Best places to eat in Berwick

I think the time has come to finally do a list of my top picks for dining in Berwick and beyond.

Berwick

As I have mentioned before, I have been living in lovely Berwick for more than a year now and in that time I have visited a lot of the local restaurants, cafe’s and foodie spots. I won’t lie, there was a bit of disappointment early on and there were a lot more coffee’s being made at home. There was also quite a bit of jealousy toward other foodie blogs who nonchalantly complain about the plethora of food trucks lining their streets I’m taking about you  http://www.considerthesauce.net . But after 12 months, and a lot of research, I finally have a list of places to visit. So here it is, my gift to you Berwick!

Best Bakery

Pane Di Fiore. Shop 1 Oakview Boulevard, Narre Warren North.

best bakery near Berwick

They do cakes, they do coffee, they do delicious sandwiches. They also have a lovely assortment of bread and often have some kind of “theme” food for Easter or Christmas. They do not have a website yet but you can check them out at their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/PaneDiFiore

There are some great photo’s of their sourdough loaf and their hot cross buns if you’re feeling hungry.

Best Dumplings

Lucky Dumpling. 19 Webb St, Naree Warren.

best dumplings near Berwick

This is a very new, small, utilitarian dumpling restaurant in Naree Warren. It is rating pretty well on urbanspon.com and when I visited it we had a lovely dinner of noodles, dumplings and spring onion pancake. You do not eat here for le ambiance  but for le tasty dumplings. Yum! I am so glad Chinese street food finally found us out here in the South Eastern Suburbs.

Best Farmers Market

This is a hard one. I love the Berwick Farmers Market which I have previously posted about here. http://eatmystreet.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/farmers-market-at-the-old-cheese-factory.

Best market near Berwick

But this week my winners gong goes to Emerald Market at the Emerald community hall. They win because they have the BEST bread EVER in the whole world. I never exaggerate. 😉 It has to be seen and tasted to be believed and this is one of the only places they sell it. They are called Artisan Crust boulangerie  and patisserie.

favourite market near Berwick

They can be found here

https://www.facebook.com/theartisancrust

For more information on the Emerald Market and when it is run look here.

Emerald Craft and Produce Market

The Emerald Market is more of a craft and produce market than a strictly farmers market so really they are both very good markets and it is hard to choose. I know, try both!

Best Chips

Goodys Charcoal Chicken. Shop 8, 215 Parkhill Drive, Berwick.

This one is easy. I am mad keen on chips. Some might say addicted (anyone who knows me well does indeed say this). I really don’t go a fortnight without eating hot chips. I frequently travel across Berwick to eat these chips. Crispy, clean, very salty. I had better stop talking about them or I might need to eat more. So here are the details:

There is really not much to say about hot chips right? Everyone loves them. Get on them!

Best Pizza

best pizza in Berwick

Carlei Green Vineyard and Cafe. 1 Alber Rd, Upper Beaconsfield.

I have blogged about my  disappointment with pizza in Berwick before. I have eaten quite a bit more pizza since then but my opinion has not changed. I will say this, if you will not use real olives, then do not talk to me. Those pre chopped bit of black lego tyres taste like cardboard so WHY BOTHER? So I refuse to recommend any pizza restaurant bar Crust in Beaconsfield and that is nothing amazing. BUT, if you want to eat out for pizza and it is Sunday, then visit Carlei green vineyards and winery. They have their own wood fired pizza oven and a chef/cook who know’s their way around it. It is a small menu but so far every pizza I have tasted is delicious.

Carlei Green Vineyards Winery and Cafe

Best Soft Cheese

Le Dauphin from Thomas Dux grocery in Glen Waverley. Centro the Glen, 235 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley.

I have had some major misses with buying cheese in Berwick. I was basically very spoilt in the past. But really, in Berwick and surrounds I have bought cheese with metal in it, mouldy cheese that was not meant to be mouldy, off sweaty cheese and bouncy rubbery cheese. I love cheese and would like to live off it (plans are currently under way). So far Aldi would have to be my best place to buy it and that is not aiming particularly high it would be fair to say. So this one is a bit out of left field but here it is.

I know that is a long way to drive from Berwick, but if I am ever in the area I pick some cheese up. It is always good and ripe and well looked after and beats food poisoning from rank cheese near by any day. Le Dauphin coincidentally means, The Prince and indeed this Prince of the Brie that is made up on the Rhone Alps of France is delicious and perfect and I am in love with it. I bought it for $60/ kg at Thomas Dux, which is cheaper than buying it at Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder ($80/kg). So while it is expensive, it is also a bargain and it did fly all the way from Europe so I guess fair is fair.

Best Fine Dining:

This gong definitely goes to O.My in Beaconsfield. 23 Woods St, Beaconsfield.

best restaurant near Berwick

You can read my post about them here

O.My Beaconsfield

or visit them here

http://omyrestaurant.com.au

Interesting and delicious food in a sophisticated, modern restaurant. I can’t wait to go back!

Best Coffee

I know you want to know my tip for best coffee. It is a big call though….. We do have our very own specialty coffee roaster

http://zestcoffee.com.au

But they do not have a cafe.

I think the Gold FLogie (food logie) has to go to Four Figs in Beaconsfield. The coffee is consistently good here. They did charge me $4.50 once for a take away coffee which put them straight onto my bad list, but if you want to drink in, then this is the place.

Or you could just come to my place. The coffee is always good here.

coffeedots

Happy Eating Berwick!

Dani Bee

Four Figs Beaconsfield

Four Figs Cafe Beaconsfield

I started my good food pilgrimage here in Berwick with the obvious; a recommendation from a hairdresser. Now I say a hairdresser, not my hairdresser because I have never been to this hairdresser before and have not returned since. In the spirit of new beginnings I had decided to get a fresh new look. Mistake. I cut my hair short, in a POB (Posh Bob) nonetheless. Did I mention it was a mistake? Never get my hair cut short again. It does not suit my head, nor my temperament. I have since made the whole household swear that they will stop me next time I mention a New Beginning and Short Hair. They may use restraints if necessary.

The hairdresser incidentally was lovely, but I am not sure if I can return to the scene of the POB.

So he suggested Four Figs Beaconsfield. It doesn’t look like much from the front, let me assure you. I had already driven past a number of times and decided not to go it. Four Figs kind of hugs a corner block in Beaconsfield with the old Princess Highway on one side and a parking lot, barber, pizza, op-shop combo on the other. But, we all know that hairdresser’s are purveyors of local unspoken wisdom and so I gave it a try.

I was very pleased.

I have been back to Four Figs Beaconsfield 6 times since (at last count).

Once you find the entrance (ohh, that sounds very on trend Melbourne lane way secret passage-ish, but it is not) and enter the cafe you discover that it kinds of stretches back in a diamond shape. This creates quite a cosy, warm ambiance. It also has seats out the front (maybe in Summer) and my favourite, a few stools at a window.

Coffee is consistent and good. ($3.80, $4.80) Coffee machine is red and attractive. Barista is friendly. Tick.

The food is good too. I have had brunch and cake, but no lunch or dinner. My son’s recent choice of a butterscotch chocolate tart (why did I offer him a choice?) proved very successful. It was light and sweet but also decadent. They are busy in this cafe, so there is none of that horrible day old, luke warm, skin formed on top thing happening. The cake’s don’t seem to be made on site but they have sourced something very good so I will not be holding that against them. On a previous visit I ordered poached eggs that were delicious but not memorable. The baked eggs with chorizo was memorable and just thinking about soaking up the slick tomato sauce with some chewy sourdough is making my mouth water.

One of the best things about Four Figs Beaconsfield would have to be the staff. They have been consistently friendly and helpful without being intrusive. They find that balance beautifully.

Four Figs is not setting my world on fire, but is so far is my pick for one of the best Cafe’s in Berwick and beyond. Thanks hairdresser guy!

Address: Beaconsfield-Emerald Rd, Beaconsfield VIC 3807
Phone:(03) 9769 3773

Open from 8am, 7days a week.

Four Figs Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato