This is St Andrews Kitchen, the sibling to The Kitchen Tootgarook — same ethos, same people, same food, different location — and it has quietly become a lifeline for the community that orbits this ocean edge for the past three years.

Where Tootgarook glows as a roadside beacon, St Andrews hums to the rhythm of the tides. Doors open at 6:30am, welcoming early risers with strong coffee, pastries, and the promise of a day about to begin. Surfers heading out, locals grabbing their morning ritual, walkers brushing the sand from their shoes — everyone comes through these doors.

From 8am until 2pm, the all-day breakfast and lunch menu keeps the kitchen moving. It’s food that works for all tastes and dietary needs, made with the same commitment to quality and consistency that defines The Kitchen Group. And just when you think service might slow, the doors stay open until 3pm, catching the stragglers: the late lunches, the last-minute snackers, the ones in search of a final caffeine hit before the day turns.

What sets St Andrews Kitchen apart isn’t just its hours or its menu. It’s the way it doubles as a pantry and storehouse for the community. Shelves are stacked with homemade jams, chutneys, and relishes; pies, pasties, sausage rolls, and bread; milk, gifts, and pantry staples. It’s a place where you can pick up dinner on the way home, find a jar of something new, or grab the missing ingredient without trekking into town.

New shelving arrives faster than it can be filled, but that’s part of the charm — the place is always evolving, responding to what the community needs. It’s equal parts café, general store, and gathering point.

If there’s one thing that elevates St Andrews Kitchen beyond its modest exterior, it’s the deck. Facing northwest, it catches the light in a way that makes afternoons linger. On a clear day, the sun dips and paints the space gold; in winter, it becomes a pocket of warmth against the coastal chill. It’s the kind of spot you don’t rush from — coffee in hand, chatter around you, the ocean just out of sight but always present in the breeze.

Behind it all is the same ethos that drives The Kitchen in Tootgarook. Bob Coley’s vision of hospitality without pretence, delivered alongside head chef Andrew “Sharkey” Sharkey and their team, translates seamlessly here. It’s about making people feel at home, delivering consistency every single day, and serving food with love.

St Andrews Kitchen may look like a modest brick veneer at the edge of the world, but step inside and you’ll feel its aura — warm, dependable, and deeply human. It’s proof that even at the wildest parts of the Peninsula, there’s always a place to pause, refuel, and belong.

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If you’ve joined us before, you’ll know these nights strike the perfect balance — relaxed, social, and built around great conversation, thoughtful food and beautifully matched wines.

This is not a formal, sit-down-and-stay-quiet kind of night. It’s shared tables, flowing conversation, and a menu designed to move with the wines — each course bringing out something different in the glass.

Whether you’re deep into wine or just enjoy a great night out, you’ll feel right at home.

First Course

Mantons Creek Reserve Sparkling Cuvée 2021

Ham hock terrine, baked fig, burnt honey & lemon drizzle, hand-rolled lavosh

Second Course

Kyberd Hills Chardonnay 2021

Monkfish en paupiette, sweet tomato, dill, white beans, tomato coral tuille

Third Course

Kyberd Hills Brigadier Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018

Rendered duck breast, duck neck sausage, mandarin sauce, caramelised sweet potato

Fourth Course

Kyberd Hills El Rubio Tempranillo 2023

Slow cooked ox tail wrapped in kataifi pastry, baby beetroot, rosemary oil

Refresher

Watermelon sorbet

Final Course

Dessert Wine – TBC

Orange blossom & vanilla brûlée, white chocolate tuille, freeze dried raspberry

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Across the road from the McCrae lighthouse and yacht club , Alatonero is giving diners the opportunity to enjoy well known and much loved Greek food. With an impressive resume in the restaurant world, and with energy and drive to burn, Jacqui Poulier has brought to life her love of the Greek Islands, it’s culture and lifestyle.

The restaurant is light, bright, open and airy with a fresh sea breeze that drifts through the open plan dining area. Launched in mid-October, 2016, Alatonero has quickly built up a solid reputation for delicious fare, fine produce and a stylish, comfortable atmosphere. More kaftan than collar, the welcoming hues of blue and white invite guests to sit back, relax and enjoy.

Alatonero is all about bringing people together – sharing the love of food, wine and stories. The venue is a very modern take on the Mediterranean – a bright and breezy space with a touch of Mornington Peninsula flair.

The centrepiece is the food where you can order stunning meze style favourites including both traditional and modern dishes. While their food is unmistakably modern Greek, they aim to source as much local produce as possible such as honey, coffee, domestic olive oil, seafood, lamb, goat and wine.

The meze style menu is full of mouth watering delights – saganaki, fried calamari with harissa aoili, chargrilled octopus with wild fennel, fava and pickles, slow roasted lamb shoulder with caper berries, dill, cucumber, saltbush and Moussaka.

There are loads of delicious side dishes, and kids are well catered for, as are those with a sweet tooth. Jacqui is also happy to welcome guests for any occasion, from family get togethers to casual, spontaneous dining and special occasions and celebrations.

While the flavours are from afar, all of the produce is Australian – and locally grown where possible – including local seafood, seasonal fruits, olive oil, coffee, and lamb and goat from Gippsland.

The wine list is concise yet impressive, with a strong focus on local Mornington Peninsula white and red varietals and an offering of Greek red and white wines too. You’ll find local beers along with Mythos Greek Lager and a Volkan Santorini Pilsner. Or you can always drop in for a Greek Iced Coffee Frappe, or perhaps make that ouzo?

New for Spring and rolling into Summer is Alatonero’s take away offering. Drop-in or call in advance to order your favourites loaded with Greek goodness – perfect for the beachside picnic or to take home on those busy days where cooking isn’t fathomable. Take away is available lunch and dinner Wednesday through to Sunday.

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Crittenden Easter Long Weekend

Live music sets the tone on Friday and Saturday across the Easter long weekend.

On Easter Sunday, the focus turns to family, with visits from the Easter Bunny, face painting and plenty of space for ball games on the lawn.

For the adults, enjoy a specially curated Easter-inspired cocktail, while the kitchen prepares something a little extra special to mark the occasion.

The Restaurant & Terrace will be open all Easter Long weekend , the perfect excuse to gather, unwind and enjoy the Mornington Peninsula.

Lunch: Open everyday

Dinner: Friday & Saturday evenings

Cellar Door: Closed Good Friday | Open Easter Saturday, Sunday & Monday

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Join us at The Kitchen for an intimate Cocktail Masterclass hosted in collaboration with Stache House Distillery founder Mark Rigby.

This relaxed and interactive evening begins with a welcome spritz, followed by a guided introduction to the Stache House spirits range. Guests will then step behind their own bar station to shake, stir and garnish three cocktails, including a twist on a classic Old Fashioned and a selection of signature serves.

Throughout the session, Mark will lead a guided tasting, sharing the stories, ingredients and character behind each spirit.

The experience is complemented by a chef’s tasting menu served across the evening, making it perfect for couples, friends or anyone looking for a unique night out on the Mornington Peninsula.

What to Expect

– Welcome cocktail on arrival

– Hands-on cocktail making

– Guided tasting of Stache House spirits

– Chef’s tasting menu

– Take-home cocktail shaker set

Menu Highlights

– Baharat spiced chicken & chickpea salad with tahini

– Hand-rolled gnocchi with lamb shank ragu & Grana Padano

– Boozy affogato with cacao & coffee liqueur

Ticket Pricing $120.00 per person

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A masterpiece of contemporary living with soaring ceilings and polished concrete floors, the residence wows at every turn with an array of indoor and outdoor living zones united by floor-to-ceiling bifold glass doors opening to a selection of terraces.

A gourmet’s kitchen with vast stone island and stainless-steel appliances, microwave and coffee machine anchors the expansive open-concept multi-living area on the upper level, which is flanked by concertina doors off both living zones opening to a choice of alfresco-entertaining areas backdropped by the bay and countryside.

A lavish master suite with dressing room, contemporary ensuite with soaker tub and an office/retreat is flanked by box glass windows framing the bay, while downstairs a luxe games room opening to the lower terrace and generous rear lawn is complemented by a deluxe wetbar.

Footsteps to the beach and a short zip to yachting facilities, Tulum Store and the cafes, bakeries, restaurants and boutiques of Balnarring village, this exclusive home includes a full second bathroom, powder room, in-floor heating, split-system airconditioning, ducted vacuuming, water tank, double garage and plenty of room to add a swimming pool (STCA).

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The light-filled main living zone with V-Lux skylights and gas log fireplace flows to a stone-finished entertainer’s kitchen and a covered deck with BBQ, jacuzzi, and fire pit area. Upstairs, the private master retreat features a north-facing balcony with bay views, ensuite, and walk-in robe, plus a second living space. Three further bedrooms, a home office, and stylish family bathroom complete the design.

Additional features include ducted heating, evaporative cooling, double garage, hot water outdoor shower, rainwater tank, and secure externally access storage shed. Low-maintenance gardens with room for a pool make this the perfect family escape or permanent Sea change in a blue-chip location.

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The Kitchen, with its warm glow and modest exterior, has been beckoning us for years, and only recently have we finally stepped inside to discover what it’s all about.
And here’s the truth: it’s more than a café, more than a bistro. The Kitchen Tootgarook is an oasis. Not in the dictionary sense, but in the way it restores you, slows you, and makes you feel like you’ve come to the right place at the right time.

From Darlington to the Peninsula The Kitchen is the dream realised by Robert Coley — Bob to everyone who knows him. His story is the kind that weaves continents and careers into a single thread. Born in Darlington in the north of England, Bob started working in hospitality at just 16. He cut his teeth in the UK’s bustling gastropubs before crossing hemispheres to work in Melbourne’s high-end dining scene, including time at Lindenderry in Red Hill, The Mansion in Werribee, and George Calombaris’ The Press Club. He even turned his hand to catering on a massive scale, overseeing food operations for healthcare facilities and managing meals for more than a thousand staff each day.

But experience, as Bob would tell you, only matters if it leads you somewhere real. And for the past eight years, that “somewhere” has been here in Tootgarook. In this humble shopfront, Bob has poured decades of learning, a love of food, and a belief in genuine hospitality into a place he always wanted to visit himself: consistent, approachable, and without pretence.

The Spirit of the Kitchen Call it a bistro, a bar, a restaurant — it doesn’t matter. What matters is how it feels. The Kitchen is a place where your name is more important than your wallet. A place where you feel like a regular on your first visit. Where the welcome is warm but never forced, and the service is seamless without ever tipping into fussiness.

This isn’t about airs and graces. It’s about getting the fundamentals right — every day, seven days a week. The same familiar faces behind the counter (many staff have been here five years or more), the same commitment to consistency, the same belief that a restaurant should feel like a second home. And at the heart of it all is head chef Andrew Sharkey — known simply and affectionately as “Sharkey.” For almost eight years he has helped Bob set the tempo and flavour of what follows.

What’s on the Plate Like any good oasis, the heart of The Kitchen lies in what it serves. On our visits so far, a few dishes have already carved themselves into memory.

Breakfast might mean The Keto Kick: broccoli and feta hotcakes stacked high, paired with house-made green tomato chutney, two perfectly poached eggs and a drizzle of aged balsamic. It’s a dish that wakes you up without weighing you down, a clever balance of comfort and freshness.

For something heartier, the Lamb Shank delivers exactly what you’d hope — flavour that lingers, meat that slips from the bone with barely a nudge. Eating it feels a little like the season itself: autumn giving way to winter, slow, inevitable, but welcome.

There’s also the Fettuccini Vongole, which could have wandered in from Chapel Street’s Café Cucina — all briny sweetness and silk-slick pasta; a plate that makes you stop mid-sentence, close your eyes, and savour it again.

Of course, some of the simplest things hit hardest. Their famous bacon sandwich might be the best hangover cure on the Peninsula, salty and satisfying in a way that only a perfectly built sandwich can be.

And then there’s Thursday night. The Kitchen’s ode to the Parma is the stuff of legend. Where else will you find eight different versions of the classic chicken parma, each with its own flair — traditional, Italian, Hawaiian, Spanish, Greek, Aussie, and more — served with a pot of beer or a glass of wine for just $25? It’s not just a meal; it’s a weekly ritual, a magnet for locals and visitors alike, proof that food doesn’t have to be complicated to bring joy.

More Than Food Bob, Sharkey, and their team see the restaurant as more than just a place to eat. It’s a stage for connection. That moment when a patron smiles over a plate, when friends linger a little longer than planned, when someone pops in for a coffee and ends up staying for lunch. These are the daily rewards, the icing on the cake, and the reason the doors open every morning.

Local suppliers and producers are part of the story too. Wherever possible, The Kitchen draws from the Peninsula’s own bounty — wines, ingredients, people. It’s not a slogan, but a practice, embedded in the rhythm of how they work.

Next time you see this beacon. Next time you’re driving the stretch between Rosebud and Rye, watch for that flicker of light on the roadside. What seems like a dark corner store is anything but. Inside, you’ll find a room alive with conversation, dishes that surprise and satisfy, and a team who make you feel at home from the minute you step in.

The Kitchen Tootgarook is proof that beacons don’t just guide ships at sea. On land, too, they exist — in the glow of a humble corner store, in a table where your name matters, and in a meal that restores you in the simplest, most enduring way.

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Step aside wine and beer – there’s a new pairing partner in town. This spring, St Andrews Kitchen is hosting Booch & Bites, a one-off dining event where kombucha takes centre stage.

On Saturday, 11th October, from 1:30pm to 3:30pm, join us for a flavour-filled afternoon featuring a four-course tasting menu created in our kitchen, each dish perfectly paired with a different kombucha from local brewers Two Boys Brew. From zingy citrus to earthy ferments, every pour has been carefully matched to complement and elevate the food on your plate.

Adding even more depth to the afternoon, James – one of the founders of Two Boys Brew – will be here in person. He’ll guide you through the pairings, share the story of how the business began, and lift the lid on the craft of turning humble tea into something extraordinary.

And here’s the best part: it’s an indulgent experience without the after-effects. Booch & Bites is the perfect outing for anyone who doesn’t drink alcohol, is taking a break, or just wants to explore something new. You’ll still enjoy all the storytelling, the pairings, and the sense of occasion usually reserved for wine dinners – just without the hangover.

Early bird tickets are just $65 per person – a rare chance to enjoy a full afternoon of gourmet food, kombucha, and local storytelling at an unbeatable price.

Seats are strictly limited, so book now and be part of this unique culinary first at St Andrews Kitchen.

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In 1924, Merricks General Wine Store opened to serve a variety of needs of the local community. Built in a prime location on Hastings-Flinders Road, between Balnarring and Shoreham, it was a central point where locals could stock up on household items as well post mail, make phone calls at the phone booth, do banking and fill the petrol tank – a one-stop shop with friendly, familiar faces.

However the winds of change leave no establishment untouched, no matter how embedded they are within the community. The era of the general store came to an end as commercialism ramped up over the decades and it became clear the era of the general store had passed. When the large, modern Balnarring shopping centre opened, the general store closed and fell into disrepair, merely a decaying reminder of what was left behind as we moved into the new world of consumerism.

Fortunately, in 2004, three prominent families of the peninsula saw an opportunity to restore the general store to its past glory and re-establish it as a place for the community to come together, though giving it a new, somewhat different function inside its doors.

The Myer, Baillieu and Quealy families are prominent names in the local wine industry, and through their vineyards came together to breathe new life into the general store as a cellar door, modern bistro and café. Serving country style breakfasts, gourmet lunches and snacks like their famous scones and cakes, it is once more a popular meeting spot for locals and visitors alike. The menu draws from local produce and all food is made fresh daily.

Tapping into the general store vibe, they have also included a produce store, selling a range of locally harvested jams, relishes and sauces, as well as some of their own produce such as marmalade, pickled onions and pasta sauce.

The renewal project is a tribute to the buildings 80-year history, and picked up the Architectural Excellence Award for Best Building Conservation (Commercial) at the 2005 South East Awards. The well preserved building offers a glimpse into the past as a typical example of the rural general stores that were once such a central hub of community life. The charming rustic building, with gable bays and verandah, and a tree-shaded deck with outdoor fireplace, provides the kind of setting that somehow seems to infuse itself with the tastes on offer.

The cellar door celebrates the local region through its food and wine, with the entire range of wines from the Elgee Park, Baillieu and Quealy vineyards available for tasting and sale, as well as local beers and ciders.

In keeping with the theme of bringing people together, Merricks General Wine Store now also hosts weddings and other private functions, and a variety of their own monthly events such as lunches with artists and evenings with jazz and blues music.

It is only fitting that Merricks General Wine Store is once again a highly popular establishment among the local community, and draws visitors from near and far. The old building with its new purpose offers a celebration of good food and wine, good company and feel-good nostalgia. What more could you ask for?

For further information, visit their website

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