It might be a gateway to a MAJESTIC wine region, but it’s a worthy DESTINATION in its own right. Chloe Cann shares how to EAT your way AROUND Margaret River TOWN.
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WHILE THE LOW-RISE streets of Margaret River town have their draws – a smattering of walls streaked with murals; pavements draped with a canopy of foliage; and chunky benches crafted from locally sourced timber to perch on as the sun warms your back – there’s little that’s particularly twee about this town. No chocolate-box heritage buildings, or sweeping scenic backdrop worthy of a screensaver. What makes Margs sing is its eclectic feel: part tourist town and part local workhorse, it’s where the region’s population of surfers, vintners, artists and chefs all converge to fuel up on coffee and cocktails, fix their mountain bikes, or pick up a new wetsuit. You can feel the buzz just by strolling the main street. And of course it has all of the Margaret River region’s headline acts at its toes: towering karri forests, untouched bushland, a rugged coastline that marries arcs of bonewhite sand with Tiffany-blue waters, and row upon row of grapevines that course down into lush valleys. But most of all, this cruisey quasi-beach town knows how to sate an appetite. Eat your way around town at these four heavy hitters that all capitalise on this fertile pocket’s bounty of produce.
1 Start your Saturday morning right with a leisurely stroll around the town’s award-winning
MARKET, perusing the FARMERS’
array of fresh local produce, a brioche doughnut plump with yuzu lemon curd in hand from Harlequin Dessert. margaretriver farmersmarket.com.au
2 A local institution, dog- and kid-friendly
MARGARET RIVER
yields a modern BREWHOUSE
rustic vibe, and a leafy aspect on the cusp of town. It’s nearly as famous for its craft beers as it is its well-executed Asian-leaning food menu (hello red duck curry with papaya salad, and masterstockbraised beef brisket). margaretriverbrewhouse.com.au
3 Few bakers come close to commanding as much of a cult local following as
MARGARET
BREAD. RIVER WOODFIRED
Only stoneground, WA-grown, certified biodynamic flour makes it into the handmade sourdough loaves here, which are served warm, fresh out of the wood-fired oven every day at 3pm. margaretriver.com
4 Hiding behind a rather nondescript entrance in a shopping arcade, expectations might run low for
MIKI’S OPEN KITCHEN, but the culinary calibre of Miki and his small team is sky-high. Purveying modern Japanese cuisine using hyperlocal ingredients, the restaurant’s eight-course seafood-centric degustation menu is as refined as they come. mikisopenkitchen.com.au
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Margaret River is world-famous for its wines; A bird’s-eye view of Boranup Beach; Miki’s Open Kitchen is a quintessential dining experience; Margaret River Farmers’ Markets; Visit Margaret River Brewhouse for tacos; And cold beverages tapped from the brewery.