Kadota Restaurant

From the moment I entered Kadota, I knew I was in for an exceptional experience. The set menu offered a wonderful journey through Japanese cuisine, with every dish prepared with great care and attention to detail. The service was outstanding, professional yet warm and welcoming, making the evening even more enjoyable. Every dish was explained clearly, including the ingredients. The unique cocktails were creative and perfectly complemented the meal, adding an extra touch to the experience. I had an amazing night with my friends, and I can highly recommend Kadota for anyone looking for a truly memorable dining experience.

I’ve been to Kadota twice now, and both visits have been exceptional. The first time was with my husband for a special occasion, and it was everything we hoped for elegant, beautifully presented dishes and an atmosphere that made the night feel truly special. The staff were warm, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcomed. What really stood out was the delicate balance and refinement of the food. Each dish allowed the natural flavours of the ingredients to shine, without relying on heavy sauces or overpowering seasoning. It’s the kind of Japanese cuisine that respects simplicity and precision. I returned with a friend of mine who is Japanese and a true food lover, someone who has enjoyed great Japanese food both in Japan and Melbourne. She was so impressed and kept mentioning how much she loved the experience, even days after our visit. That kind of lasting impression says a lot. I really think Kadota is a rare find, thoughtful, authentic, and beautifully executed. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates quality Japanese cuisine!!

Food was incredible here; the flavour combinations the chef put together was mind-blowing. I haven't seen such innovation with flavours and textures like this in a while, especially at a restaurant in a small town! Such detail and attention were put into turning local produce into gems of experience with every dish. Service was excellent and friendly. The restaurant is a little cold but you can request for heating to be turned up or grab a blanket. I'll definitely be back again in the near future!

Took my wife to Kadota Daylesford for a birthday dinner and it was easily the best vegetarian set menu I have had in Australia. We booked well in advance as they sell out quickly and spent a wonderful 4 hours there from 6:30 to 10:30 pm. What sets Kadota apart is how thoughtful their vegetarian menu is. At $200 per person it felt fairly priced and never like an afterthought compared to the meat menu. Every course was beautifully paced and explained. Our waiter Risa was excellent and shared the history of the restaurant and her husband’s culinary training in Japan. The food was exceptional. Highlights included delicate miso with enoki and nori oil, smoky eggplant with shiitake and sesame, and a standout shio koji braised king oyster mushroom. The progression of flavours was clever and balanced with each course arriving just when you were ready for it. Desserts were the real surprise. Kadota served three of them, not one or two. Carrot ice cream with tarragon and bee pollen, a parsnip and adzuki creation, and finally a pumpkin, pine nut and burnt honey pie. All unique, all brilliant, and a perfect finish. Service, storytelling and food quality made the evening memorable. Highly recommend Kadota for anyone seeking fine dining in Daylesford, vegetarian or otherwise.

My husband & I enjoyed a double birthday Saturday lunch at Kadota at the end of March. Lovely entry & Japanese themed garden. The decor inside was very tastefully done in typical Japanese style. We had the 5 course set menu. It was tasty with clean, clear Japanese flavours. But the portions were small & especially the chicken main though tasty was a small piece of chicken. That was disappointing especially when it was a pricey meal! We have had tasting menus at 2 hatted restaurants before & the portion size of each course were not this small. My husband was still a bit peckish after the meal ! The waiting staff were very cordial & friendly & Risa was lovely to talk to as well.

This is definitely a must if in Daylesford. Amazing food, my partner and I enjoyed the classic set autumn menu and could not fault any of the dishes. Upgraded our main course to the duck, and hands down one of the best duck I have ever had. Amazing service, friendly and engaging staff, Massive compliments to the Chef and his partner for an amazing highlight to our weekend away in Daylesford. The set menu is seasonal so will definitely be back to try the winter menu. Thank you for an amazing night filled with culinary delight.

It's been a long time since I've walked out of a restaurant. Years if not decades. Despite my many negative reviews, I dont walk out of restaurants, at least out of respect for the staff's craft and giving them a fair go at finishing the job. But today I walked out of this restaurant. And the only reason I havent given this a 0 is because the Chef deserves better. I walked out of the restaurant because, if you are treated with disrespect then regardless of how the food is, it is not worthy of the time to sit there and endure that kind of disrespect. Everything was fine with the junior staff running most of the first hour, a bit rusty with one staff but nothing major. Then I ordered a sake, which as you can see from the picture, was barely half full in a 60ml glass. I've run hospitality businesses for over 20 years, if I see a half shot glass, it's a half shot glass no matter how you look at it. I'm a weekly sake regular at various sake bars in Melbourne - I know exactly what I ordered and was genuinely delighted they had Kokuryu Dragon Daiginjo. It didn't even matter which Dragon it was. So imagine my surprise, when it came out half full, in a masu no less - and honestly, it would've been fine if this issue was handled with respect and integrity for japanese culture (Im not even japanese! - but just like how you dont serve red wine in a shot glass, it's about respect for the craftsmanship) - like quickly googling masu or noticing it's meaning (they basically sent out bad luck to me). Instead, when I raised it with the junior staff, the maitre dee/their manager came huffing by with the bottle, tells me point blank "that's 60 ml!" (again, see picture) THEN proceeds to pour MORE (is it 60ml or not in your opinion then), no apology at all, withOUT the courtesy of the masu pour (overflow) - only to not fill it up, and with more than 1cm space at the top. Later, I pointedly asked her to take the masu away (it was just seriously a thorn on the table by this point). She didnt even look at my face and grabbed it. Then slam dunked a spoon on the table. Wow. I am not sure there are many people who will still pay the $200 per head at this point. I did. But I didn't finish the last two courses because there are more important things in life than to stomach this type of humiliation in a fine dining restaurant. All this aside, the chef's food was spectacular - the food at least, showed respect for the locale, flavour balance and craftsmanship, down to the mini shrimp sashimi knife skills that cut the inside of the head exactly at the right point. It would've been a five stars had I not ordered a sake in a japanese restaurant. Get a new manager. Or train your staff to serve japanese culture respectfully in a kaiseki restaurant.

Refined Dining. Elegant and satisfying Japanese cuisine with creative flair but most importantly excellent attention to detail and respect for the produce. The maître d and staff are all attentive and help enliven the experience. Can’t fault it, I’d recommend getting the full set menu which changes by the season.