Cognoscenti Food & Wine

Best Known For

Mustard and honey-glazed slow-cooked lamb shoulder for two, served with petit pois a la Francais, cos lettuce and pan juices.

Those passing through the Dandenong Ranges find cosy neighbourhood restaurant Cognoscenti Food & Wine on Burwood Highway in Belgrave. Just 50 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD, this stylish dining destination is well worth the trip, with a rustic ambience of recycled timber floors, potted greenery and shelves stocked with wine selections. On balmy days, the courtyard is the ideal spot for sunny cocktails, while grazing on snacks such as duck liver parfait, toasted cornbread and cherry chutney; while evening diners may start with glazed pork belly, cauliflower purée, apple slaw, buttermilk and horseradish. For the main, delve into beef short rib, shiitake and celeriac purée, with charred greens and green peppercorn sauce; finish decadently with Basque cheesecake and roasted seasonal fruit.