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"It's clear why the Lake House has continued to hold its place not only on prestigious awards and titles lists but also in the hearts of Victorians, for so many years. It consistently ticks all the boxes that somehow so many others seem to miss: impeccable service, which only serves to enhance the dining experience; a sophisticated yet approachable atmosphere; an expertly crafted menu of inventive dishes; deep respect for produce of the highest quality; and most importantly, beautiful and undeniably delicious food."

Time Out Melbourne


Lunch Friday - Monday | 210pp | Multi course a la carte menu
The Spring Table - Tuesday Lunch in Spring | 165pp | Three course set Chefs Menu

Dinner each evening | 225pp | Multi course a la carte menu
Beverage Pairing | 75pp - 95pp Classic | 115pp - 135pp Premium

Reserve a Table

“The OG of destination dining in Victoria, Lake House continues to shine as a beacon of how to do it right”
Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Guide 2024 – 2025

Lake House is located on the shores of lake Daylesford within 6 acres of country gardens that also house the iconic hotel and spa.

The dining room holds 2 Chefs Hats from the national Good Food Guide and multiple awards for it’s cellar and service.

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.

 

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.

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.


Reservations

  • Lunch
    Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday
    Menu | 210pp | Multi course a la carte menu

    The Spring Table Lunch
    Tuesdays in Spring ( from 24.09)
    With complimentary optional tour of Dairy Flat Farm
    Chefs Menu | 165pp | Three course set menu

    Due to the seasonal and limited nature of this special menu, dietary modifications are not available.
    We encourage guests who require dietry considerations to select lunch on Friday – Monday when a la carte menus are available.

    Dinner
    Each Evening
    Menu | 225pp | Multi course a la carte menu
    Beverage Pairing | 75pp – 95pp Classic | 115pp – 135pp Premium

    If your preferred dinner service shows limited availability online it may be due to high occupancy in our hotel. And whilst priority is held for our Hotel & Lodge guests, we will endevour to assist you where possible. Please contact Lake House Reservations 9am – 6pm T:53483329 or you can request to be on the waitlist below.

    Our Waitlist
    If you would like to be placed on the waitlist, please click here.
    Waitlisted reservations will be contacted as reservations become available.

The Spring Table Lunch | Chefs Menu | Tuesdays in Spring

THE SPRING TABLE  LUNCH– THREE COURSE CHEFS MENU
Tuesdays in Spring –  at Lake House and includes an optional tour of our beautiful Dairy Flat Farm, just a few minutes down the road

From Kohlrabi to Kale, Asparagus to Artichokes, Celeriac to Cider and everything in between, we welcome you to our patch of culinary heaven in Daylesford.

40 years on, Lake House menus are still largely driven by the region’s seasonal produce and even more so now,  being influenced by the abundance of produce grown on our own regenerative Dairy Flat Farm.

Book a table for our special 3 course Chefs Menu – inspired by the season.

You may have opted to enjoy the optional included tour of our Dairy Flat Farm, Vineyard, Olive Grove and Bake House before lunch (please select tour when booking) in which case you’re likely to recognise many of the seasonal ingredients on our table.

Bookings are essential.
Please note that no modifications/preferences can be made to this menu.
Any specific dietary allergies can be replaced by one of our  “Art of the Vegetable” dishes.

Gourmet Traveller | Icon Award

In the four decades since Alla Wolf-Tasker and husband Allan set up shop in the then-neglected Central Victorian backwater of Daylesford they’ve run the gamut from being dismissed as deluded dreamers to being lauded and awarded as visionaries who pioneered destination dining in Australia.

The trajectory of Lake House from small, self-built restaurant carved from a blackberry-infested plot in a depressed town to internationally recognised resort championing regional food, art, wine, spa culture and a unique style of relaxed luxury accommodation is well documented. It’s become one of the origin stories of the Australian hospitality industry. A trophy cabinet overflowing with awards and accolades, not least for the original restaurant’s unfailingly impeccable achievements, is recognition of that.

But for all the professional and critical acclaim, perhaps the pinnacle of Lake House’s success is best measured by the way it has so consistently resonated with the non-professionals, those who choose to come and spend their time and money here year after year and increasingly, from generation to generation.

Winning Gourmet Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Icon Award, the only award decided by popular vote, is proof that Lake House’s pursuit of excellence has always been – and continues to be – in service of keeping the enjoyment of its customers central to everything it does.

Lake House has never rested on its laurels. Every one of its 40 years of operation has seen change, even though the dreamy, other-worldly effect it exudes the moment you drive through the front gates has never wavered. Even when the changes have been major, such as the recent addition of a working farm that loads the restaurant’s menu with ingredients pulled from the ground mere hours before they appear on your plate, these changes are made with one particular purpose.

That purpose is hospitality, the most obvious of terms that’s also the hardest to get right. It’s the sense of being cared for, that you’re genuinely welcomed and appreciated. These days it is daughter Larissa and her husband Robin Wilson who lead that welcome, maintaining the warmth and commitment to quality that has been a Lake House signature since the beginning.

In a troubled world, Lake House offers an oasis of calm, a place where you can eat, drink and sleep beautifully, and be reminded that life can be good too. And that’s truly iconic.

Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Guide 2024 – 2025 

Australia's iconic gourmet retreat...

Our other spaces

The Argyle Library Bar

  • With soft grey studded leather couches and unique rotating art exhibitions from some of the region’s famed sculptors, painters and glass blowers; the Argyle Library Bar sits adjacent to the Hotel Reception.

    A place for in house guests to relax throughout the day; the Bar features a cult and classic collection of magazines as well as daily newspapers. The ever expanding Culinary Library collection is a drawcard for avid foodies and you’ll often see the chefs looking for references in books. In the afternoon and early evenings the bar is set for Aperitivo; perhaps a spritz or a classic martini. After dinner it’s all about premium rum, cognacs and a large collection of aged whiskey by the fire. There’s even a grand piano for a little impromptu entertainment…

Lagoon Deck

  • In warmer months, guests can enjoy the Lagoon Deck with beautiful views across Lake Daylesford and beyond. We suggest arriving early for your restaurant booking and starting with drinks in the sunshine – perfect.

The Cellar

  • The Cellar is located beneath the Lake House restaurant and not only houses much of the 13,000 wine labels from the award winning list; but is also a wonderful private space for a party or celebration. A beautiful American Oak table pairs perfectly with big bunches of country blooms and soft candle light. A truly magical experience.

    Seating for up to 14

The Waterfront Pavilion

  • Positioned below the Lake House Restaurant, the Waterfront Pavilion features two openable walls of glass and overlooks the lagoon. The interior style is one of sophisticated country charm with white eggshell finish shelving and beeswaxed recycled local timber tables.

    Accommodating up to 40 guests either along one large banquet table or individual tables of 10, this beautiful private space offers spectacular waterfront views. Access from the Waterfront Pavilion via the direct staircase to the paved foreshore provides a place for gathering, ceremonies or pre-dinner drinks.

    An open fire pit can be added for your guests to ward off autumn and winter chills. Our long-ago planted Yunnan poplars provide shade from hot summer afternoon sun.

    Seating for up to 40

    Positioned below the Lake House Restaurant, the Waterfront Pavilion features two openable walls of glass and overlooks the lagoon. The interior style is one of sophisticated country charm with white eggshell finish shelving and beeswaxed recycled local timber tables.

    Accommodating up to 40 guests either along one large banquet table or individual tables of 10, this beautiful private space offers spectacular waterfront views. Access from the Waterfront Pavilion via the direct staircase to the paved foreshore provides a place for gathering, ceremonies or pre-dinner drinks.

    An open fire pit can be added for your guests to ward off autumn and winter chills. Our long-ago planted Yunnan poplars provide shade from hot summer afternoon sun.

    Seating for up to 40

The Lagoon Foreshore

  • In the cooler months, our Lagoon foreshore is warmed by a large open fire pit. Rows of Adirondack chairs are clustered to capture the heat and also enjoy the beautiful lake views. A selection of sips and snacks can be ordered at your leisure and charged to your room.

Restaurant Gift Vouchers

Lunch or Dinner for Two

Enjoy a multi course a la carte lunch or dinner in the award-winning Lake House restaurant for two.
Restaurant Vouchers are a monetary amount of $450 towards lunch or dinner in the Lake House Restaurant.

If you would like to increase the amount to cover additional courses, beverages, an overnight stay etc: you may select a Bespoke Voucher which can be for any prescribed amount.

Buy the Book

Three Decades On – A book from Alla Wolf-Tasker

In this book, Alla Wolf-Tasker shares her love for the region and Lake House, her admiration for great producers both local and across Australia, with wonderful recipes, captivating stories and magnificent imagery.

Our Awards and Accolades

  • 2 Chefs Hats

    The Good Food Guide

  • Gourmet Traveller

    Icon Award

  • Top 25 Restaurants

    Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards

  • Hall of Fame

    The Australian Wine List of the Year Awards

Our Press

  • “…a masterclass in how to do it right.”

    Good Food Guide

  • “Lake House is the Wolf-Taskers’ enduring masterpiece that spearheaded the farm-to-table movement several decades ago, and which continues to assert its dominance in an ever-expanding landscape of regional fine diners.”

    Time Out Melbourne

  • …”the menu’s devotion to seasonality is unimpeachable”.

    Gourmet Traveller

  • “The Lake House is my love letter to hospitality. At the end of the day, it’s important to do something that matters, and I think what we do matters. It’s all about making good nutritious food, sharing it with others, and creating community.” Alla Wolf-Tasker AM

    The Financial Review | Life & Luxury

  • “This impressive collection is utterly mesmerising. Select one of the many excellent local wines, to give you a regional flavour. Or choose from the enlightened selection of Australia and New Zealand’s Best. On a global front, the range is nothing short of outstanding, including a heady collection of Burgundy, grower Champagne and Italian reds.”

    The Gourmet Traveller Wine Awards

  • “…it offers guests much more than just a superb meal. With 33 sleek rooms and suites set in about 2.5 hectares of garden extending down to the waters of Lake Daylesford, as well as a spa nestled among the treetops, the entire resort is enveloped in a tranquil, welcoming ambiance that has enchanted visitors from around the world.”

    The Financial Review Sophisticated Traveller

Restaurant Terms and Conditions

Cancellation Policy

All reservations require a credit card number to secure the booking. No deposit is taken, however, a cancellation policy does apply. Click here to view our cancellation policy.

Children at Lake House

In the Lake House restaurant, we try to accommodate children where possible. Special menus are designed for our younger clientele in mind should they not wish to try the a la carte menus. Families, please note that premium evening sittings in the restaurant over weekends are fixed price of $225 per person. If you are travelling with children, there are several options if you wish to avoid this per person price for young ones. Children’s Menus are offered at lunch or in the evening delivered to the comfort of your room. Babysitters can, of course, be arranged with notice.

When dining in the restaurant we ask patrons to remember that waiters are working with hot food & liquid and we require all children to remain seated throughout the meal.

A Note on Allergies

Food Allergies: Lake House makes every effort to do whatever is possible to accommodate guests with food allergies.
Please note: Flour, dairy, fructose, onion, garlic, and other similar traditional cooking ingredients are routinely used in our kitchen as part of our normal daily preparation. As a result, a complete lack of any trace of any of these routine ingredients cannot be guaranteed.
Please also note: Not all dietary preferences are able to be accommodated.

Parking at Lake House:
We offer free car parking on site for hotel and restaurant guests.
Vehicles are left at guests’ own risk, Lake House does not take responsibility for any damage, theft or incidents. By making a reservation, you agree to these conditions. 

Credit Card Surcharges

Visa & Mastercard 1%, Amex & Diners Club 1.75%. No surcharge for EFTPOS.