What's For Dinner In Australia?

If you are planning a trip to Australia, you can tour around and plan around some of the top-notch nosh all throughout the Land Down Under. Australia's food culture is emerging and features fresh market fair and an emerging wine industry with some of the best red wines in the world. If you think about your holiday travels, no doubt great food along the way immediately pops into your head. Great food just has a way of influencing some really great memories. Here are some great food spots all around Australia:

Mornington Peninsula: Only about an hour's drive from Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula is a great locale for farm-to-table tastes. Farmers' markets and strawberry-picking are regular activities in this lush area. There are vineyards to visit as well as gourmet local businesses that sell cheeses and chocolates and such. Mornington Peninsula is also home to Australia's only microbrewery that grows its own hops. If you visit Red Hill Brewery, expect European-style ales.

Fly-In Restaurant Concepts: One might think that a restaurant that you have to take a plane to get to might be empty, but that is not the case for several "Fly-In, Fly-Out" restaurants near Sydney. In fact, you need to plan your reservations for these places well in advance. A few of the restaurants with this concept are Berowra Waters Inn on the Hawkesbury River, Jonah's Restaurant at Palm Beach, and Catalina at Rose Bay. All three have received One Hat status in the Good Food Guide of Australia. Location allows these restaurants fresh ingredients such as fish from the river, wine from the local vineyards, and farm-fresh delights.

Leeuwin Estate: This is one of the first wineries of Margaret River in Western Australia and is known for producing some of the world's finest wines. In addition to the beautiful wine that orginates here, there is live music, an art gallery, and an award-winning restaurant, too.

Barossa Valley: The Barossa Valley is Australia's food capital. It is located in South Australia and home to Maggie Beer, Australia's famous celebrity chef and a host of other amazing restaurants, farmers' markets, vineyards, and a world-famous wine and food festival. Barossa is known for mixing the rich heritage of the region with talented chefs and cooking innovation.

Flight of the Gourmands: This posh tour of South Australia's food hot spots is not for everyone, as it is quite pricey, but for food lovers with a passion to get the most out of Australia's culinary beauty, this is the epitome of a food-centric holiday. The trek gives travelers a bird's-eye view and then exclusive access to Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula, and the Barossa Valley. Choose this for your holiday destination and you are sure to be in for a unique and delicious ride.

Riesling Trail and Rattler Trail: If you want to make sure to get some exercise in with all of the eating, check out the Riesling and Rattler Trails in Clare Valley. These are famous for vineyards, cafés, and art galleries as well as some of the best tourist trails in the world. Along the way, you can also absorb some of the area's rich culture and history of mining.

Whether you are flying, hiring a car, or bicycling, there is something for everyone's taste in each of Australia's regions.