Cafes & bakeries

Driving the length of the Great Ocean Road can be very hungry work, but thankfully there’s plenty of quality cafes and bakeries, and views to match the coffee and cakes. Expect to find baristas making coffee in surprising places, with cafes tucked away in refurbished weatherboard homes, bike shops, lighthouse stations or even inside an old combi van.

In Torquay, collect your morning brew at Mejavo's Café before heading to Bell’s Beach to watch as surfers ride the long, curling waves. Stop in and put your feet up at the Wye General Store, nestled between mountains and coastlines; or continue to Apollo Bay for a health kick at RAWR Bar. Make a detour through the Otway Rainforest and treat yourself to a slice of Provence at the French-themed Lighthouse Tea Rooms, then end your road trip in style with a high tea by the water at the Time and Tide Tearoom.