Diners' Choice: Good for special occasions restaurants in Mornington Peninsula

OpenTable

Updated 05 June 2026

Looking for the best special occasion restaurants in Mornington Peninsula? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Mr Vincenzo’s

4.9

4.9 (202)

$A41 to $A100

Australian

Mornington

About the restaurant

Experience the charm of Mr Vincenzo’s, Mornington’s destination for Italian cuisine and vibrant dining.

Nestled on the Esplanade – just off Main St – with stunning views of Mornington Park and the bay, Mr Vincenzo’s offers a unique blend of traditional Italian flavours and contemporary flair.

Step inside and be transported to a 1970s coastal retreat with our distinctive decor, including wine-bottle-green floors, cork accents, and sunny waffle-yellow walls. Vintage photos of Napolitano beach scenes add a touch of nostalgia, celebrating the rich Italian heritage that inspires our culinary delights.

Top review

MICHAEL

Dined 6 days ago

Exceptional quality food and excellent service - will definitely be back

OUEST FRANCE BISTRO

4.8

4.8 (260)

$A41 to $A100

French

Mornington

About the restaurant

Retro and cosy Design, with flashy red carpet, hanging plants in the patio for a true Paris Boheme atmospher. Golden mirror, artistic wall paper in a dark a moody atmosphere for the inside.
Ouest ( west ) France Bistro, has opened their door on the 14 of July 2022. Run by 2 French Brothers Oscar (chef) and Cesar ( ex : France soir ) from Brittany. After 1 year the restaurant have put himself as a must go of the peninsula.
The 32 seats tiny restaurant is welcoming you in a elegant and tasteful Design, mixing the atmosphere of the patio and the room for you to experience the ambience of a bustling French bistro in the heart of Mornington.
For the food, don’t look for to complicated, the small menu featured the classic of French brasseries dishes revisited with brio for a traditional hearty and tasty French cuisine, On the board of special find few seasonal and creative dishes take place.
Wine list focusing on diversity of French grapes and wine making from organic small producer.

Top review

Colin

Dined on 5 Jun 2026

We celebrated our 50 th wedding anniversary at Quest France with Cesar , his fantastic waitress and incredibly creative chef. The food experience we were exposed to was probably one of the BEST culinary meals we have been served for many years . We certainly will be returning in the not too distant future , we will definitely Spread the Word . Thank you Quest France for a GREAT night out . Kind Regards Colin Boal

Pompette Portsea

4.8

4.8 (73)

$A41 to $A100

Bistro

Portsea

About the restaurant

Pompette Portsea is a charming bistrot with a focus on classic French cuisine and local favourites. Guests can enjoy fine wine and cocktails with bistrot classics such as steak frites and fresh market fish. The setting is intimate, perfect for romantic evenings or gatherings with friends. Signature dishes include escargot de Bourgogne, foie gras, steak frites, and crème brûlée. The warm ambiance and beautiful décor create a slice of Paris on the peninsula, making every visit a memorable experience.

Top review

Ian

Dined on 5 Jun 2026

Pompette is a hidden gem on the Mornington Peninsula. Unpretentious, relaxing, cosy ambience. Excellent menu, outstanding food and wine selection. Host Loic and his team create the perfect french atmosphere. Always an outstanding experience.

Merricks Store

4.7

4.7 (1268)

$A41 to $A100

Modern Australian

Merricks

About the restaurant

The Merricks Store is open every day 8.30am - 5pm, and 8.30am - 10pm on Fridays.
We are a vibrant destination frequented by locals and visitors alike - everyone is welcome.

Our talented kitchen team turn the very best of fresh, seasonal ingredients into the most delicious seasonal-inspired country cuisine.

Enjoy breakfast or a long lunch by the open fire or on one of our decks. Select from an extensive range of local wines as well as local beers and cider. An exciting development is that our Bistro is now open for dinner every Friday evening!

BREAKFAST 8:30am - 11am
LUNCH 12pm - 3:30pm
DINNER 5.30pm - 8pm Friday night's only.

Please see our website for more details.

Top review

Ian

Dined on 8 Jun 2026

Love Merricks, simple menu but provides a broad range of tastes and flavours. We decided to share the starters as one of us is Pescatarian. Really love this way of sharing food, everything was delicious. The mains were outstanding, just the right amount and. sensible sides to keep you satisfied but not to take away for more in the desert menu. The wine selection is really good, plenty of choice to keep everyone happy. Prices are really satisfactory with choice of quite high end if you want it. Table service was spot on, ourn third time at Merricks General Store and the staff young and old are amazing. Need to do a dinner here next.

Waves on the Beach

4.7

4.7 (1670)

$A40 and under

Modern Australian

Frankston

About the restaurant

Hidden away on the beach with stunning panoramic waterfront views, Waves Restaurant offers an amazingly picturesque dining experience.
As a restaurant, it is just perfect for casual group meals, a romantic dinner for two or for a more elaborate wedding – for which they are very well known. Their interior has an easy, coastal feel with comfortable furniture, letting the ocean take centre stage. With glassed walls allowing the maximums views of the ocean in front of you, the feeling of dining by the sea is as real as it gets.
Their team of chefs have created a seasonal and mouth-watering menu that complements the relaxed, seaside feel of the venue. There are also delicious vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options and a daily specials board. The wine list is also generous in its diversity with sulphate-free, organic wines available as well as delicious local and interstate wines. There is plenty of paid parking right outside their door and they are open 7 days for lunch &

Top review

Jill

Dined on 9 Jun 2026

Pleasant environment with very nice staff who were very helpful. Food was excellent along with service.

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4.7

4.7 (666)

$A41 to $A100

Australian

Mornington

About the restaurant

Housed in a beautifully reimagined grain store just steps from Mornington’s Main Street, Wildgrain Mornington is a restaurant and bar built on a deep respect for the land, a love of quality produce, good local wine, and genuine connection.
Curated by Head Chef Leo Howard, our menus evolve with the seasons, celebrating a seed-to-plate philosophy. Much of our produce is organically grown on our own farm, and we work closely with local suppliers who share our commitment to quality and sustainability.

Whether you’re gathering for a quiet dinner, a long lunch, or a special celebration, Wildgrain Mornington offers a collection of beautiful, inviting spaces designed for connection and lasting memories — beside the fireplace, at the cocktail bar, nestled into a velvet banquette, or amongst the leafy greenery of our open-air, fully covered Greenhouse.

Open for Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday to Saturday. Walk-ins are welcome, though we recommend making a reservation.

Top review

Luellen

Dined on 6 Jun 2026

A lovely relaxed venue, professional and friendly staff, it is our favourite for special family dinners.

Assaggini

4.5

4.5 (770)

$A40 and under

Italian

Mornington

About the restaurant

Assaggini Wine Bar & Restaurant: translating to 'small tastings' in Italian and in true form our menu celebrates modern Italian dining in a contemporary, intimate setting just off Main St, Mornington.

Our menu has a focus on homemade pasta, fresh local produce and is matched with our extensive wine and cocktail list featuring vino from vineyards near and far. If wine is not your thing, choose from our exciting cocktail list of favourites and ones you've just go to try!

Assaggini also has a dedicated plant based menu suitable for vegetarian & vegan guests.

Our team looking forwar to welcoming you very soon!

Top review

Bruce

Dined 4 days ago

Fresh Oysters from Merrimbula together with Arancini Balls and Steak Tartare coupled with a bottle of Chabli made a perfect meal.

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Experience

CHEF’S TASTING MENU

St Andrews Beach Brewery

4.5

4.5 (1280)

$A40 and under

Modern Australian

Fingal

About the restaurant

The story of St Andrews Beach Brewery dates back to the early 2000’s, when our Co-founder Andrew Purchase built the racetrack on the property for the royal family of Australian horse racing – the Freedman Brothers. When the property became available in 2015, Andrew and Michael Freedman saw an opportunity that was too good to miss. With the infrastructure in place and with a story like no other, Andrew, Michael and their passionate team of co-owners set about turning the former stables into a truly unique brewery.

Before you book a stable in our one of a kind refurbished stables, please note the following;
Stable bookings can seat groups from 5-36 and for a maximum of 3 hours.

If you are unable to book at your preferred time all of our reserved seating is booked.

We leave tables unreserved in our beer garden and parts of inside for groups of less than 5 people and walk-ins.

If you're wanting to make a reservation for 36+ people, please visit our webpage.

Top review

Dani

Dined on 4 Jun 2026

Great lunch time food and service. Ambience was wonderful with the log fire. Great place for a casual winter lunch

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Experience

Parma Night

The Rocks Mornington

4.4

4.4 (1682)

$A41 to $A100

Seafood

Mornington

About the restaurant

For all reservations please head to our website. www.therocksmornington.com.au.

The Rocks Mornington, sitting on Mornington's waterfront, is a vibrant waterside eatery specializing in tantalizingly fresh seafood dishes.

Top review

David

Dined 2 days ago

The food was amazing. Service was friendly and efficient. Great venue with wonderful outlook. Will go again soon.

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The Seafood Experience

DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar - Mornington

4.3

4.3 (943)

$A40 and under

Italian

Mornington

About the restaurant

We are a true Italian pizzeria, mozzarella bar, fresh produce store & delicatessen all in one.

Our Name D.O.C. an Italian appellation abbreviated to mean "of controlled origin denomination" is core to our mission. To deliver you, the customer, the true Italian dining experience.

We offer a casual family style communal dining environment.

A private dining experience is available in our unique Produce Room for groups upto 20 to 30.

Let our team of enthusiastic Italians amaze you.

Welcome back to simple Italian food.

Top review

Fiona

Dined 4 days ago

Excellent food, service couldn’t be faulted, very loud though which made it difficult to hear the conversation at our own table…

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Pizzaioli Menu $59 PP

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