Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is back for 2025, and this year brings a regional flare with a host of events set to delight discerning foodies during the 10-day culinary event. Everything from communal dinners and history-themed cocktails to Thai banquets with matched local gin.

The festival runs from 21 – 30 March, and tickets tend to sell out quick. So get your skates on.

Taste of Geelong, Bellarine and Beyond

Where: The Gordon, Davidson Restaurant
When: 21 March

If you want to sample everything that makes our region great, book your spot at Taste of Geelong, Bellarine and Beyond. It’s a giant communal dinner featuring the finest local produce, chats with regional makers, and matching beverages to boot. Tickets are $175 per person.

Need a ride? Return transfers are available:
From Portarlington & Ocean Grove: $10 pp
From Torquay: $40 pp

Event info

An Enchanted Orchard Evening

Where: Tuckerberry Hill
When: 21 March

A dining experience in the orchards, featuring the finest local Bellarine produce. Enjoy a two-course dinner in the orchards of Bellarine Peninsula’s Tuckerberry Farm, featuring local produce (Tuckerberry Hill is well-known on the Bellarine for its blueberry and strawberry picking), acoustic music, chats with the farmers and on-site brewer, and a guided orchard stroll.

Event Info

Five Cocktails To Try Before Your Die

Where: Anther Geelong Distillery
When: 22 March

A great introduction for anyone interested in cocktails, the history of cocktails, or Geelong’s local gin scene. Anther’s own Sebastian Reaburn is hosting a carefully curated series of five classic drinks – with a sprinkling of history for good measure. General admission is $50pp, or you can add food for an extra $22pp.

Event Info

The You Yangs Feast: a Lamb and Gin Barbecue

Where: Rothwell Distillery
When: 22-30 March

A gin-spiked barbecued lamb feast in the foothills of the You Yangs. What more fitting place to celebrate lamb than outside Rothwell Distillery’s 100-year-old shearing shed? Chef Bart Beek (Essence BBQ Lab) will showcase Australia’s favourite meat over six courses, paired with botanicals and cocktails by head distiller Tim Smith.

Event Info

The Q Train X Merne Express

Where: The Q Train, Drysdale
When: 24 March

It wouldn’t be Melbourne Food & Wine Festival without a special-edition meal from the guys at Q Train, the Bellarine’s tastiest commute. This year, Q Train’s head chef Sean Sreet has teamed up with local legends Josh Smith and Caleb Fleet from Merne at Lighthouse to create a one-of-a-kind local menu. Tickets are $250 a pop, and that includes a stop in Queenscliff.

Event Info

Botanical of Geelong and the Bellarine Dinner

Where: Songbird
When: 27 March

If you’ve been sipping your way around the Bellarine the last few years, you’ll know the region has built a reputation for quality local gin. For this event, Songbird on Moorabool Street is joining forces with Anther Distillery to deliver four delicious Thai courses, paired with matching gins. The whole thing will set you back $189.50 per person.

Event Info

A Taste of Capretto: From Paddock to Plate

Where: Meredith Farm Produce Cafe
When: 28 March

Meredith Dairy is famous for its marinated goat’s cheese, but this event introduces something you don’t see every day—capretto, or milk-fed kid goat, a prized Italian delicacy. Enjoy a thoughtfully prepared lunch at Meredith Dairy’s new store & kitchen garden, highlighting their commitment to ethical farming and sustainable food production.

Event Info

The Hidden History of Geelong and the Bellarine

Where: Anther Geelong Distillery
When: 28 March

Anther Distillery, the history of Geelong, gourmet tasting plates, plus matched cocktails by Sebastian Reaburn? Count us in. Anther Distillery at the Federal Mills is teaming up with a bunch of local producers to bring you the history of the region ¬– on a plate. Tickets are $95 per person.

Event Info

Moonlight Degustation at the Mansion

Where: Lancemore Mansion Hotel Werribee Park
When: 29 March

Set in the awe-inspiring forecourt of the Lancemore Mansion Hotel, this five-course degustation will be lit by the stars, moon and candlelight. A luxurious evening of culinary magic in a breathtaking setting. Tickets start from $159.

Event Info

Forage to Feast

Where: TARRA Queenscliff
When: 29 March

A guided walk followed by a shared meal, celebrating locally sourced and found ingredients. Learn how ingredients such as saltbush and kelp are foraged from the nearby beaches of Port Phillip Bay and then incorporated into the TARRA menu. The evening continues with a four-course share-style dinner featuring locally-sourced and foraged produce.

Event Info