Montalto

We came here for my fiancé’s birthday lunch and what a treat it was. Food was outstanding, some of the best we have ever had with perfect wine pairings to match. The staff were warm and attentive, even offering us a sneak tasting of a new cocktail after we loved the two that we ordered. Thank you for a fabulous dining experience - We can’t wait to come back for the new summer menu!

Since moving to the Peninsula, we’ve become regulars at Montalto — and happily so. One of our greatest pleasures is bringing friends from Melbourne for a long lunch at the restaurant, and without fail, they leave as delighted as we are. The staff are consistently genuine, warm, and professional. Whether in the restaurant or the tasting room, they work seamlessly as a team and always go the extra mile to make each visit memorable. The wines are outstanding, the food is exceptional, and the sweeping vineyard views are simply breathtaking. Every aspect of Montalto continues to impress.

I photographed a wedding at Montalto Red Hill recently. I love this venue! The vineyards, olive groves, and sweeping views over the Peninsula provide endless opportunities for stunning photos, especially at golden hour. There is a super cute veggie garden too! It was so pretty having speeches on the deck looking over the grass. The team were wonderful to work with, ensuring the day flowed seamlessly so couple could relax and also really looking after the vendors too.

From the minute we walked in the service was fantastic.Attentive and informative as well as subtle. The ambience in the restaurant was great, quiet and refined, very different from the hustle and busyness of the casual pizza dinning area.Both have merit in there own right. The food I couldnt fault, well considered, light,fresh and clean.Delightfully only one fried dish.Fresh ingredients executed with cooking precision , beautiful presentation and certainly didnt dissappoint.The dessert finale was superb.Highly reccommend.

Oblivious to the fact Friday lunch would be a busy time for Montalto, I turned up as a solo diner just before 12pm without a booking. The piazza area was nearly empty but there were plenty of “reserved” signs on the tables. I am very hard of hearing bordering on deaf, and with an overcast windy day, my seating requirement was quite specific. Mark & the team happily found me a suitable spot without too much fuss. I was near the kitchen pass, which sometimes can be a problem – not this time, and was able to watch yummy looking dishes going out to the other diners who soon arrived after me. The large windows meant that my quiet(er) corner spot didn’t miss out on the gorgeous views of the vineyards. I ordered a simple pizza, which is at the pricier end of the vineyard restaurant market, which was crispy and salty making it a good accompaniment to my glass of Pennon Hill Pinot Noir. For dessert I ordered the rhubarb frangipane tart and couldn’t make up my mind which wine to accompany it with. Mark offered me a little taster of a still, and a sparkling Pennon Hill Rose. I chose the still. After lunch I made a purchase at the cellar door, which may or may not make it home to Melbourne to drink at another time. Mark offered a quiet spot in the restaurant if I wanted to stay for another glass of wine and continue reading my book – Biography of X in case you’re wondering. The sun had come out and the view was enticing, so I had another of the delicious Pennon Hill Pinot Noir. Mark & his team were empathetic to my hearing issues which I very much appreciated. He said Monday – Thursday were generally quieter days, with Friday, Saturday & Sunday being more popular – ie noisier. He did suggest however if (when) I come back to email ahead and let them know what my requirements are. Good advice for anyone with specific accessibility needs. Montalto is very pretty and worth a visit if you’re visiting the Mornington Peninsular. Bonus if on a sunny day. Followers of The Ambient Menu watch out for my review there.

Montalto Winery on the Mornington Peninsula is a slice of paradise for wine enthusiasts and foodies alike. The stunning views are truly breathtaking, providing the perfect backdrop for a relaxing day out. The exquisite wines crafted by chief winemaker Simon Black are a delight for the taste buds, allowing visitors to indulge in some of the finest wines the region has to offer. Paired with mouthwatering food, such as tuna crudo, wood-fired duck with kipfler potatoes and so much more, the culinary experience at Montalto Winery is a true delight, leaving us satisfied and happy. The sunny skies add to the charming ambiance, making it the perfect setting for a leisurely day in paradise. Overall, Montalto Winery offers a perfect blend of beauty, taste, and relaxation, making it a must-visit destination for foodies and anyone seeking a memorable experience on the Mornington Peninsula.

Montalto has always been one of my favourite wineries in Melbourne. We enjoyed their pizzas from Piazza, their wines and olive oil. We have booked the private picnics before, and the set menu experience in the restaurant a bunch of times. The picnic food was mostly cold 🥹 feel like not worth the $$, I really liked the concept tho, and the environment was amazing, suitable for a nice date or girls' day out. The food tho, was a bit mid this time. The mussels were fishy. The beef roast was overcooked a bit too. The starter bread and butter was my favourite. We would definitely come back, will update my rating in the future if my opinion changes. Loved taking photos in the winery, and loved how family friendly it was.

Montalto’s private picnics are one of our all-time favourite ways to propose – intimate, romantic, and set amongst the most picturesque vineyard and garden surrounds. The picnic experience is so thoughtfully curated, with delicious food and stunning views. The team is always a pleasure to work with, helping us create the most private, beautiful and relaxed proposal moments.

Amazing location, views and atmosphere. The restaurant overlooks the vineyards with large glass windows, it is just beautiful. The caffe next door is also more casual, nice and inviting. They have a few outdoor sittings as well. You can 1. wander around the domain, take a look at the rose garden and the numerous sculptures amongst the vines 2. Do olive oil and wine tasting (for free) 3. Have a nice lunch (in the cafe or at the restaurant) We did all 3 and had a great day ! Food was good (not great) - you have a choice of 2 courses (75$) or 3 courses (88$). I say not great for 2 reasons: - you have to pay an extra 10$ to have a side dish...it is hard to understand for such a restaurant...and a bit frustrating - one of the dishes was overcooked and dry (snapper) The special main of the day (overnight cooked pork) was great and dessert quite original and well executed - a caramel and yoghurt parfait with meringue and banana jam ! Sweet but delicious ! The service was super slow - another reason why I am taking a second star off. And lacked attentiveness. It is a great half day to spend on the peninsula and I would recommend it !

The Montalto is very lovely. It has a cafe, a cellar door open for wine tasting (free) and a nice restaurant. There is also a rose garden and they all smell amazing! Don't forget to book if you want to go to the restaurant. - Cellar door: the wine was good but not amazing. The staff was friendly but I feel like the tasting was very rushed. Maybe it was because we told the employee that we had 20 minutes before our restaurant booking but it was over in 10 minutes. The wines were poured into our glasses as soon as we finished the previous one. You can also try olive oil. Their basilic infused one is amazing and I bought a bottle ($23). - the restaurant: the view of the vineyard is great / there are large windows and you can have a view from pretty much anywhere in the restaurant. The staff was friendly. The food was presented very well / super lovely lay outs. They have original suggestions (watermelon and prawns aims a starter for example - it was great!) I had the snapper for the main and it was a bit dry. Unfortunately. My husband and other friends had the special (a slow cooked pork piece) and they absolutely loved it! We all had the salted caramel parfait for dessert and it was amazing. The coffees were good too. Overall it was a great afternoon out with the only 2 setbacks being the dry fish and the slow service (in the restaurant). I loved the fact that you can walk around in the garden, see the vines, visit the rose garden, look at the sculptures in the garden, try the wine and then have a meal.

"Go to Montalto" they all said. "They" being a couple of friends who chimed in when I asked a group where we should visit on our first trip to Mornington. "There is art... and wine" they said. "You'll love it" they said. I admit I hadn't heard of Montalto prior to this trip, but I put it on the list because surely my good friends knew just the place to send me, right? When we arrived I honestly thought I might have to disown them all. The place was packed. It was teeming with cars and people. Kids were running riot all over the cafe and grounds. "Dear God, the wine had better be bloody good..." I thought. I always assumed that exceptional wines comes from quiet and sophisticated places, filled only with a certain ilk of wine loving snob. The kids and diversity of the Montalto crowd really thew me (and, yes, demonstrated what a snob I am). Well it turns out that Montalto has something for everyone. There's lawns of grass for the kids, a casual eatery for families and those wanting something less fancy-pants, a hatted restaurant, a sculpture walk (highly recommended if you need to walk off cheese and/or wine), easy-to-drink "approachable" wines like Rose and Moscato, olive oils for sampling and then what I was most surprised with, amazingly good single estate Chardonnay and Pinot. I like their tasting set up. With two tasting areas and enough staff to cover the crowds, this was one of our most enjoyable tastings over the weekend. We were served by Justin and he loved nerding out with us about Chardonnay, even opening bottles that weren't listed for tasting. Good job he did because we walked away with several bottles and a very timely reminder that first impressions don't always count.

This is an award winning restaurant with a well known chef. We decide to visit in part because many winery restaurants were closed for the winter plus the reputation of the food. It did not disappoint. Somewhat pricy but the food was fresh and very good. Portions were generally on the small side. Wines were decent but not outstanding. We had the duck, fish and lamb. Despite the price, In my opinion worth it and certainly worth a visit.

When we visited there were 7 of us. We had lunch at Montalto and also did the wine tasting. Amy in the tasting room was so friendly/bubbly and was very knowledgeable about the wines and the Mornington area. The food was very good (especially the potatoes) and the kitchen staff who brought out our food were also very friendly. We loved sitting at the outdoor patio next to the sunflowers and walking through the sculpture garden.

One star for the landscape and one for the quality of ingredients. Everything else quite disappointing ... Quantity of food per serve was at starvation level for both starters and mains (unless you like to swallow pure fat off your meat). Service was messy (all our plates came so far apart in time I'm not even sure all our table managed to eat; there were not even napkins enough for everybody on the table) and patchy. We were a group with 6 kids but they still put us in a corner at the far end opposite to all open spaces...

My favourite winery. Not just because of the food and the service but vineyard is amazing. My favourite thing about this winery is the picnics you can book. Anywhere from 2 people up to 8 people. You get to do a wine tasting before you head down through the vineyards to your secluded location where you get to chill out for 4 hours. During the wine tasting you can buy wine and they will deliver it to your picnic spot along with your lunch. After your lovely picnic, you head back up to the restaurant and enjoy coffee/tea.

The Mornington Pensinsula is one of the great regional areas surrounding Melbourne where day trippers can consume cheese, wine, olives and poke around cutesy over priced tourist shops. Hello adult playground! Montalto Vineyard is just over an hours drive from Melbourne and is located outside Balnarring. It is one of the regions larger wineries and consistently busy tourist attractions. The winery consists of a beautiful indoor/outdoor restaurant and wine tasting/buying space. Sure, get your free mouthfuls of wine, this is only half of Montalto's appeal. it was kinda busy when we went so we only had the patience for one sample. The real attraction is the SCULPTURE GARDEN! The winery backs onto a rolling hill of vineyards and is dotted with cute and bizarre sculptures. There is a walking trail crossing a small creek over to the next undulating hill. Its a beautiful green space where one can frolic and lie peacefully after a few glasses of wine. Just make sure some one else is driving.

Insipid tasteless food. Never again Expect the restaurant to take a little pride in what they serve One star is for the waitress who was friendly

I'm no wine connoisseur, but the wines here were just delightful. In fact the whole vineyard was delightful. There are two choices of where you can eat, the more formal restaurant or the outdoors casual cafe. We went for the cafe and enjoyed the sunshine, wine and pizzas. The backdrop simply is stunning and after you complete your meal, you must go out into the vineyards and see all the different sculptures. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon!

Amazing wine and vineyard! Wish the diner was open later on Sunday for Sunday fun day with my bestie!

Went there on a Melbourne friend's recommendation. Meal was excellent as was the atmosphere and view. Only had a main course but my wife described the food as 'memorable'. Cost on a par with other establishments. Tried out the wine beforehand at the cellar door to choose one for lunch. Impressed and ordered some to be sent home. Would certainly recommend and if and when in the area again would certainly come back.

The food and wine was excellent. However waiting 50 minutes between ordering and receiving any food is too long. Mains were served without sides which arrived another 10 minutes later. Seemed disorganised.

Terrible service. No longer the causal place it used to be. Pretentious & mediocre food at pretentious pricing. Ordered a pizza -- no take away. It's ok pizza was mediocre. Montalto , what happened to you?

Exceptional and well worth it. Food is special. Wine sensational. Atmosphere is perfect.

Great food, great views, HORRIBLE service. We would have stayed for dessert and wine tasting but we seemed to be invisible to the staff . Dissapointing...