Beachside pocket near Frankston has a wine bar worth travelling for
'Have you made this mussels and coriander dish?' they asked Murray. 'Not yet,' he answered. But he sourced mussels from nearby Flinders and served the dish soon after – a lovely interweaving of heritage and community.
It isn't easy to run a small, independent restaurant. What I love about Ordain is that it looks towards the inner city and tries to give Seaford stuff it's missing out on. It also glances further out to the peninsula's wineries and produce, offering paddock-to-plate experiences in the 'burbs. It's not perfect but it's ambitious and generous, the kind of place you'd hope the community would meet more than halfway.
Three more neighbourhood gems to try
Le Petit Bistro
There's no need to head to Paris for a classic bistro experience, you can simply come here for snails in garlic and parsley butter, onion soup, duck a l'orange and flambeed crepes. You know you're in Australia, however, when you see kangaroo terrine on the menu.
79 Glenferrie Road, Kooyong, lepetitbistro.com.au
Edendale Cafe
The wheelchair-friendly cafe is at free-to-visit Edendale Farm, where you can feed chickens, learn about stick insects and admire alpacas and ponies. The onsite cafe has a simple menu of eggs, toasties, cakes and bakes plus its own chai mix, and there's plenty of room for prams and strollers.
30 Gastons Road, Eltham, edendale.vic.gov.au
Park Street Pasta
An experienced Italian trio is at the helm and all the pasta is fatto a mano (made by hand). There are classics, such as agnolotti del plin (tiny pasta parcels, here filled with duck and veal) and seasonal fancies such as fettuccine nettle pasta with toasted Jerusalem artichoke, wild mushrooms and hazelnut butter. Need a place for a special occasion? Ask about the upstairs dining room.
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