chairs.
The menu is similarly thoughtful, featuring a vegetable-leaning philosophy that makes the most of estate-grown produce through share-style plates. Of course, this restaurant's highly seasonal approach means a frequently updated offering, but its summer opening presents dishes like oxheart tomato, smoked stracciatella and tomato leaf oil; Merguez sausage, pepper leaf, fermented ezme; and Barragunda black Angus, smoked and soused rosa bianca, green fig served with zucchini, kefir, and wild fennel.
Picked from the 800 mature trees that make up the property's orchard, stone fruits lead the current dessert menu, with a special highlight including peach, semolina, citrus blossom and burnt honey with cashmere cream. There's also a concise wine list that shines a light on Victorian producers who share Barragunda's environmental philosophies, while cocktails also made with fruit from the orchard are a mindful addition.
"Barragunda Dining is more than a restaurant to me; it's part of our daily lives and represents a commitment to embrace the seasonal cycles of the estate's diverse farm system," says Watts. "Through the restaurant, we're opening up the estate and inviting guests to experience the rich and authentic story of the land, its strong sense of place and our values to nurture the estate for years to come."
Barragunda Dining is now open at 113 Cape Schanck Road, Cape Schanck. Head to the website for more information.
Images: Arianna Leggiero / Kristoffer Paulsen.
- The 14 Best Omakase in Melbourne or 2025
- Ten of the Most-Unique and Relaxing Stays You Can Book Around Auckland
- Ten Charming Farmhouse Stays You Can Book in NSW Right Now
- Unique Stays with Breathtaking Views of New Zealand's South Island
- Fifteen Romantic Getaways You Can Book on the South Coast and in the Southern Highlands
- The 18 Best Indian Restaurants in Melbourne for 2025