Blue Manna
Local chef Coby Cockburn opened Blue Manna Grill in partnership with his seafood supplier, assuring a sparklingly fresh catch for this pan-Asian bistro. Step next door and you can buy that produce fresh from Oceans Fresh Seafood, or one door further down brings you to Blue Manna Takeaway.
A: 1/16 Cyrillean Way, Dunsborough WA 6281
P: (08) 9786 5051
W: bluemannabistro.com.au
Blue Ocean Fish & Chips
If you’re heading down south to Augusta, at the very southern edge of the Augusta-Margaret River Shire, this is a contender for best fish and chips in the country. With a decidedly non-hipster vibe, this is a classic regional fish and chipper, but it sources its catch directly from the Augusta Marina, skipping the frozen fillets that the majority of its ilk employ.
A: 73 Blackwood Ave, Augusta WA 6285
P: (08) 9758 1748
Cullen Wines
Vanya Cullen applies her obsessive approach to biodynamic viticulture to the vegetable garden in equal measure, providing the heartbeat for the celebrated restaurant at Cullen. What isn’t grown or reared on-site is sourced from ethically aligned producers.
Glenarty Road
There’s no shortage of glamour in Margaret River, which makes Glenarty Road somewhat refreshing. Situated on the McDonald family’s 90-year-old family farm in Karridale, which boasts revered grass-fed lamb, orchards, vegetable gardens and a vineyard, the cellar door and restaurant is a charmingly humble affair, with some of the finest paddock-to-plate food in the region. The dining room is tiny, so bookings are essential.
Miki’s Open Kitchen
In the heart of Margaret River, Miki’s Open Kitchen is a Japanese restaurant with a decidedly local accent. Presiding from the predictably open kitchen that is the hub of the room, Miki turns out four degustation menus (including one for kids) fusing Japanese technique sand sensibilities with local ingredients.
Pizzica
Schooled in the art of pizza from the age of 14 at the fabled Pizza da Franco in Sorrento, Campania, Italian expat Ivan Zecca started Pizzica in Margaret River with his wife Anna after emigrating in 2010. Situated underground in one of the town’s oldest buildings, Pizzica is not just about the revered wood-fired pizza, but also what comes off the charcoal-fuelled grill. It is a firm local favourite, with bookings recommended.
P: (08) 9758 7361
Settlers Tavern
Settlers Tavern is one of the country’s true gems. Ostensibly, it’s a pub licensed for 800, with live music and a hectic counter meal trade. But it’s much more than that. The food is highly regarded, and it caters for all sorts of dietaries, and the wine list is epic, with over 600 listings and 30 by the glass. Want to know if your glass of sauvignon blanc is organic and vegan? The list will tell you that. Plus, they’ve been actively pursuing a low waste, no plastic mantra since way back in 2003. Real ground breakers.
Yarri
Yarri, in Dunsborough, acts as a canvas for both chef Aaron Carr’s cooking and the Snake & Herring wines. Carr headed up the lauded Vasse Felix dining room for 21 years before partnering with winemakers Redmond Sweeny and Tony Davis. And while the Snake & Herring wines get plenty of airplay, the restaurant features both local and international touchstones on the list, too. You can get a taste of Carr’s refined fare in a degustation offering, or graze across the seasonal all-day menu.
Wills Domain
Regarded as one of the best restaurants in the west, Wills Domain’s kitchen has been headed by Seth James for over six years. An alumnus of Melbourne’s Cutler & Co., James presides over a lunch-only menu, either à la carte or as a degustation menu. Much is grown on-site, with an additional focus on sustainable and wild-harvested produce. Wills Domain’s adjacent cellar door shares the same spectacular views across the Gunyulgup Valley, and cheese and charcuterie provide a more casual food option.
