Your guide to Tastes of Greater Geelong

Tastes of Greater Geelong returns this winter for a three-week celebration of the region’s best food and wine offerings

Taking place from Friday 21 June to Sunday 14 July 2024, you can expect more than 100 unique outdoor experiences, interactive events, special menus, talks, masterclasses and more!

Plan your visit with highlights, accommodation and more below:

5-9pm Friday 21 June

Little Malop Central

Enjoy a free snow show and dazzling light projections, transforming Little Malop Central into a charming European-inspired winter wonderland. Warm up with a mulled wine or creamy hot chocolate and take your taste buds on a sensory journey with delectable desserts and sweet treats. Plus, enjoy complimentary marshmallow roasting by the fire.

Celebrate the winter solstice with an enchanting evening of live music, fairy lights, roving entertainment and fun with friends and family. This inclusive, family-friendly event is set to be a highlight for food lovers of all ages.

Free to attend. Head here for further information.

From 6pm Friday 21 June 

Barwon Edge Restaurant

Held on the longest night of the year, Barwon Edge is running an exclusive outdoor dinner on the beautiful grounds.

Featuring a delicious Middle Eastern-inspired menu, the highlight of the evening will be a succulent lamb cooked on the spit, accompanied by a variety of communal side dishes showcasing some of the restaurant’s newest offerings.

Guests will also enjoy a selection of arrival canapés and beverages from the kiosk bar service. To enhance the ambience, the event will feature an open fire and live music, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Bookings required, $98 per person. For more information and to book head here.

10:30am to 3pm Saturday 13 July and Sunday 14 July

The Paddock, Leopold

Come along to an exclusive culinary journey with Masterchef alumni, plant-based cook and sustainability advocate Simon Toohey. An exclusive farm-to-table experience will immerse guests in the world of sustainable cooking, highlighting the importance of fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

Renowned for his innovative approach to plant-based cuisine, Simon will guide attendees through a series of demonstrations and tastings. Learn about the benefits of sustainable food practices and discover the rich flavours that come from using the finest local produce.

Bookings are required. $60 per person. For more information and to book head here.

12-3pm Saturday 22 June

Embark on a journey celebrating the Bellarine with Portarlington Mussel Tours and Oakdene Wines aboard their fully refurbished 40-year-old vessel.

Led by skipper Lance Wiffen, visitors will learn about mussel farming and witness the process firsthand, followed by cooking demonstrations paired with Oakdene Wines. It’s an experience that promises to deepen one’s appreciation for mussels, offer insight into winemaking, and create lasting memories of a day spent on the bay.

Bookings required, $250 per person. For more information and to book head here.

12-2pm Friday 5 July
The Davidson Restaurant, The Gordon

Be taken on a culinary journey through the rich and diverse landscape of Australian bush foods, crafted into a delectable high tea by The Davidson’s talented chefs, teachers and students.

Learn about the origins and uses of native ingredients from our guest speakers, who will share their knowledge and passion for First Nations natural bounty.

Bookings required. $45 per person. For more information and to book head here.

10am Saturday 22 and 29 June
Meet at Murran First Nations Hub

Discover Geelong’s tucked-away food jewels and eat your way through the city on a guided tour.

Bookings required. $25 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets head here.

11am -1:00pm -Wednesday 3 July 

Club Chin Chin

Designed especially for budding mini chefs, Cooking with Cooper: Kids Club is recommended for children aged 8 to 15 and their parents.

Chef Benjamin Cooper leads an interactive masterclass teaching participants how to make spring rolls, dumplings and more, before the class sits down to a kid-friendly Feed Me feast.

Tickets are $90pp — please note, all kids are required to be accompanied by a paying adult.

Throw a dinner party the Chin Chin way – SOLD OUT

For this return-fave edition of Cooking with Cooper, guests will score a hands-on masterclass in whipping up the ultimate dinner party spread, Chin Chin style.

Executive Chef Benjamin Cooper will guide participants through making a range of dishes, from wontons to curry, before the class sits down to an epic Feed Me feast featuring many of the day’s hero recipes.

11:30am-1:30pm Tuesday 9 July

Murran First Nations Hub

Experience a range of native tastes in this one-of-a-kind Indigenous Tasting Event at Murran First Nations Hub. Taste a variety of unique drinks, such as Gurbuchi, a native Guradji kombucha, delectable sparkling waters and teas featuring native plants.

Bookings required. $30 per person. For more information and to book head here.

Every Friday during Tastes of Greater Geelong

Tulip Restaurant

This winter Tulip Restaurant is offering luxe gruyere and brioche toasties, baked brie with truffle honey, a warming cup of crab bisque with a parmesan crisp. Served an long with cocktails wine and mulled wine to top of the winter snug feeling. Items priced individually. Dine inside or in the courtyard with heaters to keep you warm.

Bookings required. For more information and to reserve your table head here.

View the full Tastes of Greater Geelong program here.

Jump onboard Searoad Ferries connecting Queenscliff and The Bellarine with Mornington Peninsula, Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and Phillip Island. The 40-minute crossing departs every hour, every day between 7am-6pm. The best bit is you can bring your car with you!

Visit www.searoad.com.au for timetables, fares, special packages and to book online.

Coming from the city? Port Phillip Ferries drops you to Portarlington and Cunningham Pier.

Stay a little longer and make the most of the coastal lifestyle whilst indulging in the food and wine on offer in the region.

Geelong

Enjoy breath-taking waterfront views at Novotel Geelong, or stay at Quest Geelong Central and be a stone’s throw away from the Little Malop Street precinct.

Ocean Grove & Barwon Heads

Gather the crew and book The Pines Barwon Heads, nestled on more than 90 acres offering accommodation for up to 12 guests. If a winery stay is more your thing check out the Oakdene Vineyards Guesthouse.

Portarlington & Drysdale

Stay at one of 18 luxurious art deco rooms at the Portarlington Grand Hotel or bring the whole family for a camping stay at Bellarine Bayside. The best bit? Each stay is only a short stroll from the pier where Port Phillip Ferries runs.

Queenscliff & Point Lonsdale

For the best of both worlds with plenty of options to choose from, head to BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Queenscliff Beacon for one, two or three-bedroom villas, caravan and camping sites.

Explore more all accommodation in the region