Lake House provides many applause-worthy moments. Some cheer this restaurant, hotel and spa for revolutionising regional hospitality in Australia, helping to embed the idea of regional, seasonal eating in our culinary canon. Others appreciate the sublime setting, the landscaped gardens and elegant accommodation, the lake views and birdlife that spirit you away to a better, more delicious place. But it’s the restaurant that is the heart of the experience. Owner and culinary director Alla Wolf-Tasker creates menus that evoke the surrounding countryside. Veggies from the restaurant’s own Dairy Flat Farm – from artichokes and asparagus to tomatoes and turnips – might be teamed with great, often locally sourced duck or pork or fish, cooked with skill and finesse by head chef Brendan Walsh. Combining Asian and European influences with relaxed Australian attitude, a brilliant and extensive wine list and service that perfectly matches the laid-back elegance, Lake House deserves every ovation.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2022
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 80.
