If your idea of a weekend lunch includes a cocktail with your burger, then the laid-back, modern styles of The Common Bistro is a great place to start. Kick-back on the massive outdoor deck and enjoy ocean views as you toss up between the chicken and avocado or the spicy chickpea burger. Three booze menus accompany an adequate food menu that covers all flavours and favourites, including gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. 1 Resort Place, Margaret River, thecommonbistro.com.au

If you’re in search of fine wine, elegant dining and sprawling, lush gardens, you’ll end up in Leeuwin Restaurant at the prestigious Margaret River winery, Leeuwin Estate. Choose from a seasonal a la carte menu featuring the region’s fineness local produce: seafood, lamb, cheese and garden-fresh vegetables. High-level foodies can opt for the six-course degustation menu that changes with the seasons. Stevens Road, Margaret River, leeuwinestate.com.au

If you dream of eating your way around Italy but find yourself in Margaret River instead, an evening of traditional Italian dishes at La Scarpetta will scratch your itchy feet and fill your belly. Start off with something from the antipasti menu: garlic sourdough bread perhaps, before moving onto the pasta menu: homemade tagliatelle with mushrooms in a white wine sauce, or a meal from the secondi menu: grass-fed eye fillet or baked barramundi. The overall experience is so warm and comforting, you may never want to leave. 73 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River, lascarpetta.com.au

It’s a lively and loud setting at Clancy’s Fish Pub, the epicentre of live music and good times. The family-friendly restaurant is tucked amongst the bush with lawns for the kids to run on and scores of indoor and outdoor seating – including cosy couches. It should be no surprise (judging from the name) that fish and seafood dishes dominate the menu here. The chilli mussels, a perfect balance of rich, sweet and spicy are served with crispy garlic toast to sop up all that extra sauce – very moreish. Check the board for daily specials – sometimes they have soft-shell crab. 1710 Caves Road, Dunsborough, clancysfishpub.com.au

Nestled in the rolling paddocks just north of Dunsborough is the swanky microbrewery and restaurant, Eagle Bay Brewing Co. Tables and chairs spill out of the contemporary dining room onto the deck and lawn for an elegance-meets-nature vibe. Savour the beauty of Eagle Bay and the Indian Ocean over cold beer or wine and sharable snacks of olives, semi-dried tomatoes; Yallingup wood-fired bread with dips and dukkah; spicy, gooey buffalo wings or pizza. Eagle Bay Road, Eagle Bay, eaglebaybrewing.com.au

You’ll have an OMG moment when you turn off Bunker Bay Road and onto Farmbreak Lane where you’ll see the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean stand up and say ‘look at me’. Grab a table in the al fresco dining area of Bunkers Beach House, a cafe burrowed in the bush, just off the white sand beach at Bunker Bay. Start your day with waffles and strawberries and an espresso or a smoked salmon bagel and fresh juice. Lunch is a stylish affair with a menu that changes with the seasons but expect the likes of Fremantle sardines, meaty stews, crispy pizzas and fresh salads. Farmbreak Lane, Bunker Bay, bunkersbeachhouse.com.au

Maybe the most picturesque setting in Busselton is that of the iconic 1.8 kilometre jetty viewed from outdoor deck of The Goose, which is a stone’s throw away. Add a cold drink and a creative dish from chef Michael Stock and you’ll think life doesn’t get much better. Chef Stock changes the menu to suit the seasons with an emphasis on local, fresh and tasty (think free-range pork and smoked kangaroo). Year round winners are the drool-worthy cakes that tempt you from the moment you enter the front doors. Geographe Bay Road, Busselton, thegoose.com.au

The Hidden Kitchen is Busselton’s much-loved Indian eatery. The love affair began as the Spice Odysee, a family-owned travelling food truck serving up the region’s best authentic South Indian food at local parks and festivals. The rich, thick and creamy butter chicken with fluffy, flavoured basmati rice is enough to have you hooked. Now that the famed food van has a dine-in cousin, chef Sathish Kumar is a very busy man. 5/17 Bussell Hwy, Busselton, spiceodysee.com.au