Brae

If time permits, make sure to book a garden tour before you begin your meal at Brae. To call it a garden is an understatement – the property is a natural pantry of citrus, herbs, brassicas and tubers. Everything you see and smell, along with carefully sourced local seafood and game, is transformed by chef Dan Hunter and his team into a dozen-plus innovative tasting dishes of uncommon depth. In autumn, that might be a comforting chicken and celeriac broth or a filet of wild-shot fallow deer with mountain pepper, sweet and sour plums and radicchio. In spring, your fork will explore tangles of greens to find smudges of avocado, while a savoury summer custard highlights trout and broad beans. The wines are equally grounded, shunning the artificial and focusing on the artisanal. And if you stay at one of the luxurious on-site suites, a delivery of house-made pastries greets you at sunrise.

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Tags: guide25 guide25vic

Magazine Issue: September 2025

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