Easter in Australia is a little different to the rest of the world… for one thing, we have an Easter Bilby rather than a bunny and as the celebration falls during school holidays, a lot of families take the opportunity to head outdoors for an adventure.
The four-day weekend falls during Autumn as most parts of the country enjoy some of the best weather of the year - the humidity drops away and clear sunny skies mean camping and exploring are much easier to organise without the Summer heat.
It’s also a great time to gather friends and family together
for lunch or dinner at your local restaurant, winery or café. We’ve put
together some of our favourites to while away the Easter weekend, enjoying
great food and a drop to drink…
Easter in South Australia:
Those looking for extra special chocolate treats for loved ones this Easter head to Bracegirdle’s House of Fine Chocolate on Jetty Road in Glenelg. Filled with warm chocolate tones and heritage charm, Bracegirdles is a chocolate lover’s dream come true, just ask celebrities such as Lady Gaga and the performers from Cirque du Soleil.
Drop by for coffee and waffles with Belgian chocolate and vanilla ice cream, making sure not to leave without picking up a box of mixed Easter treats to share over the long weekend.
Queensland Easter Hot Spots:
Bring the family to Miss Moneypenny’s on Hastings Street in Noosa Heads on Good Friday and Easter Sunday for bottomless brunch and tuck into Napoli-style pizzas, buttermilk waffles, four interactive brunch stations, free-flowing cocktails and roaming champagne service.
Let Miss Moneypenny’s Chefs freshly shuck your oysters,
grill bug tails and slice up charcuterie, while you relax in style at this
semi-alfresco venue on the iconic main street dining precinct of this vibrant
seaside town.
Picture: The Long Apron.
Those looking for lazy lunch this Easter Sunday with live music and an adults’ egg hunt can head to The Long Apron on Balmoral Road in Montville. The signature restaurant of picturesque Spicers Clovelly Estate is serving up a delectable a la carte menu, accompanied by acoustic music and great prizes up for grabs.
Expect to taste Chef Chris Hagan’s seasonal European
inspired dishes, which blend classic techniques and the finest local produce
with elegant results, such as coal grilled baby octopus.
Confit duck leg at Caves Road Collective, WA.
Easter What’s On Western Australia:
Let Bistro 38 entertain the little ones with face painters, music and a special visit from the Easter Bunny on Sunday, April 21 as you enjoy a sumptuous buffet at this restaurant within the Joondalup Resort Hotel in Connolly.
Hop on in to find a roast carvery, selection of mains and salads, along with delicious desserts and a chocolate fountain with dippable treats. Lunch also includes two hours of free-flowing sparkling wine and soft drinks.
Easter visitors will say cheers to live music, tapas and beer at Caves Road Collective Home of Black Brewing Co in Wilyabrup. Take a seat on the alfresco deck overhanging the water at this combined Margaret River restaurant, brewery, distillery and winery and chill out to live acoustic tunes all weekend, while kids eat free with every adults’ meal purchased on Sunday.
Share plates like thyme crusted beef carpaccio, beetroot, capers and shallots; or perhaps Shark Bay whiting tacos with guacamole and jalapeno lime sauce, best enjoyed with tasting paddle of craft beer.
Victorian Easter Events:
Who doesn’t love an Easter egg hunt? Dine at Wild Cattle Creek Estate Restaurant on Warburton Highway in Seville on Easter Saturday and participate in the inaugural egg hunt for free as you take in the beauty of the Yarra Valley. This famed restaurant has a distinct cottage feel while the outdoor verandah allows guests to enjoy fresh country air and vistas over the vines toward the hills.
Expect lunch dishes such as salt and pepper squid with lemon garlic aioli and watercress fennel salad, steak, chicken Caesar salad and fresh fish of the day; alongside estate wines such as sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Gris from the cellar door.
Celebrate an egg-stravagant Easter at Collins Kitchen at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne on Collins Street in the heart of the city. Indulgent high tea offerings are available on Easter Saturday and Sunday along with a grand Sunday lunch, showcasing an extensive range of seafood, such as blue swimmer crab, Tiger prawns, Fremantle octopus and seasonal oysters.
Those with high tea in mind can expect divine bite-sized delights served on 24 carat gold porcelain tableware, like freshly baked scones, gourmet savouries, made-to-order waffles and pancakes, along with Golden Gaytime brownie bites, hot cross buns and chocolate bonbons.
Not eating meat on Good Friday? Stop by Steer Dining Room on Claremont Street in South Yarra and try some succulent seafood options from the new menu, such as freshly shucked Coffin Bay oysters, either natural or topped with a tomato granita and Thai basil.
For the main affair, perhaps wild barramundi, broccolini, potato rosti and chicken jus appeals; before a decadent Easter dessert of chocolate marquise, honeycomb and white chocolate ice cream, while chilling out in a jazzy, moody vibe of soft lights, white linen and flowers.
Easter Tasmanian-style:
Dine in style this Good Friday at Terrace Restaurant on Country Club Avenue in Prospect Vale and be lured by a five-course Seafood Table d’Hote menu, including fresh Tasmanian oysters and local scallops through to Terrace’s signature apple dessert.
This fine-dining restaurant pleases the senses in every way, from the aroma of freshly baked bread to crisp white table linen and softly glowing pendent lighting, setting a sophisticated vibe for Easter celebrations with family and friends.
Soak up spectacular riverfront views of Port Huon while enjoying an eggscellent three-course carvery lunch on Easter Sunday at Kermandie Waterfront Hotel on Main Road. Built in 1932 as a watering hole to welcome weary travellers to the lower Huon and Esperance district, this hotel has undergone recent refurbishment to provide fine dining and four-star accommodation for locals and visitors alike.
Expect to taste the likes of tempura battered mushrooms, roast lamb, cauliflower cheese, steamed vegetables and gravy as you celebrate the long weekend with loved ones, before sweet treats like sticky date and Guinness pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Smoked Ora King Salmon with beets, herb yoghurt and kale chips at JPB.
Celebrate Easter in New South Wales:
This Easter weekend treat the whole family to a garden-themed buffet high tea at JPB restaurant at the Swissotel on Market Street in Sydney. Available on Easter Saturday and Sunday, kids can look forward to a playful dining experience, featuring a cookie decorating station, face painting and a chocolate fountain with all the works.
Adults aren’t forgotten with free-flowing sparkling wine to accompany sweet and savoury treats like smoked salmon and fennel bagels with lemon ricotta, housemade sausage rolls with tomato chutney and Easter rocky road.
Bring the family to Table 426 on Princes Highway in Corrimal on Easter Sunday for a banquet-style meal and three-hour drinks package to share together. On the menu will be Marisa’s famous lamb roast and marinated, baked Atlantic salmon, while the little bunnies will be entertained with a free Easter egg hunt.
Relax in the welcoming atmosphere and spacious design of this family-run restaurant, enjoying fresh, local produce and ingredients to tempt everyone’s taste buds; along with a drop from a select wine list.
With beautiful views of the ski slopes and a rustic timber and stone façade, Candlelight Lodge on Diggings Terrace in Thredbo is a great choice for an Easter weekend getaway. A warm, friendly European vibe awaits as guests contemplate a two-course menu, specially curated for the holiday from Good Friday to Easter Monday.
Choose from entrees such as dark soy braised pork belly,
seared kingfish and King prawns; before the main affair of braised beef cheeks,
soft polenta, pickled carrot and salsa verde, or German-style sausage,
sauerkraut and duck fat potatoes.
Easter in Australia’s Capital:
Canberra’s latest produce-driven foodie destination, Terra on Marcus Clarke Street promises ACT diners a Good Friday to remember with a six-course seafood menu on offer. Boasting a light, open and inviting interior with communal-style bench seating as well as table settings, Terra is ideal for family gatherings or a special meal for two.
Food is served canteen-style and an island bench displays an abundance of market produce, while an ever-evolving a la carte menu caters to all tastes from breakfast offerings such as healthy acai bowls to dinner plates of char-grilled oysters, jalapeno pickles, apple sauce and shiso.
