Spend days wining and dining at the moodily styled Jackalope, tucked among the vineyards of the Mornington Peninsula. Statement-making design ( in varying shades of black) forms the perfect background for the venue’s resident fine diner Doot Doot Doot and casual eatery Rare Hare. jackalopehotels.com

Providing sustenance to travellers since 1872, Hotel Sorrento has had many personalities over the decades, but since its recent renovation, it has smoothly settled into seaside luxury mode, with chic beachy rooms offering access to a guest-only pool terrace, the inhouse Marlo Spa, and restaurants including the upmarket Dining Room, serving reinvented pub classics designed by award-winning chef George Calombaris. hotelsorrento.com.au

An iconic local pub, the historic 1875 limestone building is now the heart of the InterContinental Sorrento, a luxe beachside retreat with glorious views over Port Phillip Bay. The stylish rooms include access to a private pool and rooftop, while the spa and bathhouse are a sanctuary to melt away stress. Be sure to book a table at Audrey, Scott Pickett’s seafood-focused fine diner and the hotel’s flagship restaurant. sorrento.intercontinental.com/

With so much excellent produce available on the peninsula, a villa where you can cook up a feast is always a good idea. Cassis Red Hill puts you right in the heart of gourmet country, with markets, provedores, and wineries on your doorstep. Each stylish villa has an expansive deck with views of neighbouring vineyards and a plunge pool or outdoor bath. cassisredhill.com.au

With villas extending over the lake, imagine waking up to the sounds of lapping water or the dawn chorus. Crittenden Estate’s Lakeside Villas offer bucolic vineyard views in stylish surrounds complete with cosy wood-burning stoves, making them a tempting year-round option. lakesidevillas.com.au

It’s hard to decide what the bigger draw here is – Pt. Leo’s world-class sculpture park, or its assured fine diner Laura. The recent unveiling of Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkin sculpture will bring a new legion of converts to this temple of art, wine and fine food. Josep Espuga brings his Michelin-star skills to Laura – his lobster-diving and chestnut-foraging hammers home Laura’s farm-to-fork, seafood-inspired menu. Laura is the perfect Peninsula pitstop for locals and long-lunchers alike. ptleoestate.com.au

Following a sleek revamp of the cellar door and dining room, Paringa Estate is at the top of its game. Recent renovations have added a striking Courbusian-style façade and a grand entrance. Towering windows at the back look out onto the winery. From the lofty dining room, take in views of the working winery, where geese and sheep wander among the vines. Sleek new furnishings create an intimate mood, making the restaurant the perfect spot for a long lunch or private dinner. paringaestate.com.au

A short drive down the road from Paringa, Montalto’s sprawling sculpture park, bountiful kitchen garden and kid-friendly Piazza Cafe, where you can order snacks and pizzas to enjoy at shaded tables, is a favourite with families. For a more refined Montalto experience, book lunch at The Restaurant, where bold flavour combinations might include local yellowfin tuna crudo paired with caponata and Greek basil or a barbecued cuttlefish with zucchini and fermented tomato. A range of wines can be sampled at the Cellar Door, while a tutored tasting of top-tier releases is available in the private wine room. montalto.com.au

Ten Minutes by Tractor is another Peninsula favourite. Sample award-winning pinot noir and chardonnay, then dine on Hayden Ellis’s sustainable produce-driven fare – think ingredients from Manjimup marron to Moorabool Valley duck, lion’s mane, saltbush, escargot and marrow bone. tenminutesbytractor.com.au

Descend the stairs from the landing of Hotel Sorrento to shihuishi, pronounced ‘she-who-she’, to find a dimly lit restaurant serving a modern Cantonese-inspired menu. Spearheaded by head chef Junlin Lui, the flavours are traditional with a cheeky spin. The Kingfish tea cup takes a Chinese restaurant staple, prawn cracker, and transforms it into a crunchy bite-sized cup filled with Kingfish ceviche. There are also touches of Calombaris here too. The prawn toast is topped with the Greek, fish roe based dip, taramasalata. hotelsorrento.com.au

A hospitality power couple have planted themselves on the Mornington Peninsula, opening Orson in a former theatre in Rosebud. Sarah Cremona (ex-Noma and Laura) and Ryan Spurrell (The Ledbury and Estelle) lend their impressive skillset to a modern Australian menu of the likes Rosebud’s not seen before. 1017 Point Nepean Rd, Rosebud; orsondining.com.au

This is Jackalope’s casual offering, but Rare Hare is by no means less refined than its fine-dining sibling, Doot Doot Doot. The open-air space offers diners 360-degree views of the surrounding vineyards while the menu focuses on Mediterranean-inspired share plates that feature dishes such as the Port Phillip scallops and eggplant rich in umami (thanks to a garnishing of chilli and miso paste). rarehare.com.au

At Polperro, much of the produce for its vineyard dining is sourced from the estate’s farm, just a kilometre away. Share a platter of Corner Inlet Rock Flathead with lightly-curried chard and Harry’s Flinders mussels late summer heirloom carrots with avocado, compressed cucumber and chilli salt in the chic bistro, linger over a bottle of wine on the eucalypt-shaded deck, or eat picnic style among the vines – think charcuterie, chargrilled chicken and estate olives. This multi-tasking winery is also home to a sophisticated cellar door and four upscale villas, making it the ideal base for a weekend away. polperrowines.com.au

For a casual lunch or afternoon snack, call in to Foxeys Hangout, where winemaking brothers Michael and Tony Lee pour crisp sparkling wines, textural pinot gris and perfumed pinot noir. From the blackboard menu, choose chargrilled quail, a tangy tomato salad or a wedge of triple-cream cheese. Love bubbles? Sign up for a personal blending session to create your own bottle of sparkling wine to take home. foxeys-hangout.com.au

Another must-visit winery in the region is Ocean Eight, where you can explore the vineyard’s scenic grounds with a glass or bottle from the cellar door, and experience the pinot noir and pinot gris in the intimate tasting room. oceaneight.com.au