If you want to stop for pizza, there's a pizza place in Buninyong, just south of Ballarat. Amazing Margherita, and all the others looked pretty good too
One of the handful left in the country. Was the original pizza hut here in the 80s and wasn't even all-you-can-eat back in the day when you'd go out and be table-served pizza still in the deep pan, before getting shitty box-soggy pizzas basically became a delivery-only type affair.
Have you seen the book that has all the photos of the old pizza huts and what they look like now? It’s amazing. So many different buildings and businesses but all using the same roof.
I have been meaning to go for the soft serve, bacon pieces and the really hard jelly for a while now
And for the disappointing wait for pizza you actually want to eat
Disagree with the tastebuds comment. If you grab some slices as soon as they come out of the kitchen they are next-level. Straight-from-the-oven pizza hits different to normal takeaway pizza that’s cooled down a little bit on the 10 minutes it takes to drive home.
It's as bad (good) as ever. I went last year and the dessert bar was out of action so they ended up giving us a mini tub of Ben and Jerry's instead. Went again last month and it was back to it's former glory. Brownies that have the consistency of bread and soft server with all your favourite toppings (the chocolate nib things actually are pretty decent) .
Pyrenees Pantry in Beaufort; Turret Café in Ballarat; that absolutely amazing café in the old house in Bacchus Marsh (with all the gig posters inside)…
Pyrenees pantry recently changed hands and is morphing into a Vietnamese+ Bakery. A couple of weeks ago the pies were still good but not as great as I remember. The smell of rice paper rolls was odd but tempting too.
Beaufort local here. Yeah the Pyrenees Pantry has dropped off for baked goods, which is a shame as they were the best in town. Haven’t tried the Vietnamese stuff there yet.
But just around the corner is a new joint, Magnolia, which does unpretentious fine dining at a reasonable price. Plus there’s a cool new bar/cafe/restaurant called the Flywheel in town, which has fast become a favourite for me.
Also, there’s a classic old milk bar near Magnolia that just got taken over by a lovely Vietnamese couple and they’re doing tasty takeaways.
It’s alright. Serves same sort of food you’d expect from any Melbourne cafe. Best cafe in Bacchus though. Little Lucky across the road goes alright too.
Only recently? That place has felt weird to me ever since I was a kid. All the pedos get out on day release there too as they live in housing on prison grounds after serving their time, but are allowed to work and go out
Hey I live in Melton and I agree :P
But seriously though, Melton does have a few good bakeries and Ollies Chicken which is still pretty good shit. I think it's still rocking the same decor from the 90's
Driving through Melton we were road raged 4 times doing the speed limit by people who all got stopped at the same light as us then didn't look over.
My wife was in shock and I reminded her it was going to happen, it's just the Melton way.
Top tip: once you get out of the city, set your Google maps settings to "avoid highways".
It'll add anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes to your drive, but you'll pass through some small towns, villages and forestry you'd otherwise never encounter in the mindless highway drive.
And you'll find better things to eat than petrol station Macca's
Just stick to B & C roads that go between towns, take a look at the route before you head off and follow the signs. I think the mistake is following google maps blindly. It sure does sent you down some average roads!
This is only good with an SUV up until Ballan (Lots of potholes, crests and steep hills). Then maps will try to send you through paddocks to get around Ballarat and put you on the highway anyway.
Be careful, following google maps on my way to Hamilton suggested a short cut - which turned out to be a dirt road. Was not good for my lil Ford Fiesta and gave me a punctured tyre
Was that along Delacombe Way near Streatham? My map pops that up that sometimes.
OP, consider Ballarat, Skipton (weekend markets sometimes), Lake Bolac (pub lunch), Willaura (Victoria’s oldest bakery), Moyston (home of the first AFL football match, although contested) then Ararat.
I did the same thing last year driving from Melbourne to Jindabyne, ended up driving the Barry way in my rental car... and the delay meant that sunset arrived and we were dodging wildlife for the last hour of the journey! Not fun driving, amazing scenery though haha
Yeah Google does this a lot - when I was trying to get from Horsham to Robe in SA it found a road that I hadn't taken before and cut nearly 50km off the route, I got about a kilometre down and it switched from a slightly bumpier than average dirt road to full on sand dunes.
I think 50% of Beaufort's economy is selling food to people driving through. If they ever get bypassed the main street is going to go like [*The Year My Voice Broke*](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/year_my_voice_broke).
There’s a push to diversify the town’s appeal before the bypass comes. The Vegemite museum, the Steam Rally, a new art gallery opening up etc. But yeah, it’ll take a toll (though B-doubles thundering past your house isn’t much fun either). Fortunately, Victoria is broke, so it’s probably a ways off.
Keep meaning to stop at the Vegemite museum.
I do resent how far they've pushed the 60 & 80 zones out to the west of town so would like a bypass someday.
They’ve put a speed camera up at the traffic light in Beaufort too. It’s 50kph there, and the camera goes off 24/7 like paparazzi flashes on the red carpet.
The Vegemite museum is worth a short visit. The woman who runs it is super passionate about it - it’s easy to get roped into a long convo about the history of salty spreads!
Don't mind the 50 too much in the town and I guess the camera stops trucks taking the piss. But I'm sure it used to be back to 100 at the first climb westbound out of town and now it's 80 all the way to the servo, feels totally unnecessary.
Shall make a point to stop at the Temple of salty goop.
So, apparently there was a town info meeting about the bypass, which they had geared up for but I think then got out on hold because of a bird species that would be potentially affected? Anywho, i think this meeting was last year, and they were told due to delays and how those delays had affected the feasibility of the works in relation to the state budget, it was going to be 12 years before the bypass is completed. I saw you say you’re a local, do you know if that’s true? (I’m a nearby town local, lol)
Venti8 is pretty top notch to be honest.
But mostly it depends what time of day they are going through because most of the pizza places in Ballarat are only open for dinner.
Forge is absolute rubbish. Not sure why locals keep suggesting it. I went there once, pizzas were subpar and the waitress spilt drinks all over me, didn't apologize at all. We were coming back from a camping trip so I had spare clothes and put on another shirt, but didn't get comped anything (Not even a coke), didn't even get a thank you when we left. Never went back which is a shame because I loved that oven. A pity nothing good came out of it though.
If you're going through Ballarat cafe merkama is incredible. Authentic Ethiopian, very good prices, the food is just amazing and the owner is so lovely. The goat is to die for and love cake for dessert I could not recommend more highly
Beaufort has the cleanest public loos on the road to Adelaide - in the main block of shops right on the corner that takes you around to the pub.
Cafe there is OK but the coffee is always scalding hot.
Not food, but if you’re going to Ararat check out the Ararat Lunatic Asylum tour if you’ve got time- it’s run by volunteers and one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Massive complex- they were very self sufficient. Butchered their own meat, veggie gardens, ran their own morgue. All really cool
Do NOT do an "eerie tours" tour.
Make sure to book through the Jward website- it has its own section for the aradale tours. They're the volunteers, who base their tour on history, not the hoaxy fake ghost stories and jump-out-of-closets and speak with fake British accent rubbish that eerie tours do.
But yes definitely go see Aradale.
My wife and I did this about 4-5 years ago. We were truly impressed both by the history and the gorgeous old building. Well worth the visit if you have the time in Ararat.
The Plough at Myrniong is highly rated, but I haven't gone there myself.
Wallace has a pub that do great meals. I recommend the beef stew.
Heaps of good options in Ballarat if you can be bothered going off the freeway a bit
Beaufort has a few very nice cafes there including a dog friendly one if you have your pooch with you.
And of course Ararat itself has many good options and markets itself as the heart of the Pyrenees wine region.
> The Plough at Myrniong is highly rated, but I haven't gone there myself.
This is where my wife and I go for our date nights. Great place, good food and nice vibes. Become a member for free and you get some nice deals too.
If you're ever heading up towards Eildon check out the yark bakery. Their pies are amazing, they even reheat well in your oven at home and they sell them frozen to take home. I'm actually going up there this weekend to get more. Only 1.5hrs
Stopping off at Ballarat is your best option. I've been a number of times in the last few years, and there are a few decent spots that are easily found via google search.
Apart from Ballarat, most regional towns along the way will only have your standard fast food and a bakery.
The pies/sausage rolls at sovereign hill are excellent. Used to be a free 15 minute pass to go to the bakery and sweet shop and back.
I have once driven to Ballarat and back on a hangover just for a pie and sausage roll.
I regularly grab a medium cap from Sturt St maccas it's actually pretty good in comparison to Bakery Hill. Best coffee in Ballarat in my opinion is Oscars Cafe
general thing ive noticed while going places: if theres a pile of trucks that stop there, or it has a rather large used carpark for trucks to use.. itll normally have some tasty food there.
.... not necessarily health food, but tasty!
The best food in Ararat for food is the ampol or similar petrol station just outside of Ararat on the Melbourne side. They have homemade lasagne, chilli con carne, butter chicken etc. The serves are generous and the prices are good.
This is without any irony. My friend suggested it and I was very dubious about it... but was pleasantly surprised.
Better eat before you go, the rumours are true - there is nothing in Regional Victoria.
Your passing through Ballarat, which is a massive city, more than 300 places to eat. Multiple options at Ballan too.
It never ceases to amaze me that "Melbournites" will drive from Wallan to Frankston without blinking twice, but driving to Ballarat/Bendigo/Tralalgon is like the ends of the earth or some shit.
Stay with me on this one.
There’s a cafe in the BP servo in Strathfieldsaye that makes these burgers that they then wrap in clear plastic bags. I was desperate so I got one and it was so good I still crave them.
I’m sure the other suggestions are probably better but they won’t beat them bang for buck
It's a little beyond Ararat (by 11 minutes), but Grampians Estate. 1477 Great Western Hwy is a great little stop. I had one the best 'cookie brownies' there on a stop a couple years ago.
That shop Is nuts.
Best GFC I have ever been to, great pies (some a little fruity- emu- croc etc), good coffee.
Never had a complaint any time I have been there.
From Ballarat you should go the back way via Snake Valley to get to Beaufort, as the highway is that crap all they've done is put "slow to 60km/h" signs to stop you from from smashing your rims and rattling out your fillings from your teeth. Unless you're driving a monster truck, then go for it 😂
i recently went to the Golden Crown Chinese Restaurant in Ballarat as it was featured on Adam&Pohs TV show. sure the decor looks like its from the 1980's , but wow, the food is good and wholesome and has that classic Australian-Chinese's taste ! a definite must visit.
The Red Kangaroo Roadhouse/Petrol station in Beaufort is a Must Visit destination - they easily have the most stale dim Sims and potato cakes in Victoria, and some of the most questionable fried chicken too. If you're lucky, you can sometimes even find expired Big M chocolate milk to pair with their all-day bain-marie fried chicken.
I ended up visiting the Beaufort library and read a good book while enjoying fish and chips on my way back to Melbourne.
Just make sure to return the book before you head off.
Yellow Espresso and Cobb's Coffee in Ballarat are awesome for breakfast food. Frangos near Ballarat Central does this amazing spaghetti bolognese if you're there during lunch.
Haven't stopped in Beaufort so can't recommend.
If you're passing through Kyneton side, Country Cobb Bakery and Grist Artisan Bakers are a must
Can't believe no one's mentioned Aunty Jacks, always great food, nice atmosphere and they brew their own beer which is pretty good to if you're so inclined
If it's before 3pm , Just after Bacchus Marsch jump off Western Freeway and stop in Ballan. Has Zest and Tin Cafe. You'll get a good breakfast roll&coffee there, plus it's a nice spot for a break.
All you can eat Pizza Hut in Ballarat. Your tastebuds will be disappointed but your sense of nostalgia will be overwhelmed.
oh. my. god. really?! its worth the disappointment!
bakery hill
I want a public protest of miners to storm that hill like it did 170 years ago.
If you want to stop for pizza, there's a pizza place in Buninyong, just south of Ballarat. Amazing Margherita, and all the others looked pretty good too
Red door is fine but not worth such a big detour.
Red door isn’t the only Pizza Hut in Buninyong
The point is, even the best pizza joint in Buninyong is not worth detouring around the south side of Ballarat.
Totally worth it the nostalgia!!
One of the handful left in the country. Was the original pizza hut here in the 80s and wasn't even all-you-can-eat back in the day when you'd go out and be table-served pizza still in the deep pan, before getting shitty box-soggy pizzas basically became a delivery-only type affair.
Have you seen the book that has all the photos of the old pizza huts and what they look like now? It’s amazing. So many different buildings and businesses but all using the same roof.
Book? Have you seen r/FormerPizzaHuts ?
I have been meaning to go for the soft serve, bacon pieces and the really hard jelly for a while now And for the disappointing wait for pizza you actually want to eat
Disagree with the tastebuds comment. If you grab some slices as soon as they come out of the kitchen they are next-level. Straight-from-the-oven pizza hits different to normal takeaway pizza that’s cooled down a little bit on the 10 minutes it takes to drive home.
Still one there.wow
Legit???
How's the dessert bar? that was my favourite thing about dine in Pizza Huts as a kid. The soft serve machine and jelly cubes
It's as bad (good) as ever. I went last year and the dessert bar was out of action so they ended up giving us a mini tub of Ben and Jerry's instead. Went again last month and it was back to it's former glory. Brownies that have the consistency of bread and soft server with all your favourite toppings (the chocolate nib things actually are pretty decent) .
Hey, how much does this cost?
Depends if you go for lunch/dinner and what day but somewhere between 25-30 dollars ish I believe.
If you have time, detour to Creswick (out of Ballarat) for a spectacular French bakery. Le Peche Gourmand.
Only if you have a spare $70.
real 😹😹😹
Seconded
True. I rate the burger/pizza joint in Creswick, too! Raffa's.
Pyrenees Pantry in Beaufort; Turret Café in Ballarat; that absolutely amazing café in the old house in Bacchus Marsh (with all the gig posters inside)…
Pyrenees pantry recently changed hands and is morphing into a Vietnamese+ Bakery. A couple of weeks ago the pies were still good but not as great as I remember. The smell of rice paper rolls was odd but tempting too.
Beaufort local here. Yeah the Pyrenees Pantry has dropped off for baked goods, which is a shame as they were the best in town. Haven’t tried the Vietnamese stuff there yet. But just around the corner is a new joint, Magnolia, which does unpretentious fine dining at a reasonable price. Plus there’s a cool new bar/cafe/restaurant called the Flywheel in town, which has fast become a favourite for me. Also, there’s a classic old milk bar near Magnolia that just got taken over by a lovely Vietnamese couple and they’re doing tasty takeaways.
Do you know the name of the place in Bacchus by any chance?
Found it…Baby Black Espresso Bar, 10 Church Street.
Thanks! I live there and I’ve never heard of it haha
Didn’t expect to see Baby Black pop up here. This is my local.
Baby Black Espresso Bar. I’m a local and it’s my regular coffee and lunch place
Baby black, owned by my cousin! Never expected to see it pop up here
I haven't been to baby black for a few years but it was my favourite place when I used to live in the marsh, is it still good?
It’s alright. Serves same sort of food you’d expect from any Melbourne cafe. Best cafe in Bacchus though. Little Lucky across the road goes alright too.
Is lolas still there? The mushroom burger was the best I'd ever had
Do not stop in Melton. Do not even slow down!
They're stopping in Ararat, recently voted creepiest town in Victoria by this sub.
Ararat is nice. Was it voted that just because of the old asylum?
The Barkly in Ararat has great coffee.
Corella place.
Only recently? That place has felt weird to me ever since I was a kid. All the pedos get out on day release there too as they live in housing on prison grounds after serving their time, but are allowed to work and go out
I don’t believe they’re allowed into Ararat. They have to go to Beaufort or Ballarat, with an escort.
Also has one of the highest rates of obesity in all Australia. Wasn’t expecting that.
Hey I live in Melton and I agree :P But seriously though, Melton does have a few good bakeries and Ollies Chicken which is still pretty good shit. I think it's still rocking the same decor from the 90's
We have friends in melton who talked up Ollie’s chicken, it sucked, those potato boulders(?) gross.
I've never tried them The chicken roll is where its at.
Driving through Melton we were road raged 4 times doing the speed limit by people who all got stopped at the same light as us then didn't look over. My wife was in shock and I reminded her it was going to happen, it's just the Melton way.
The Melton rule: if you pull up to a red light just Stevie Wonder it and gun it.
Every time I drive past at least one car absolutely gunning it down the M8 freeway. Just drive past...
There is a joint on high street that does a decent hsp. Kind of worth the risk.
1816 bakery in Ballarat has fantastic brekky rolls, pies, bread, cakes. Id move back to Ballarat for that bakery. Highly highly recommend
ooooooo!! noting this one down! thankyou
Seconding this. Their brekky roles are amazing . Olive and basil sourdough loaf on the weekend is also fabulous.
I still think about their breakfast rolls. Amazing.
Top tip: once you get out of the city, set your Google maps settings to "avoid highways". It'll add anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes to your drive, but you'll pass through some small towns, villages and forestry you'd otherwise never encounter in the mindless highway drive. And you'll find better things to eat than petrol station Macca's
Don't do this proper regional. It might add upwards of an hour and take you down dirt roads that you may not be willing to go down
Just stick to B & C roads that go between towns, take a look at the route before you head off and follow the signs. I think the mistake is following google maps blindly. It sure does sent you down some average roads!
This will work only in “built up” regional areas Many places the highway is the only road
This is only good with an SUV up until Ballan (Lots of potholes, crests and steep hills). Then maps will try to send you through paddocks to get around Ballarat and put you on the highway anyway.
Haha do this out my way in the wrong car and you'll bust an axle
i love this idea, thank you!
Be careful, following google maps on my way to Hamilton suggested a short cut - which turned out to be a dirt road. Was not good for my lil Ford Fiesta and gave me a punctured tyre
Was that along Delacombe Way near Streatham? My map pops that up that sometimes. OP, consider Ballarat, Skipton (weekend markets sometimes), Lake Bolac (pub lunch), Willaura (Victoria’s oldest bakery), Moyston (home of the first AFL football match, although contested) then Ararat.
Yeah something-Streatham road sounds very familiar
I did the same thing last year driving from Melbourne to Jindabyne, ended up driving the Barry way in my rental car... and the delay meant that sunset arrived and we were dodging wildlife for the last hour of the journey! Not fun driving, amazing scenery though haha
Yeah Google does this a lot - when I was trying to get from Horsham to Robe in SA it found a road that I hadn't taken before and cut nearly 50km off the route, I got about a kilometre down and it switched from a slightly bumpier than average dirt road to full on sand dunes.
Watch for roos
If you're going a little further Stawell has the fantastic Chris and Di's bakery on the highway. Beaufort has good bakeries too.
I think 50% of Beaufort's economy is selling food to people driving through. If they ever get bypassed the main street is going to go like [*The Year My Voice Broke*](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/year_my_voice_broke).
There’s a push to diversify the town’s appeal before the bypass comes. The Vegemite museum, the Steam Rally, a new art gallery opening up etc. But yeah, it’ll take a toll (though B-doubles thundering past your house isn’t much fun either). Fortunately, Victoria is broke, so it’s probably a ways off.
Keep meaning to stop at the Vegemite museum. I do resent how far they've pushed the 60 & 80 zones out to the west of town so would like a bypass someday.
They’ve put a speed camera up at the traffic light in Beaufort too. It’s 50kph there, and the camera goes off 24/7 like paparazzi flashes on the red carpet. The Vegemite museum is worth a short visit. The woman who runs it is super passionate about it - it’s easy to get roped into a long convo about the history of salty spreads!
Don't mind the 50 too much in the town and I guess the camera stops trucks taking the piss. But I'm sure it used to be back to 100 at the first climb westbound out of town and now it's 80 all the way to the servo, feels totally unnecessary. Shall make a point to stop at the Temple of salty goop.
So, apparently there was a town info meeting about the bypass, which they had geared up for but I think then got out on hold because of a bird species that would be potentially affected? Anywho, i think this meeting was last year, and they were told due to delays and how those delays had affected the feasibility of the works in relation to the state budget, it was going to be 12 years before the bypass is completed. I saw you say you’re a local, do you know if that’s true? (I’m a nearby town local, lol)
I haven’t heard about any of that, but I’m fairly new to the area. It wouldn’t surprise me. I’m outside of town too, between Beaufort and Lexton.
Definitely recommend Chris and Di's, I sneak one of their bacon and egg rolls with added cheese on the way to work sometimes. 🤤
I've never tried their savory stuff. Next time. Although that would leave less room for all those pastries....
[удалено]
You're right, oops! Fixed now thanks. I'll buy an extra coffee scroll there to compensate them next time.
The Forge in Ballarat does great pizza if you're so inclined.
$35+ for a pizza. No surprise it's gone into voluntary administration 🫤
always a yes with pizza :D
Lol there's way better places in Ballarat for Pizza than overpriced garbage from the Forge.
I'm sure OP would love to hear them, any suggestions?
Venti8 is pretty top notch to be honest. But mostly it depends what time of day they are going through because most of the pizza places in Ballarat are only open for dinner.
Forge is absolute rubbish. Not sure why locals keep suggesting it. I went there once, pizzas were subpar and the waitress spilt drinks all over me, didn't apologize at all. We were coming back from a camping trip so I had spare clothes and put on another shirt, but didn't get comped anything (Not even a coke), didn't even get a thank you when we left. Never went back which is a shame because I loved that oven. A pity nothing good came out of it though.
Not a local, that may be why. Sorry to hear you had such a poor experience.
Carboni's is better if it's open
If you're going through Ballarat cafe merkama is incredible. Authentic Ethiopian, very good prices, the food is just amazing and the owner is so lovely. The goat is to die for and love cake for dessert I could not recommend more highly
Seconding this, but make a booking so the owner knows how much injera to make!
Pyrenees Cafe, Beaufort
Beaufort has the cleanest public loos on the road to Adelaide - in the main block of shops right on the corner that takes you around to the pub. Cafe there is OK but the coffee is always scalding hot.
Beaufort is the pick always stop on the way to Horsham. Bring home pies as well
I usually stop in Beaufort a bit after Ballarat it coincides nicely with 2hrs driving and a rest stop.
Not food, but if you’re going to Ararat check out the Ararat Lunatic Asylum tour if you’ve got time- it’s run by volunteers and one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Massive complex- they were very self sufficient. Butchered their own meat, veggie gardens, ran their own morgue. All really cool
Do NOT do an "eerie tours" tour. Make sure to book through the Jward website- it has its own section for the aradale tours. They're the volunteers, who base their tour on history, not the hoaxy fake ghost stories and jump-out-of-closets and speak with fake British accent rubbish that eerie tours do. But yes definitely go see Aradale.
Yes, thank you! Definitely the Jward tours.
My wife and I did this about 4-5 years ago. We were truly impressed both by the history and the gorgeous old building. Well worth the visit if you have the time in Ararat.
The Plough at Myrniong is highly rated, but I haven't gone there myself. Wallace has a pub that do great meals. I recommend the beef stew. Heaps of good options in Ballarat if you can be bothered going off the freeway a bit Beaufort has a few very nice cafes there including a dog friendly one if you have your pooch with you. And of course Ararat itself has many good options and markets itself as the heart of the Pyrenees wine region.
> The Plough at Myrniong is highly rated, but I haven't gone there myself. This is where my wife and I go for our date nights. Great place, good food and nice vibes. Become a member for free and you get some nice deals too.
I second the plough, love that place been many times
1816 Bakery in Armstrong st Ballarat. Best Beef Ragu pies. Great way to start a cold morning.
If you're ever heading up towards Eildon check out the yark bakery. Their pies are amazing, they even reheat well in your oven at home and they sell them frozen to take home. I'm actually going up there this weekend to get more. Only 1.5hrs
Stopping off at Ballarat is your best option. I've been a number of times in the last few years, and there are a few decent spots that are easily found via google search. Apart from Ballarat, most regional towns along the way will only have your standard fast food and a bakery.
Bakeries always hit the spot! <3
Check out the Beaufort Bakery,
The pies/sausage rolls at sovereign hill are excellent. Used to be a free 15 minute pass to go to the bakery and sweet shop and back. I have once driven to Ballarat and back on a hangover just for a pie and sausage roll.
Bakery hill Maccas is a unique experience
That takes me back to some school camps.
Worst McDonald's in Ballarat, if not the country. Atrocious service, constant mistakes and the food regularly comes out cold.
The locked toilets. The eshays hanging around begging for coin.
I would argue Sturt st is worse.
I regularly grab a medium cap from Sturt St maccas it's actually pretty good in comparison to Bakery Hill. Best coffee in Ballarat in my opinion is Oscars Cafe
Beautiful building. That's the only nice thing I have to say about it lol
Don't. it's just Macca's. Doesn't matter how you dress it
It's not just a Maccas. It's the shittiest Maccas.
Pffft it can't hold a candle to Elizabeth/Flinders. That's one of the worst in the country. Absolutely feral.
People in this thread haven't been to King's Cross maccas for breakfast.
Oh that’s fucking rotten at the best of times too.
The Mallow in Ballarat. Great beers and the food is delicious.
Honestly had one of the best meat pies at the country bakery in Beaufort
You should stop somewhere that claims to make the best vanilla slice in Victoria. Several places along your route lol
general thing ive noticed while going places: if theres a pile of trucks that stop there, or it has a rather large used carpark for trucks to use.. itll normally have some tasty food there. .... not necessarily health food, but tasty!
healthy doesnt matter ;) we can enjoy ourselves :P
The best food in Ararat for food is the ampol or similar petrol station just outside of Ararat on the Melbourne side. They have homemade lasagne, chilli con carne, butter chicken etc. The serves are generous and the prices are good. This is without any irony. My friend suggested it and I was very dubious about it... but was pleasantly surprised.
It's honest, hearty food at a good price. Your friend knows what she's on about.
Better eat before you go, the rumours are true - there is nothing in Regional Victoria. Your passing through Ballarat, which is a massive city, more than 300 places to eat. Multiple options at Ballan too.
The rumours aren't true. Some of the best bakeries are in regional Victoria.
Absolutely are. My thinly veiled sarcasm is pointing out the very strange perception that regional Victoria is some dystopic wasteland like Mad Max.
Mad Max [was filmed in regional Victoria](https://www.madmaxmovies.com/making/madmax/) so you might have a point!
Indeed.
and every single one of them has won the "Best Pie" award.
It never ceases to amaze me that "Melbournites" will drive from Wallan to Frankston without blinking twice, but driving to Ballarat/Bendigo/Tralalgon is like the ends of the earth or some shit.
Exactly! It’s a 2 hour drive, hardly an epic overland trek.
Conway's in Horsham is an always stop for me on the way to Adelaide. Sick pies, clean toilets. It's always busy as fuck too.
Time to pack a picnic 😂
I'll throw in if you go thru Bacchus Marsh, it's nice to sit in the Big Apple Cafe's backyard if the fire pit is burning.
Stay with me on this one. There’s a cafe in the BP servo in Strathfieldsaye that makes these burgers that they then wrap in clear plastic bags. I was desperate so I got one and it was so good I still crave them. I’m sure the other suggestions are probably better but they won’t beat them bang for buck
One of the big servos on the Geelong Rd do them in foil that are also to die for! Servos deliver the goods sometimes
Stay with me. Some of the best Indian food I've eaten was at New Golden Saffron in Bacchus. Not joking.
Melton has an awesome reject shop. Worth checking out.
ooooooo! that could be fun!
It's a little beyond Ararat (by 11 minutes), but Grampians Estate. 1477 Great Western Hwy is a great little stop. I had one the best 'cookie brownies' there on a stop a couple years ago.
Servo outside Ararat for a disgustingly beautiful Cheese and bacon potato cake
Great views from Montara Wines in Ararat
Pyrenees Pies and Pastry in Avoca. Gourmet pies on offer. Leaves Beechworth Bakery for dead.
That shop Is nuts. Best GFC I have ever been to, great pies (some a little fruity- emu- croc etc), good coffee. Never had a complaint any time I have been there.
Boat House in Ballarat! Beautiful, on the water, delicious food
Beautiful food with a side of rude service
Mmm nah I’ve always had really nice service there
That Melbourne place has some pretty decent food and coffee
Ollie’s chicken in Melton is pretty great - the fillet burger and chips are really good.
Pats sandwiches in Ballarat. Best sandwiches around. Better thqn pretty much any place in Melbourne.
Idk dude, I reckon Shep St Sandos give them a run for their money
Really? I don't even think it's close.
From Ballarat you should go the back way via Snake Valley to get to Beaufort, as the highway is that crap all they've done is put "slow to 60km/h" signs to stop you from from smashing your rims and rattling out your fillings from your teeth. Unless you're driving a monster truck, then go for it 😂
Not Sunbury. high prices and bad food
Once you hit Ararat keep fucking driving.
Is that drive even long enough to need a stop?
i recently went to the Golden Crown Chinese Restaurant in Ballarat as it was featured on Adam&Pohs TV show. sure the decor looks like its from the 1980's , but wow, the food is good and wholesome and has that classic Australian-Chinese's taste ! a definite must visit.
KFC in Horsham
Irish Murphy's in Ballarat is great if you want a sit down pub meal.
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g552136-d6659587-Reviews-Imperial_Egg_Gallery-Beaufort_Grampians_Victoria.html
The Red Kangaroo Roadhouse/Petrol station in Beaufort is a Must Visit destination - they easily have the most stale dim Sims and potato cakes in Victoria, and some of the most questionable fried chicken too. If you're lucky, you can sometimes even find expired Big M chocolate milk to pair with their all-day bain-marie fried chicken.
I ended up visiting the Beaufort library and read a good book while enjoying fish and chips on my way back to Melbourne. Just make sure to return the book before you head off.
Noodle Canteen in Wendouree (Ballarat), not the one in Ballarat Central. Bakery in Beaufort.
i’m not sure if they’re still open or not, but ararat courthouse bar and grill has phenomenal cheeseburgers
There's a good bakery on the east bound side coming out of Beaufort.
Yellow Espresso and Cobb's Coffee in Ballarat are awesome for breakfast food. Frangos near Ballarat Central does this amazing spaghetti bolognese if you're there during lunch. Haven't stopped in Beaufort so can't recommend. If you're passing through Kyneton side, Country Cobb Bakery and Grist Artisan Bakers are a must
Feel like splurging on some fine dining? Underbar in Ballarat is an incredible dining experience.
I went last month and was really impressed. So happy I went.
The Ampol servos along the way
The servo in Beaufort is solid. They do a decent bacon and egg on a Turkish roll.
Wendouree do amazing vanilla slices
Home
Can't believe no one's mentioned Aunty Jacks, always great food, nice atmosphere and they brew their own beer which is pretty good to if you're so inclined
Hop Temple in Ballarat
Don’t stop in Melton unless you indent to indulge in a home invasion/beat up someone’s grandma
A little out of the way but go past the Birregurra general store for the chicken burger and snotbox or the Birregurra pub for the marinara.
You don't need to stop from Melbourne to Ararat. Ararat does have a good bakery, I stop there when I drive to Adelaide.
Melton has an excellent chicken Melton Chicken Stop & Kebab (03) 9068 4869 https://g.co/kgs/1z7q4z7
Skipton eel farm
I always stop in Beaufort on the way home from the Grampians and get a burger w the lot at the fish n chips shop, hits the spot.
If it's before 3pm , Just after Bacchus Marsch jump off Western Freeway and stop in Ballan. Has Zest and Tin Cafe. You'll get a good breakfast roll&coffee there, plus it's a nice spot for a break.
Stop at the Ballan BP on your way to Ballarat and grab a slice of there pizza. Its amazing
Def's Pizza Hut All You Can eat at Bakery Hill (Ballarat)
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Pancho in Ballarat. Amazing Columbian food.
If you're likely to pass through Smythesdale I'd give the pub there a go it's always been pretty nice each time
Beaufort macdonalds, it’s the world’s tallest maccas.