At a glance:

• Bellarine Peninsula

• Geelong waterfront and Pakington Street

• Stick to the Highway

Bellarine Peninsula

Of the seven cellar doors on the Peninsula, Spray Farm and Kilgour Estate are the pick of the bunch for gourmet fare weekdays and weekends in glorious surrounds with spectacular views. Your visit to the Peninsula should also incorporate the seaside towns of Portarlington, Queenscliff and Barwon Heads.

Eating out in Portarlington no longer means fish 'n' chips or a counter meal. The culinary makeover is evident at The Ol' Duke where contemporary touches combine with age-old, circa-1855 appeal. And the Portarlington Bakehouse, complete with original wood-fired oven, bakes some absolutely fabulous breads to go with those mussels you buy at the pier.

One of many good options in Queenscliff is Harry's Restaurant. The seafood-driven menu features fish caught by local fisherman. Then there is the icon of the Peninsula, The Queenscliff Hotel (formerly known as Mietta's Queenscliff Hotel). And when in Barwon Heads, head to At The Heads from the ABC's SeaChange fame. Resplendent with whitewashed walls, this eatery has views of both the Bass Strait and the Barwon River.

Barwon Heads has a heavy proportion of lattes per resident. Go where the locals go, with Barwon Orange, the Star Fish Bakery and Phill's Cafe being highlights, well reviewed and enjoyed.

Geelong waterfront and Pakington Street

Geelong's crescent-shaped foreshore is the perfect spot to picnic with your newly acquired stash of Geelong wines. But first, pay a visit to the delis in Pakington Street in the trendy suburb of Newtown to stock up on gourmet delights.

The Pako Street Festa is an annual fundraiser celebrating Geelong's diverse ethnic communities and you can spend an entire weekend eating your way along the food stalls.

Stick to the Highway

Two brilliant food choices down this neck of the woods make great destinations in their own right, but are easily visited if you are en route to the seaside towns of Torquay or Lorne.

Make a detour off the main drag for Werribee Park and you get two food and wine choices. As well as the casual weekend fare on offer at the Shadowfax cellar door, you can enjoy a meal in the luxurious restaurant, Joseph's at The Mansion Hotel with a bottle of Shadowfax.

Stay on the Princes Highway until you reach Waurn Ponds, just through Geelong, and you'll find Pettavel Winery, a stunning architectural masterpiece sitting like a ship above a sea of vines. The restaurant, open seven days a week for lunch, was set up by Sunnybrae's George Biron and is now headed by Executive Chef Matt Dempsey. Choose between a seriously spectacular 5 course banquet lunch or a la carte menu in the dining room, or eat in the more casual cellar door area. Pettavel's "flights of wine" let you compare three wines of the same variety, with a specific dish.