Woodend Cellar & Bar

Judges’ comments 2026:

Woodend is a charming little village at the very heart of the Macedon Ranges, and is the gateway to the cool climate wine region, plus scenic attractions Hanging Rock and Mount Macedon. It’s also the centre of a burgeoning culinary scene showcasing award-winning restaurants, cafes, wineries and fresh produce.

Woodend Cellar & Bar lies at the heart of this village and is a microcosm of everything that makes the Macedon Ranges a cool destination for foodies. Rubbing shoulders with a craft brewery and a craft distillery, the Cellar & Bar packs a huge range of wines from the region’s boutique producers alongside a handpicked collection of craft beers, small batch spirits, and gourmet providore items.

Dining at the Cellar & Bar is a sharing affair. The menu is carefully designed to marry perfectly with the region’s wines and the seductive tapas-style plates deliver creativity and flavour with equally delicious punch.  Service is cheerful, attentive and oh-so-knowledgeable. Ask about a particular wine and you’ll not only get a delicious glass, you’ll be treated to a dissertation on seismology, or geography, or geology, topography, oenology or sometimes all of the above. Everything comes with a fascinating backstory; from Goldie pinot noirs to the birth of a vegan foie gras fakeup.

Woodend Cellar & Bar celebrates its good fortune to be a central part of a vibrant gastronomic scene; proudly acknowledging their suppliers and proactively supporting their products by creating delicious, unique and thoughtful plates to share and promoting the region’s cool climate wines as equal to any other in the country.