An icon in regional dining, Lake House has long been considered to be one of Australia’s best restaurants, championing local seasonal cuisine long before it became a mantra for many. The beautiful destination dining room sits overlooking Lake Daylesford and is high on the bucket list for many gourmet travellers.

In cooler months, views through the bare Silverbirch and Poplar trees provide striking views of the misty lake and foreshore. In the warmer months the picturesque outdoor terraces and particularly the Lagoon Deck are a popular spot for pre or post lunch or dinner drinks; it also happens to be the favourite resting place of a family of resident kookaburras. The restaurant offers magnificent views through wonderfully large windows to the treetops and shores of the lake. Large expanses of outdoor deck also offer the opportunity for aperitif with beautiful views.

Guests enjoying drinks at dusk will likely witness the daily ritual of the resident kookaburra family flying in to be fed and the flocks of cockatoos circling the 40 year old gums, silver birch and poplars looking for their evening perch.

The dining room holds 2 Chefs Hats from the national Good Food Guide and multiple awards for its cellar and service and restauranteur and Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker AM has gathered enough national and international awards to fill virtually every wall of her fabled house on the lake. Alla is well known as a passionate advocate and ambassador for the Australian hospitality industry. The Signature Tasting Menu is a must for all visitors; especially paired with Sommelier selected beverages.

A team passionate about hospitality delivers beautiful, modern, seasonal food matched with wines from one of Australia’s best wine lists. Under the direction of Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker AM, the kitchen work with great Australian produce including a raft of excellent small scale local suppliers and growers and their own Dairy Flat Farm. The latter with almost 40 acres is located within 10 minutes of the flagship restaurant and includes 5 acres of productive vegetable gardens (where produce is handpicked for morning deliveries) olive grove, heirloom orchard, vineyard and a bake house specializing in slow fermented sourdough for Lake House guests.

Regular guests will tell you of their favourite season and of memorable dishes. Perhaps the butter poached pheasant with chestnuts and Farrow in Autumn, the spring lamb with asparagus and morels. The duck with orange braised witlof; the golden roasted free range chicken of summer with corn and yabbies, or the truffled Pecorino tart with artichokes Barigoule, eel, Murray Cod and trout; rabbit and hare, speak of local waterways and fields.

Wild damsons, Winter Nealis pears, quinces and yellow crab apples feature in fabulous desserts and, in time honoured country fashion, are also made into delicious preserves for enhancing leaner seasons. Each seasonal menu takes you on a trip down country lanes, through the orchards and across the farm paddocks of the region.”