Best holiday lunch ideas

We’re here to help with the best places in Victoria and Tassie to feast with family and friends over the holidays. Whether you’re chasing a holiday buffet or something a little more off the beaten track, there’s something for everyone.

Novotel Geelong

For a festive feast on the waterfront in the heart of our new Victorian home, Novotel Geelong has you covered. For both lunch and dinner, quality is on equal footing with quantity at multiple food stations such as seafood, carvery, kids corner and live paella preparation. Save room for the wonderland of desserts like pannetone, yule log, stollen and fruit-mince pies.

La Cachette

Just around the corner from Novotel is a more intimate, family-run bistro that critics agree is among Geelong’s finest dining options. Headed by a young chef with extensive international experience, La Cachette mixes French tradition and contemporary flair. It means ‘hiding place’, but it’s no secret that this restaurant does an extraordinaire lunch and dinner – so get in quick!

Claribeaux

Just outside Geelong is the recently revamped Curlewis Golf Club, one of Australia’s top public-access courses. The upgrade includes accommodation overlooking the greens, and Claribeaux, a restaurant balancing French and fancy with Australian and relaxed. From Champagne on arrival to dessert options such as egg nog bombe Alaska.

Tesoro

Australia’s first Mövenpick hotel opened in Hobart in 2021, complete with one of the capital’s hottest restaurants, Tesoro. Meaning ‘treasure’ in Italian, this dining destination serves Tasmania’s epicurean treasures with modern-Italian style. For lunch and dinner, think big dishes made to share such as an antipasti selection loaded with cured meats and seafood. Have a truly buon Natale by staying at the hotel and enjoying that extra glass of prosecco.

Grain of the Silos

Recently converted from a 1960 woolstore and grain silos, the distinctive riverside Peppers Silo Hotel boasts one of Launceston’s best restaurants, Grain of the Silos. Its paddock-to-plate approach holds true for holiday lunchs – when treats from the ocean such as scallops and prawns are also on the special menu. Eat, drink and maybe stay the night too for some serious festive indulgence in this UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

Grindelwald

Inspired by Switzerland’s traditional architecture, including wide eaves and carved wooden details, the lakeside Tassie town of Grindelwald offers a holiday getaway like nowhere else in Australia. It includes Tamar Valley Resort, where Alpenrose Bistro provides for something a little more formal, offering a selection of modern European dishes made with the finest ingredients. With its rustic charm, warm hospitality and excellent service, the Alpenrose Bistro is the perfect spot for a romantic holiday lunch or dinner.

Other top options for lunch or dinner in Tasmania and Geelong include Crowne Plaza Hobart and nearby Wrest Point. We hope this list of the best places to have lunch over the holidays has helped you decide where to feast with family and friends this summer. Whether you’re looking for a traditional buffet or something a little more off the beaten track, there’s something for everyone in Victoria and Tasmania. Bon appetit!

Find out more about Spirit of Tasmania's new Victorian home, Spirit of Tasmania Quay.

Information included in this blog is correct at the time of publishing. Please contact individual operators for further information.