Overview
If there's one spot along the coast that demands a Mediterranean restaurant with the bay views to match, it'd be Sorrento. After all, this much-loved coastal town was named after its similarly picturesque Italian counterpart in the 1860s. But now this blissful peninsula-side spot has achieved a new first — a restaurant built directly over the glistening waterfront that celebrates everything that makes the region special.
Perched on pylons above Port Phillip Bay, ONDA is Sorrento's new 150-seat Med-inspired restaurant. Located within the Searoad Ferries Sorrento Terminal, the restaurant operates as a standalone destination, centred around a sun-drenched terrace and an elevated dining room that invites incredible views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Then comes the menu: breezy, simple and designed to fit the coastal vibe.
Shaping the culinary direction is executive chef Mike Jaques. Bringing experience from Michelin-starred kitchens in London and the much-loved Tulip in Geelong, Jacques is joined by head chef Tobias Marks, an alum of Gingerboy, MJR Tom and Jackalope. Expect dishes made for bayside dining, including wood-fired pizzas named after local ferries, with The Lonsdale featuring calamari, mussels and prawns.
Of course, there are also freshly shucked oysters with lemon and pickled shallot, and grilled calamari salad with pickled lemon and grapes. And for non-seafood cuisine, lamb rump with harissa, burrata with green tomato chutney, gnocchi alla vodka, and a 300-gram dry-aged scotch fillet are just some of the options you'll need to ponder.
"Dining directly on the water changes everything," says Jaques. "You can hear the bay and you can see the movement beneath you. ONDA is about quality local and seasonal produce, in a truly unmatched space."
On the drinks front, the program leans into the venue's summery atmosphere. Sitting on the deck or soaking up the views sheltered inside, you'll be sipping on local prosecco, vibrant spritzes and wines selected from across the Bellarine and Mornington regions — an appropriate lineup for a long afternoon. Says Jaques: "We want people to feel like they've stepped into a casual coastal dining room that belongs to them."
Onda is now open daily from 7am–7pm at Sorrento Ferry Terminal, 10 Esplanade, Sorrento. Head to the website for more information.
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Images: Chris McConville.