Consuming passion ... the Dispensary Enoteca in Bendigo.
The Bendigo goldfield region has reinvented itself as a gourmet destination, writes Mary O'Brien.
We're sitting upstairs in T'hooft, having passed the retro caravan downstairs, climbed the rickety stairs and negotiated the sloping floor. There's reggae music playing, cool-as-cucumber staff and funky posters all over the place. This is one of Bendigo's craziest and best-loved cafes, a sign of changing times.
Bendigo is reinventing itself. Food is the new gold and visitors are fossicking for gourmet treats and experiences in the former goldfields. Fork and knife are the new fossicking tools.
In November the City of Greater Bendigo published its Food Fossickers guide to Bendigo and the region, which shows the abundance of restaurants, cafes, wineries, cider makers and foodie hangouts in the area (foodfossickers.com.au).
There has been good food and wine in and around Bendigo for some time but the food fossickers network highlights lesser-known places and focuses on local produce.
Lyttleton Terrace in central Bendigo is a good first stop. You can choose from several places – drop into T'hooft (which means leader in Flemish), the caravanning cafe, or shop in Bendigo Wholefoods next door where the emphasis is on food miles. Or plan another caffeine stop at the Old Green Bean, a fine coffee roaster with a menu drawing on local produce.
Visitors get a sense of the diversity of the area at Bendigo Wholefoods. Owner Darren Murphy, a former chef from north-east Victoria, says the goldfields region is finally catching up with other foodie destinations.
"What was missing was a sense of identity," he says. "Now there are pathways for visitors to enjoy those experiences and we want to make sure they enjoy those food journeys when they're here."
"There was a real lack of food culture here," says Tim Baxter of The Dispensary Enoteca, one of Bendigo's more sophisticated eateries. "Bendigo was seen as a wilderness as far as food and wine go but that's all changed. There's a real groundswell that most of us who are involved in Food Fossickers can really feel."
The food trail will give visitors more to do in the area, says Hayden Winch, owner of the Public Inn, one of Castlemaine's newest restaurants. "It's a great idea that the goldfields is starting to embrace and push its regional produce; we were a bit behind other regions for a time."
From fine dining to wineries to food stores, here's a guide to some of the best.
Wineries
Whistler Cafe at Shelmerdine Vineyard has tasting plates for two, perfect with a glass of Heathcote shiraz, or try the roasted vegetable stack from the garden tended by head gardener Kate Mabon. Take away a jar of rhubarb and apple jam or zucchini pickle.
Lancefield Road, Tooborac, phone 5433 5188, see shel-merdine.com.au.
About 10 minutes' drive from Bendigo, Balgownie Estate has an interesting cellar door and a relaxed cafe with mezze dishes, panini and desserts using local produce such as Kyneton olive oil, central Victorian cured meats and regional cheeses.
46 Hermitage Road, Maiden Gully, phone 5449 6222, see balgownieestate.com.au.
Cider
Set in beautiful grounds, Bress Wine, Cider and Produce has biodynamic cider, wine and delicious cellar-door lunches from the kitchen garden (the cafe is closed from May to October). Watch for the chooks and guinea fowl as you drive in.
3894 Calder Highway, Har-court, phone 5474 2262, see bress.com.au.
A favourite stop for locals is Henry of Harcourt. The Henry family has been making cider and perry (pear cider) for many years. Some say cider is the new wine.
219 Reservoir Road, Har-court, phone 5474 2177, see henrycider.com.
Restaurants
Whirrakee delivers fine dining at its best. Chef Brent Slade has worked hard to land a hat in The Age Good Food Guide – the first hatted Bendigo restaurant for a decade.
17 View Point, Bendigo, phone 5441 5557, see whir-rakeerestaurant.com.au.
With such an eyebrow-raising drinks list, it's hard to choose from the wines, spirits and cocktails at Dispensary Enoteca. It has a sophisticated menu, plus good coffee and snacks.
9 Chancery Lane, Bendigo, phone 5444 5885, see thedis-pensaryenoteca.com.
The Empyre Boutique Hotel is a luxurious place to stay, with fine dining at night and cake and coffee served during the day.
68 Mostyn Street, Castle-maine, phone 5472 5166, see empyre.com.au.
Gastro pubs
The Good Table chef, Alex Perry, uses local produce in this Victorian pub. Try the smoked eel or the yabby tails when they are on the menu.
233 Barker Street, Castle-maine, phone 5472 4400, see thegoodtable.com.au.
Sip a coffee on the verandah of The Redesdale, a historic bluestone pub. Try the reasonably priced pub menu or be impressed by the fine-dining room, which makes the most of its own kitchen garden.
2640 Kyneton-Heathcote Road, Redesdale, phone 5425 3111, see theredesdale.com.au.
The Public Inn has been open for only six months and it is already impressing both the locals and visitors with its emphasis on local wines and produce.
Corner Barker and Mostyn streets, Castlemaine, phone 5472 3568, see publicinn.com.au.
Coffee
Coffee Basics is a boutique coffee roaster with a fantastic range of small-batch coffees. On the food menu, the sausages with sauerkraut should not be missed. Finish off with a strudel or Viennese pastry.
1 Halford Street, Castle-maine, phone 5470 6270, see coffeebasics.com.
Eclectic decor, foodie mags and the smell of roasting coffee are the main attractions at Old Green Bean. Check out the single-origin coffees.
179 Lyttleton Terrace, Ben-digo, phone 5444 3173, email oldgreenbean@g-mail.com.
Cafes
Sheep farmers Eleanor and Adrian Dempster opened Cellar & Store six years ago. The pot of the day is always heart-warming or, on a fine day, the vintner's platter in the courtyard is idyllic with a drop of local wine from the extensive range.
105 High Street, Heathcote, phone 5433 2204, see cellarandstore.com.au.
Patisserie chef John Stekerhofs escaped Melbourne to make good in Castlemaine. His croissants or French-Algerian mouna cake at Apple Annie's Bakery are memorable.
31 Templeton Street, Castle-maine, phone 5472 5311, see appleannies.com.au. Shops
Open for about 18 months, The Good Loaf bakery, in a circular heritage-listed former tyre centre, bakes an impressive range of sourdough breads using local Laucke flour. The cute cafe does brekkie, lunch and snacks.
404 Hargreaves Street, Ben-digo, phone 5444 2171, email info@thegoodloafco-m.au.
Choose from an amazing array of local foodstuffs, fruit, vegetables and gourmet treats at Bendigo Wholefoods. Cooking equipment is also on sale.
314 Lyttleton Terrace, Ben-digo, phone 5443 9492, see bendigowholefoods.com.au.
Straight from farms within a 50-kilometre radius, Glen Ballinger stocks items from more than 40 producers, plus a range of pies and soups, at Maldon 50k.
63 Main Street, Maldon, phone 0402 711 082, see maldon.org.au/stores/m50kl.htmlX.
Markets
Bendigo Community Farmers' Market, Sidney Myer Place, Bendigo, second Saturday of the month, 9am-1pm.
Heathcote Bush Market, near visitor information centre, High Street, Heathcote, first Saturday of the month, 8.30am-1pm.
Castlemaine Farmers' Market, Castlemaine market building, Mostyn Street, Castlemaine, first Sunday of the month, 9am-1pm.
Maldon Community Market, Maldon Neighbourhood Centre, corner Edwards and Church streets, Maldon, second Sunday of the month, 9am-2pm.
Mary O'Brien travelled courtesy of Tourism Victoria.
Bendigo is 150 kilometres, or about 90 minutes' drive, from Melbourne, and is connected by regular train services.
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