The ultimate guide to the
Margaret River region’s best food

If there’s one thing Western Australia’s South West does exceptionally well (apart from our legendary wine of course) it’s the melt-in-your-mouth, drool-worthy, tell-all-your-friends food.

We’ve compiled a list of the best of the best, so make sure you bookmark this page for your next getaway.

The Best Bread and Pastries

Forget the supermarkets, follow your nose and buy big fat loaves of bread direct from some of the best bakers around.

First stop is the beloved German-crafted Yallingup Woodfired Bread. Get in your car one mid-afternoon, travel down the dusty gravel road to carb heaven and pick up a few of these impossibly perfect loaves: hot soft textured goodness inside and a perfect crunch outside. We dare you to stop yourself ripping open the bag while you’re still in the car.

For a huge range of beautiful pastries, drop by Margaret River Bakery. Enter this cosy, eclectic hideaway – so very Margaret River – and wander up to the cabinets full of breads, croissants, eclairs, morning buns, pies and stuffed-to-the-brim lunch rolls. It’s worth the calories, trust us.

Hmmm, yummy sweet treats from Margaret River Bakery.

And if you’re in Busselton, don’t miss out on Baked, which recently picked up a staggering 13 awards at the Perth Royal Food Awards for their ciabatta, fruit loaf, Turkish bread, Scottish shortbread, eclairs and more. Pro tip: you cannot go past the stuff of a quintessential Australian childhood, the vanilla slice.

The Best Cheese

With so many dairy cows in the area, it makes sense that cheese is a staple. Yallingup Cheese is an excellent choice and with head cheesemaker, winemaker and director Alana Langworthy in charge, you won’t get generic looking or tasting cheese here. There’s also the Margaret River Dairy Company – which recently won gold at the Perth Royal Food Awards – offering a huge range of options from creamy yoghurt, to oozy brie and sharp cheddar.

Yallingup Cheese Company – Petit Bebe.

The Best Fruit and Vegetables

You know when you pop into the shop to get one thing and you end up with an armful of produce and a desperate wish that you’d brought along several bags? Heed this reminder and bring several bags or boxes when you come to the fantastic farmers’ markets in the South West.

Rhubarb at Margaret River Farmer’s Market

The Saturday weekly Margaret River Farmers Market, plus Western Growers Fresh in Busselton and The Shed Markets in Busselton are the very best where you can pick up plenty of whole foods and handmade specialities. Also take a stroll into Blue Ginger Fine Foods to create the ultimate tasting plate with goodies sourced from dozens of local and international suppliers.

The Best Meats

While The Farm House doesn’t open their doors directly to the public, it would be a crime to miss out on their carefully crafted, sustainable and humanely sourced products. You’ll find a selection of goods at McHenry Hohnen’s cellar door, and you can also place orders online for their sought-after Arkady lamb and pork, plus gourmet sausages (cheddar and jalapeno beef, anyone?) and smoked goods including the award-winning Double Smoked Free Range Eye Bacon.

Arkady Lamb. Image courtesy of @thefarmhouse_mr

Look past the usual meaty fare and visit Margaret River Venison Farm. They have dozens of fresh cuts of venison and smallgoods on sale: topside fillets and osso bucco plus sausages like apple and sage, or Guinness flavoured. Also pick up biltong, kransky, chorizo, pate and beer sticks.

If you’re after a great quality butcher with a variety of meats, you can’t go past town favourite Margaret River Gourmet Meats with their premium products.

Being a coastal region, it makes sense that the seafood is top notch too. Try the celebrated Blue Manna Bistro in Dunsborough to satisfy your cravings of oysters, sashimi, Moreton Bay bug, Shark Bay scallops and more. Then there’s perennial favourite Little Fish in Yallingup. Be warned, however, the food at Little Fish is glorious and the portions enormous.

The Best Sweet Treats

We’ve eaten through the bakeries, but there are even more outstanding sweets on offer in the South West. For traditional Italian biscuits and treats, check out Claudio Biscotti at the Margaret River Farmers’ Market. Stock up on croissants with a difference (they recently had a Bounty version), macarones, cronuts and of course, a huge range of traditional Italian biscuits to nibble on over a hot cup of coffee.

Claudio’s Macarones – Raspberry & White Chocolate. Image courtesy of @claudio_biscotti

For nougat-lovers, you can’t go past Bettenay’s Nougat. Savour flavours such as cranberry and pistachio, Limoncello creme, and chai latte and vanilla.

The Best Chocolate

If you love chocolate, you are in luck! The South West is basically Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

Temper Temper Chocolate

Any self-respecting chocolate lover must visit The Margaret River Chocolate Co with the mountain of delish products they have available. Temper Temper Fine Chocolate offer a wide variety of traditional bars, plus unique finds such as carrot cake in milk chocolate. Or be really adventurous and try the ginger, togarashi and sesame dark chocolate, or the truffle and potato in milk choc. We also recommend indulging in what we promise will be your new favourite: Oreos dipped in both milk and dark chocolate. Other great bean-to-bar producers are Gabriel’s and Bahen & Co.

The Best Ice Cream

The legendary team behind Dunsborough’s much-loved Simmo’s Ice Creamery have scooped so many awards over the years it’s hard to keep up. USA Today even named them in the top 15 ice creameries in the world! Choose from over 60 flavours with new ones whipped up regularly.

Simmos Marscapone & Fig. Image courtesy of @simmosicecreamery

Just as lovely is Millers Ice Cream in Cowaramup and Margaret River. These third-generation dairy farmers still run their farm, as well as hand-make their delicious ice cream. And test out Capel’s Two Fat Cows double choc ice cream which took out the 2019 champion ice cream at the Royal Agricultural Society awards.

The Best Condiments

Get your olives, olive oils and scrummy tapenades from Eagle Bay Olives and stay for a picnic on their property. Also visit Petra Olive Oil for a range of products including champagne and orange vinegar, bruschetta spread and beetroot plum chutney. You’ll also love the award-winning Olio Bello.

Whatever takes your fancy, the South West has it. It’s pure foodie heaven here.

Browse our portfolio to discover the perfect holiday home for your gourmet getaway to the region.

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