Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Guide

Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Guide 2024 – 2025

The OG of destination dining in Victoria, Lake House continues to shine as a beacon of how to do it right. Impeccable and affable service, a cellar chock-full of storied labels, and the well-upholstered, light-filled room set the scene, but owner and culinary director Alla Wolf- Tasker’s multi-course, à la carte menu is the headliner. The seasonal focus is even sharper now that she has a farm in her arsenal less than 10 minutes away, its produce driving the increasingly vegetable-forward approach in dishes like sublime lemon-thyme gnocchi tossed with pine mushrooms and broad beans glistening with brown butter. Plants hold their own when playing with protein, too, perhaps earthy heirloom beetroot teamed with subtly smoky eel or sweet grilled plums and parsnip elevating dry-aged duck. The farm’s bees might contribute honeycomb to a dessert of fresh figs and fig-leaf ice-cream, while its bakehouse produces the spelt sourdough bread. In short? Still going strong.