The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is unlocking Ballarat again
Eat & Drink
04 Sep 2023
Uncover the region's best chefs in some of the city's most historic buildings at the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival's Ballarat Unlocked this spring.
From 10-18 November, the event's Regional Edition will be packed with adventures in eating and drinking all over Ballarat.
Use the code UNLOCKED for pre-sale tickets at mfwf.com.au
General public tickets go on sale from Thursday 7 September at 10am.
Dining in the Mines at Sovereign Hill
Friday 10 November 6pm-9.30pm
The miners of Sovereign Hill invite you to join them underground as they share 1850s gold rush tales over a three-course feast.
Head down the mine shaft for canapés and a gold-smelting demonstration, before resurfacing and heading to the historic Charlie Napier Hotel for main courses and dessert set among some of Sovereign Hill's most treasured museum pieces.
World’s Longest Lunch at The Goods Shed Ballarat
Saturday 11 November 12pm-3pm
MFWF’s flagship event makes its Ballarat debut this year at The Goods Shed – the city’s brand new hospitality precinct.
Award-winning chef Konstantin Putkin will put Ballarat’s best produce to delicious use in an inventive, local and seasonal menu featuring the likes of 1816 Bakehouse, Saltbush Kitchen, Salt Kitchen Charcuterie and Inglenook Dairy.
The team from The Goods Shed’s new distillery and bar, Itinerant Spirits, will provide the libations for the event, which will be hosted by local MasterChef alum Tim Bone.
Gin de Soif at Renard
Saturday 11 November 2pm-6pm
Take a closer look at Ballarat's burgeoning gin scene in an all-out daytime knees-up at Renard.
There'll be a cocktail tap takeover from local producers Grainery Lane, Red Duck Brewery & Distillery, Kilderkin Distillery and Itinerant Spirits, there'll be petit burgers and delicious hors d'oeuvre, and it'll all be backdropped by the local musical stylings of Fizz Ed, Xander Fly and Rupa Anurendra.
Mr Jones Goes to the Art Gallery of Ballarat
Saturday 11 November 6.30pm-9.30pm
Roam through one of regional Australia’s most interesting art collections while enjoying some of Ballarat's best modern Asian food.
Damien Jones of celebrated Thai restaurant Mr Jones Dining will be on the pans for the evening, with local wines from the top-shelf likes of Attwoods, Bended Knee and Blue Pyrenees.
A Long Sunday Lunch with Perridak Arts at Mitchell Harris Wines
Sunday 12 November 12.30pm-4pm
Pull up a chair at Mitchell Harris Wines for a Sunday lunch put together in partnership with Perridak Arts, a First Nations-owned gallery that showcases local Indigenous artists and creators.
Over a leisurely long lunch full of Indigenous flavours, you'll meet some of the artists currently showing their work at Perridak and examine the role art plays in First Nations advocacy over multiple delicious courses.
Once Upon a Time with Peasant at the Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute
Friday 17 November 6pm-10pm
Once Upon a Time will be a five-course degustation matched with a superb collection of wines, delivered in the Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute's basement, a room that was intended to be a restaurant but never came to be.
Now, 153 years after its creation, it's coming to life for one night with Peasant's signature modern take on European peasant food, an ethereal progressive musical performance by Amie Brulee and some excellent wines.
The Golden City of Beer at Grainery Lane
Saturday 18 November 1pm-4pm
Is Ballarat the craft beer capital of regional Australia? It’s certainly mounting a compelling argument and these breweries have a lot to do with why.
Local speakeasy Grainery Lane will investigate the question over a four-course feast while celebrating the strong food-matching potential of beers from the likes of Dollar Bill Brewing, Aunty Jacks, Red Duck Brewery & Distillery and Cubby Haus Brewing.
Sunset on the Lake at the Ballarat City Rowing Club
Saturday 18 November 6pm-10.30pm
The Ballarat City Rowing Club is teaming up with Hotel Canberra Ballarat chef Jigs Liwanag for a four-course waterfront feast at Lake Wendouree.
Start on the pontoon with canapés and drinks as the sun sets before moving upstairs to celebrate the best of Ballarat produce.
Local winemakers Michael Unwin (Michael Unwin Wines), Ian Watson (Tomboy Hill Wines), Jean-Paul Trijsburg (The Happy Winemaker), Terry Jongbloed (Clyde Park) plus Red Duck Brewery & Distillery will come to the party with outstanding drinks.
Main image: Gin de Soif at Renard
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