Seafood

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.

Perch at a table on a jetty, high upon a cliff, or float on a converted ferry. Visit fishing cooperatives right on the pier as the day's haul comes in. Or, DIY at a trout farm and hand your catch straight to a chef for cooking.

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 Wildfish in Port Albert, East Gippsland, or float on the lakes at Ferryman's Seafood Cafe, a converted ferry at Lakes Entrance (fresh take-home seafood also available).

Ferryman's Seafood Cafe
Middle Boat Harbour, The Esplanade
Lakes Entrance

Wildfish
Port Albert Jetty
Port Albert

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. Mussel in on all the action at the Portarlington Mussel Festival each year on the second Saturday in January.

In Queenscliff, dine on local octopus and Port Phillip Bay snapper in grandeur 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.

Advance Mussel Supply
230-250 Portarlington Queenscliff Road
Bellarine

Geelong Boat House
50-52 Western Foreshore Road
Geelong

Vue Grand
46 Hesse Street
Queenscliff

Mornington Peninsula

Relax on the waterfront with Port Phillip Bay catch and views at seafood restaurant The Rocks in Mornington.

The Rocks
1 Schnapper Point Drive
Mornington

Phillip Island

If the peli-can…savour fresh seafood straight from the San Remo Fisherman's Co-op – time your visit with pelican feeding time. In Cowes, head straight for the esplanade for waterfront views and locally caught seafood at Harry's.

Harry's
17 The Esplanade
Cowes

San Remo Fisherman's Co-op 
170 Marine Parade
San Remo

Great Ocean Road

Have the experts cook up fresh catch at the Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-operative down by the water. Go high-end Mediterranean at nearby Chris's Beacon Point Restaurant (oh, the views), or on the esplanade at Airey's Inlet at A la Grecque.

A la Grecque
Corner Great Ocean Road and Beach Road,
Aireys Inlet

Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-operative
Trafalgar Street
Apollo Bay

Chris's Beacon Point Restaurant
280 Skenes Creek Road
Apollo Bay

Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges

See-food lovers after more pescetarian pleasers can try their hand with a line at Tuki Trout Farm, or head straight to Tuki Restaurant where the chefs take care of the catch from pond to pan.

Tuki Trout Farm and Restaurant
60 Stoney Rises Road
Smeaton