Victoria's wild coast, protected bays, calm lakes and big rivers amount to one culinary superstar: super fresh seafood. From water to waiter, beachside and lakeside restaurants and eateries serve up all kinds of local seafood catch – squid, prawns, mussels and crayfish for starters, as well as plenty of fish, including snapper, whiting, kingfish and salmon.
If you're by the water, you're bound to find a fabulous seafood feast. Try a few of our favourites:
Gippsland
Dine on local seafood right on the jetty at Port Albert Fish & Chip Co, enjoy top-rated seafood dining at SARDINE Dining in Paynesville, or float on the Gippsland Lakes at Sodafish, a ferry converted into a seafood restaurant at Lakes Entrance.
Sodafish
Middle Boat Harbour, The Esplanade
Lakes Entrance
Port Albert Fish & Chip Co
Port Albert Jetty
Port Albert
SARDINE Dining
69 Esplanade
Paynesville
Off The Wharf Fisherman’s Co-op & Café
51 Bullock Island Road
Lakes Entrance
Geelong and the Bellarine
For some of the country's best mussels, watch the haul at Portarlington Pier and try the tasting plate at Advance Mussel Supply's nearby farm gate. In Queenscliff, dine on local octopus and snapper in the Vue Grand's Grand Dining Room. At the waterfront floating restaurant Geelong Boat House, sit on the gangplank and take in views of Corio Bay with your local catch.
White Fisheries
35 Murradoc Road
Drysdale
Fishermen's Pier
1A Yarra Street
Geelong
Portarlington Mussel Tours
Harding Stree
Portarlington
Advance Mussel Supply
230-250 Portarlington Queenscliff Road
Bellarine
Geelong Boat House
50-52 Western Foreshore Road
Geelong
Vue Grand
46 Hesse Street
Queenscliff
Bellarine Smokehouse
2230 Portarlington Road
Bellarine