Rosebud Capel Sound Tootgarook Rye

ROSEBUD CAPEL SOUND

PHOTO: STEVE BROWN

This is the part of the world where holidaymakers come to create memories with family and friends while meeting and greeting like-minded travellers. The beaches here are child-welcoming and perfect for picnics and long summer days spent whiling away the time and nights full of feasting.

The sky is bright with reflective light radiating over the bay where the happy people wander. With arms open wide, this place is home to Italian and Asian flavours and food artistry that makes you feel like you could be anywhere in the world. Come dive into cocktail, coffee and adventurous cuisine territory, into a region you may never have known existed until now, for you have come to a space where tastebud satisfaction takes first place.

Capel Sound, Rosebud, Rye and Tootgarook are not to be underestimated. Beneath the backdrop of Arthurs Seat, these quiet winter villages come alive in the warmer months with fantastic flavours and endless entertainment. Locals and visitors alike are out and about swimming and brimming with seaside energy and hospitality. It is a part of the Peninsula where casual cool rules. The Mediterranean influence is huge, and you can feel its authenticity in the cafes and eateries where living the buoyant life full of fun and fabulous food takes top priority.

Come wander on the pier or take a ride at the carnival that happens every year. Then spoil yourself with a sensational wining and dining experience. It’s clear there’s something here for everyone at any time of year. Hello and welcome.

TOOTGAROOK RYE

Blue Mini - eatery, emporium, events (P.88-89) Elements Eatery (P.90-91) Hawkes Farm (P.96) ItsaBurger (P.92) Lime Spice Hawker Beach Bar (P.93) Mubble Rye (P.109) Sea Store Beach Café and Bar (P.96) The Foyer Café and Wine Bar (P.97) The Milbri (P.95) Unica Cucina E Caffé (P.94)

PHOTO: STEVE BROWN

Blue Mini – eatery, emporium, events

A contender for the most unique eatery on the Mornington Peninsula, Blue Mini captures the essence of everything local. Why? This quirky hub of retro style is situated in the repurposed Rosebud Ten Pin Bowling Alley.

Headed by owner Tracey Fleming and a dedicated team of passionate hospitality professionals, Blue Mini is more than just a café. With a mix of fantastic food, houseroasted coffee, local gourmet produce and a welcoming vibe, it is a destination to meet, eat, drink and linger. eatery Blue Mini is known for its innovative all-day brunch menu and meals that are a fusion of well-known classics, such as eggs ‘bennie’ and the Peninsula Ploughman’s, alongside modern dishes with a twist, including loaded potato gems and the grain & grow bowl. With access to some of the best produce and suppliers on the Mornington Peninsula, Blue Mini’s meals and homemade cakes/sweets are created from locally sourced goods wherever possible – and as a fully licensed venue, its local beer, wine and ciders are also a feature.

The doggy-friendly courtyard, complete with kitchen herb garden, is perfect for outdoor dining in the warmer months, while the spacious indoor eatery is brimming with features from the old bowling alley. Designed by Tracey using recycled building materials from the original site, this unique sense of style creates a story around the principles of re-use, recycle and renovate. emporium The theme continues through the recently remodelled retail emporium featuring a unique range of carefully curated products and giftware with a focus on Mornington Peninsula producers, artisans and makers. Artwork features alongside ironwork sculptures, homewares, bath and beauty products, fashion items, daily essentials and local beer, wine and cider.

The venue is also home to the small-batch in-house coffee roaster Boneo Road Roasters, proudly using ethically sourced coffee beans. The Exhilarate house blend has a smooth, rich, full-bodied flavour with caramel notes. Perfect for home use, it is suitable for espresso, filter, press, cold brew or stove top so you can take home the taste and enjoy the flavours of Blue Mini anytime. events Taking on the unique character of Blue Mini as a venue, the catering team create lasting memories for any special occasion, from bespoke wedding receptions and engagements to parties and corporate events. They have exclusive access to two properties: the former bowling alley in Rosebud, with its retro style, and The Barn @ Six on East, a private setting perfect for intimate boho-style, country-casual events. Whether at one of Blue Mini’s venues or somewhere of your choice, your event will be styled to perfection to meet your personal tastes. With all this, Blue Mini is a destination that you’ll want to return to again and again. Open daily 7am-3pm. #blueministyle Please check website and social media for seasonal changes.

Images by Yves Eyes Photography (left, bottom right) and Willow Creative (top and middle right)

Blue Mini I 2 Colchester Rd, Rosebud I 5981 2520 I www.bluemini.com.au blueminicafe

Elements Eatery

Introducing Elements Eatery – the Mornington Peninsula’s latest destination café, located within the Yawa Aquatic Centre, Rosebud.

Scheduled to open in April 2021, Elements Eatery is operated by experienced hospitality professional and talented local foodie Tracey Fleming, best known for her success as founder of Blue Mini: eatery, emporium, events.

Centrally located on the corner of Besgrove St and Boneo Rd near the Rosebud exit on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, Elements operates on a unique hospitality vision: to deliver a locally inspired food experience that promotes healthy food choices, celebrates local produce and embraces an environmentally conscious approach to incentre dining. Part of the state-of-the art Yawa Aquatic Centre, the inspiration for Elements draws on the local vibrant seaside community and landscape of the region, which is bordered by pristine coastal waters with a rich agricultural heart. The welcoming architecture was designed using local menus offering quality meal options at

materials and timbers that celebrate and Please check website/social media for

encapsulate this beachside, coastal spirit. Patrons have the benefit of two distinct Elements Eatery or poolside service at Elements Grab & Go Kiosk – both with affordable prices and healthy eating for all. With an indoor capacity of 100 seats, Elements Eatery also offers an additional 40 seats outdoors for walk-in customers. Both eatery areas are serviced by a professional hospitality team delivering friendly and snappy service for groups and individuals to enjoy a morning coffee, relaxed lunch or take-home meal after a gym or swim session. Alternatively, the Elements Eatery Grab & Go Kiosk is more relaxed, offering families and casual swimmers a welcoming and inclusive space to enjoy healthy food options poolside or a quick coffee on the go. In line with Yawa’s strong commitment to environmental sustainability, Elements Eatery has a philosophy to reduce, re-use and recycle and chooses eco-sensitive packaging, including a ban on single-use plastics in the Grab & Go Kiosk. In addition to meal services, Yawa provides fully accessible facilities including a 50m indoor pool, learn-to-swim pool, gymnasium, fitness classes and wellness centre.

Come and see why Elements Eatery is the perfect year-round destination café for all ages. Open daily from 7am hospitality experiences: casual dining at

seasonal changes Images by Yves Eyes Photography (left, middle & bottom right)

ItsaBurger

The team at ItsaBurger have painstakingly researched what makes a burger ‘best’ by biting into buns and poring over patties for decades. It is a passion that has taken them around the world and back again to land their feet firmly in the Rosebud sand.

Just a stone’s throw from the Rosebud foreshore you’ll find their neon pink façade behind which the team busily prepares the results of their research. Think Americanainspired burgers, handcrafted patties and genuine American pickles. Put simply, it’s first-class decadence sandwiched between two buns. So it is no wonder this casual diner has quickly become the place that locals go to grab a bite brimming with authenticity. On the menu you will find not only the classic beef and chicken burgers you would expect, but mouthwatering vegan options and daily-changing creations dreamt up by the team. We’re talking Penang coconut curry barramundi burgers and the scrumptious Prawnstar burger, which are both taste sensations.

Do yourself a favour and make it on a Monday, make it on your cheat day or just make it any time you’re after a lunch or dinner full of flavour. You’ll simply love these burgers because that’s the way they are made. With love.

Trust them, it’s a local thing. Open seven days a week for takeaway and delivery. Please check website for further details.

Lime Spice Hawker Beach Bar

Visit the home of Asian fusion food in Rye on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, where the aromas of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam fill the air and cleverly crafted authentic hawker-style dishes offer the freshest flavour. Visit Lime Spice Hawker Beach Bar, where sensory seduction rules.

Lime Spice is all about delivering international flavour to those who love to travel with their tastebuds. Inspired by the exhilarating hawker stall dishes of South-East Asia, Lime Spice brings the best of Peninsula produce to your spice-infused table. Indulge in soft shell crab and whole baby barramundi filled with Asian herbs and nam jim dressing, phad Thai with chicken and prawns, or spicy nasi goreng as you get transported to the heart of hawker-style food. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available. Lime Spice Hawker Beach Bar’s head chef, Thawatchai Kittikunsuwan – known as Winnie – creates exceptional modern Asian fusion cuisine in a space that can only be described as exciting. A large Mama-san hero wall artwork oversees the creation and celebration, while twists of earthy golds, Asian-style artifacts and lime liven up the interior. The cocktail bar offers specialised drinks such as the house-infused chilli tequila Mama-san and the vodka-based lavender and lime cocktail Kawaii, topped with Persian fairy floss. Most cocktails can be made to take away, and ‘virgin’ cocktails are also available. A great range of Peninsula wines, beers and bubbles completes the exceptional drink offerings. With plenty of room inside and an outdoor courtyard for sea breeze dining, Lime Spice Hawker Beach Bar is built for taste, travel and terrific fun. Yum!

Please check website for further details.

Unica Cucina E Caffé

Bringing family and friends together over food is the Italian way. Celebrating life through flavour and authentic regional recipes that are prepared with love is Unica Cucina E Caffe’s way of giving. This rustic eatery, where the aromas take you on a journey to ‘nonna’s kitchen in the heart of Italy, offers comfort food made fresh and tasty. Each dish manzo is also a favourite. But don’t forget the magnificent spiedino

enfolds, soothes and satisfies. Each ingredient is genuine.

Owner Michelle welcomes you into Unica Cucina E Caffé with open enthusiasm. Thrilled to be sharing her space with you, she is proud to present her fine food and excellent service, which makes everyone feel at home. Chef Zedda presides over the kitchen, adding his own unique touches to every dish, which he prepares calmly and creatively to satisfy each sense. Here is a chef who instinctively creates food with feeling. Here is a chef who brings the deliciousness of Italy to the coast of the Mornington Peninsula. Renowned for its seafood dishes – particularly the marinara, which comes to you with a selection of fresh ingredients that change according to market availability – Unica Cucina E Caffé also offers delicious options for meat-lovers too. The fiorentina, which is a 1.2kg 90-day-aged steak, is something to behold, while the filetto di di gambero, where succulent prawns arrive at your table wrapped in pancetta and crumbs. Pair with a spirited wine from Michelle’s hometown of Riace, Citta Dei Bronzi, Calabria in southern Italy, where history-steeped villages and wild coastline connect, and you have the perfect combination of Mornington Peninsula and rugged Italian style wonderfully placed together in Capel Sound. Open Wednesday-Sunday from 11am-late. Please check website for further details

The Milbri

The Milbri was established in 2o14 to bring you a dining experience that encompasses flavours from Latin America and touches of South-East Asian ‘hawker’-style foods. The venue offers versatile indoor and outdoor dining whether you’re eating alone, with family or a group of friends.

If you’re looking for an intimate dinner for two or a celebration with 50 or more, The Milbri’s modern, vibrant and boho chic atmosphere delivers. With ambient lighting, funky newspapered walls, background music and a popular bar, The Milbri is great for any night of the week. Kick back and enjoy endless well-stocked shelves of spirits, local and imported wines, and a range of beers and brilliantly unique cocktails in a place perfect for after-work relaxing or pre-dinner drinks. There are new cocktails every week, and live music on the weekend adds to the chilled vibes.

Co-owners Chris Miller and Chris Fabri have combined their passion for food and love of extensive travel through South America to bring you a showcase of Latin food and street-style temptations. Of course, because brilliant coffee is always a must, the boys have their own unique and award-winning Milbri blend, which is crafted by the renowned roaster at Little Rebel to create the perfect way to start your day. To make things more exciting, Los Milbros, which is the catering business designed and run by the same Milbri team, can help you celebrate any occasion with the option to have your own personal bartender and waiters paired with their famous chargrilled feasts. Open seven days from 7am-11pm Please check website for further details

The Milbri I 1183 Point Nepean Rd, Rosebud I P: 5982 3901 www.themilbri.com.au TheMilbri themilbri

Growing premium produce is a given at Hawkes Farm, where the selection of fresh fruit and vegetables is always incredible. With a vast range of delicious seasonal vegetables and fresh produce available for purchase through its farmgate and plenty of agricultural-inspired adventures to be had, this is the place to get outside and enjoy the fresh Mornington Peninsula air.

The Hawkes family have been working the land since 1974 and are thrilled to showcase other Peninsula growers’ produce alongside their own. Click and collect options are available for pre-ordering your fruit and veg with ease, or drop by to say hi and select your own. Grab a coffee and settle back in the child-friendly vegie patch while the kids free-range on the weekend, and pick up some crisp and delish hand-cut thricecooked chips from the famous food truck while you’re there. With regular open days that provide the opportunity for tractor rides, vegie picking and plenty of fun, Hawkes Farm offers educational group tours too. Just ask Hawkes Farm when and how.

Open seven days from 8am-5pm; closed Christmas Day. Please check website for further details

Hawkes Farm I 661 Boneo Rd, Boneo I P: 5988 6785 I www.hawkesfarm.com.au HawkesVegetables hawkes_farm

Sea Store Beach Café and Bar

Sea Store Beach Café and Bar opened its doors 12 months ago and has quickly become the go-to place for coffee and brunch. Now opening evenings and serving crafted cocktails, Jetty Road Beer on tap and a new vibrant coastal menu, Sea Store is the place to be day or night.

The evening menu at Sea Store is casual but stylish, with a focus on simple, fresh food full of flavour. Seafood has to feature in a place like Rye, so expect to see fresh oysters, prawns, soft shell crab and calamari on the menu. Sea Store’s traditional hand-stretched pizzas cannot be missed either. Meeting friends or family for a drink or meal has become more important than ever these days, and the team at Sea Store understand that doing so is one of the true joys of life. With Sea Store’s relaxed vibe, specialty coffee, modern fresh menu, cocktails and icecold beer, Sea Store Beach Café and Bar is one of the best places to come together. Open seven days a week. Please check social media for further details.

The Foyer Café and Wine Bar

The Foyer Café and Wine Bar’s interior takes you back to 192os New York, where style was the name of the game. The black and white flooring and original ceiling merge perfectly with antique gold and the lively murals depicting scenes from an era that can only be described as the bee’s knees. All-day brunch and evening tapas fuel the shenanigans.

It’s a family affair during the day at this gorgeous café, which is close enough to the sea you can smell it. Settle in with the kids while enjoying a great coffee with your eggs over easy or lunch with the locals who grace the scene. The staff here keep the conversation flowing, while Thursday nights are made for tacos and margaritas and Friday and Saturday wine bar nights offer live acoustic music. The Foyer Café and Wine Bar has a great selection of Mornington Peninsula wines and locally sourced tapped beer, which goes down a treat with tapas-style goodies. The whisky and gin bar brings just the right amount of sophisticated glamour to the weekend revelries where lovers of this venue and their mates mingle. With room for up to 50 patrons outside and plenty of room inside to socialise, The Foyer Café and Wine Bar brings the best of the ‘20s and ‘30s to life in modern-day Mornington Peninsula style. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch and Thursday through Sunday from 8am until late.

Please check social media for further details.