Sweeping ocean views and exceptional Italian food is a recipe for success at Totti’s. The bustling restaurant is the Victorian flagship of Merivale’s much-loved Sydney institutions carrying the same name. Depending on where you sit, one section of the venue evokes a cosy Italian trattoria, with its earthy tones, terracotta urns and pops of olive green; whereas the other flings you into the 1970s – shelves stacked with vintage vinyl, bright orange banquettes and exposed brown brick. While the design is impeccable, the food (and there’s a lot of it) is outstanding. Begin with the signature bread. It’s a joy to watch these blistered, puffy domes emerge from the woodfired oven and, seconds later (after a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of salt), land – still fully inflated – on the table. Paired with more than 15 choices of antipasti (think glossy olives, creamy burrata and charred peppers), it’s the perfect start. Then there’s fresh pasta, Victorian fish, aged grass-fed beef and plenty of sides to choose from. merivale.com/venues/tottis-lorne

It’s hard to think of a more quintessentially Australian vibe than a knock-out restaurant housed inside a local bowlo. Enter Little Pickett at Lorne Bowling Club, the brainchild of chef Jo Barrett and partner David Osgood. The timber clubhouse walls celebrate bowls heroes with bronze plaques and leaderboards, the carpets a schmick classroom blue and the kitchen and bar act more like hole-in-the-wall school canteens.Barrett doesn’t stray too far from her learnings, with all of Little Picket’s 10 or so dishes made from ingredients farmed, fished or foraged locally. The menu is dictated by what’s fresh and best, rotating every fortnight or so, with new desserts also scrawled on a blackboard in the dining room. littlepicket.com.au

After breakfast with a view? Go no further than the Swing Bridge Café where, on a clear day, the sunrise bathes Aireys Inlet lighthouse in golden light. Pull up a brightly coloured chair, watch the waves roll in and tuck into one of the cafe’s signature crispy homemade empanadas. visitgreatoceanroad.org.au

For a wholesome wholefood cafe, head to HAH Lornebeach, tucked next to the Lorne Sea Baths on the foreshore. This is the kind of place where you instantly feel healthier, just looking at the menu. Choose from dishes like warming chia porridge with goji berries and spiced apple served in a coconut bowl, homemade banana seed loaf or a toasted jaffle using local Otways produce. hahlornebeach.com.au

If you’re staying in Lorne, you can’t beat the Scandi House – a luxurious 4-bedroom home set over three levels with breathtaking ocean vistas. Owned by Olympic gold medallist Lydia Lassila and her Finnish husband Lauri, the property embraces traditional Scandi design – think light-filled spaces, clean lines, beautiful timbers and Finnish homewares. The front door opens onto a spacious open-plan lounge, dining room and kitchen, with a generous balcony and the ocean beyond, while a bedroom and ensuite are nestled behind a striking white curved fireplace. Downstairs are three more bedrooms, a built-in bar and home office. On the bottom floor is a gym and inground trampoline. eluxaccommodation.com.au

Living up to its name is Sunnymead Hotel, a gleaming white 20-suite property with a spice-inspired colour palette of turmeric, saffron and paprika. The onsite restaurant, Santara (meaning ‘orange’ in Hindi), is a fun exploration of modern Asian dishes with a generous tilt towards Indian flavours. The pani puri is a contemporary take on the popular Indian street snack, but here the delicate, crispy shells are filled with prawn and yuzu and topped with caviar. The go-to dish is undoubtedly the Chicken Ruby – a big hitting version of murgh makhani (butter chicken) bejewelled with ruby-hued pomegranate seeds. sunnymeadhotel.com.au

Traverse countries and continents by paying a visit to Le Comptoir, a charmingly petite all-day French bistro with cosy tables, linen cushions and quaint chandeliers. You can grab a freshly made baguette or pastry and choose from a big selection of charcuterie and cheese to go, or settle in and savour traditional French flavours in dishes like mussel gratin or hachis parmentier (an elevated cottage pie with confit duck and layered mashed potato). lecomptoiraireys.com

The excellent eating (and drinking) continues at Gin Kitchen, where it always feels like summer because of the bright interiors and gin garden festooned with hanging lanterns and lights. The distillery cellar door is in Torquay, but you can still taste the range of seven gins (presented beautifully in vintage glasses) and tuck into shared plates of bold, punchy Southeast Asian and East Asian-inspired dishes, from Korean fried chicken to vegan rendang with young jackfruit. greatoceanroadgin.com.au

It’s always the right time for a cuppa and homemade baked goods, and there’s no better spot than The Lighthouse Tea Rooms, just metres from Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. It’s a cute cafe housed in former stables, where you can sit beneath umbrellas surrounded by raised garden beds, or inside where the rustic decor complements the seaside charm. thelighthousetearooms.com.au