Where to eat in Somerset

The Somerset region is an area best known for its big lakes. If you haven’t the time to throw out a line and catch your own lunch or dinner, here’s a guide on where to get a feed in the area.

Pubs and casual dining

Located on a small farm just outside Esk, Louise’s Tables dishes out a combination of French and Australian cuisine – we bet you didn’t think you would find a Cordon Bleu-trained chef in Esk. 

Dine with a view of Mt Glen Rock while eating a classic pub meal at the Esk Grand Hotel. In Toogoolawah, the Exchange Hotel is pouring ice cold beers and dishing out classic Aussie pub meals, complete with hotel rooms upstairs to rest your weary head at night. 

Kilcoy has fully embraced its very own Yowie legend and the town has made sure that even if you don’t spot the elusive creature you won’t miss out on the story. The Stanley Pub dishes up yowie steaks, the Exchange Hotel has created a cocktail called the Yowie Donger and the BP across the road from Yowie Park serves genuine yowie burgers. If "yowie meat" isn’t for your palette, Stormy’s (formerly the Kilcoy Snack Shack) does a mean meatlover’s pizza.

Cafes

In Esk, the ornate Lars Andersen House today houses Nash Cafe and Gallery where you can enjoy Devonshire tea on the wraparound veranda and sample the tasty house-made sweet treats while taking in the unique artwork on display. Step into the 1950s with high tea at Julie’s at the Rectory Gourmet Cafe. Stop in at Red Deer Cafe and try one of its 18 (yes, EIGHTEEN) milkshake flavours – we’ll take a butterscotch please.

Looking for a bite to eat while at Wivenhoe? Comorant Bay Cafe offers brunch or high tea overlooking Wivenhoe Dam – it's a great photo opportunity. In nearby Fernvale, the Old Fernvale Bakery Cafe has created over 140 gourmet pie varieties since 1989 and has won more awards for its pies than any other shop in Queensland.

Further south near Lowood, pick up a bottle of locally and organically grown olive oil from Coolana Olives. Don’t leave without sampling the award-winning baked olives. The winning flavor is garlic, lime and chilli but Coolana also does BBQ, Sicilian and sweet Thai lime.

Follow the wine trail

Charge your glasses, the Somerset Wine Trail is a long one. There’s six main stops along the way, so if you’re keen to check them all out, make a day or even a weekend of it. Bellevue Homestead is a classic case of old meets new, with the vineyards a recent addition to the beautiful old homestead. Mount England Estate produces only 200-300 bottles of each wine per year, which is always a great talking point at parties. Take a walk through the vineyard, meet the winemakers and dine overlooking the lake at Ocean View Estates, pick up a bottle of Shiraz and some prime Angus steaks from Winya Wines or partake in a wine and cheese tasting at Woongooroo Estate.