Gourmet Secrets of Kyneton
By: Lisa Wolff, Yahoo!7 Travel

Take a tasty trip through Victoria's latest foodie hot-spot

My favourite country towns are the ones that make you feel that you've travelled there by time machine. Towns where wearing an elaborate Victorian gown and trundling down the granite streets in a horse and carriage wouldn't be out of place.

The state of Victoria has a number of these gold-rush glamour spots dotted around the countryside. Kyneton, nestled in the picturesque Macedon region only an hour's drive from Melbourne, is one of them. It's the new "in" place to visit, especially if you're a foodie and looking for something delicious beyond the urban lights.

Many burnt out city slickers are escaping the rat race and making their home in Kyneton. This new generation is injecting an energy and innovation into the town, and bringing with them good ideas and money to invest. We chatted to a number of new residents and they all have one thing in common - they're passionate about Kyneton. Here's why...

Piper Street
When we first drove into Kyneton, it looked like any small town - the regular shops, a couple of banks and one or two drab looking cafes. I was wondering what all the hype was about. But then we turned into 'historic Piper Street' and were immediately transported into the riches of the 1850's gold rush. The buildings have been immaculately preserved and the restaurants are buzzing with life. The shops have been fitted out with trendy good taste giving the street a tangible feeling of prosperity.

Unless you're after something specific or a bigger supermarket, there's no real reason to stray beyond Piper Street. This, for me, is the real Kyneton.

What are you waiting for? Click here to find a delicious holiday package to Melbourne.

Gourmet Restaurants
With two restaurants on one street, each with a one-chef hat rating, I knew Kyneton would be a gourmet treat.

We didn't get to try Annie Smithers' Bistrot, but it comes well recommended. We did have dinner at the other torqued diner - The Royal George. The restaurant is housed in a preserved hotel, which from the outside looks like an old-fashioned tavern. The interior seems stuck in a similar era with its mustard coloured chairs. The new owners Neil Henson and Jim Lekakis admit that they haven't done much with the decor since they bought the place in December. It's obvious from a menu that serves squab (pigeon) with a rich pumpkin mash, mushrooms, truffled brussel sprouts and (woe is me) foam, that they're trying to marry fine dining with country-style cooking. However, at times the frills got in the way of the flavours. I felt that there was too much effort invested into trying to be innovative and less focus on the actual taste.

If you feel like something more casual, then Pizza Verde should be near the top of your list. It was bustling on Saturday night with families and loved-up couples, looking for a cheap and cheerful night out. The wood fired pizza oven adds back a warmth to the diner, which the laminate tables remove. We started with the arancini balls - risotto with mushrooms, peas and tallegio cheese lightly fried to create a delicate crust and gooey centre. We watched the chef roll out paper thin pizza bases with a sprinkling of good quality ingredients. We tried a bianco pizza (no tomato base) with mushrooms and caramelised onions. It was crisp, light and very tasty. The Italians would be proud.

Star Anise
Star Anise is a restaurant and theoretically it should fall into the above category. But I was so impressed by this place that I felt it deserved its very own spot in the limelight. The cosy restaurant is owned by Emma and Chris Chapel, who moved from Melbourne about a year ago. Chris is a knowledgeable sommelier, waiter and front-of-house all in one. His wife, Emma does her magic in the kitchen taking full advantage of the regional fresh produce.

This is my favourite kind of restaurant. It has all the good elements of fine dining without the pretension. It's also one of those few places that I would be willing to fly from Sydney for a meal.

Of course, it's all about taste and Emma's meals get close to ten in that aspect. I started with a hearty lentil soup with chilli. If it wasn't such bad manners, I would have had no qualms to bring the bowl to my mouth and lick out the last remaining drops. My main course took the open steak sandwich to a new level with caramelised onions and red pepper aioli. Portions were generous and packed with flavour.

For dessert, Emma takes inspiration from Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. I try a Mr Brown - a decadent chocoholic's dream with a delicate espresso creme brulee, homemade choc semifreddo, a chocolate baklava and dark rich truffle, which my partner and I almost scratched eachother's eyes out to get to the last bite. Next time, I'll try the strawberry and Turkish delight themed Mr Pink.

The restaurant only seats up to 24 so make sure you book in advance. I've got a feeling that once word gets out, Star Anise is going to have a long waiting list.

Cafes
There are a number of excellent cafe's worth popping into on Piper Street. Especially when the temperature hits freezing levels, a mug of hot chocolate is never far away. I loved the Inner Biscuit owned by, relatively new Kynetonian, Mara. She's a superb baker and the counter is overflowing with jars filled with scrumptious home-baked goodies. In case, like us, you can't decide on one treat, she can give you a mix of the whole range.

We had lunch at Slow Living Organic cafe, which is run by former Melbournians Rachel and Graham. The theme of the cafe is languid. Think freshly prepared food, a leisurely lifestyle and quality time with the family. We sat on the charmingly mismatched furnishings near the roaring fire and enjoyed gourmet toasted sandwiches and hot drinks.

St Agnes Homestead
There is a small choice of accommodation in Kyneton but my favourite is St Agnes Homestead. It's a large estate situated a few minutes walk from the centre of Piper Street. About nine years ago, our warm and welcoming hosts, Traudi and Dave Bibby took on the challenge of a lifetime - to restore a decaying 1870's grand manor into its former glory. They invested much time, love and money into renovating the homestead into a cosy and elegant guest house.

We stayed in the fit-for-a-honeymoon Grooms Quarters. With its high ceilings, marble fireplace and plush wing armchairs, the Queen had finally found her kingdom. There were all the little extras such as luxurious linen, electric blanket, sherry, chocolates and home-made cookies. The bathroom is ever so stylish with a ball and claw bath, a huge shower and top quality pampering products.

If you have time, take a wander through the property's vineyards (they make their own Merlot) and vast green fields.

St Agnes also has two B&B style rooms and a fully equipped self-contained apartment with a kitchen, complete with an original Aga stove.

Breakfast is served in the sunny gallery where we could admire the colourful Rozellas nesting in the trees and laugh at the magpies fluttering to Traudi for their morning breadcrumb snack. I tucked into a scrumptious home-made bircher muesli, packed with dried fruits and nuts and my partner ate every morsel of his porridge with honey and cream. I could get used to this kind of pampering.

Find out more about St Agnes Homestead.

Jag tours
The best way to see a new place is through the eyes of a local. We did one better. Not only did a local show us around, but she did so in the comfort of her luxurious Jaguar. Lynn Currie owns the upmarket Rectory B&B in the centre of Piper Street and also takes guests for personalised tours through the area. You can't miss her. She's the only one in the town who drives a Jag. She's also warm and friendly and very knowledgeable about the region.

At the reasonable rate of $80 per hour (obviously even more value for money if you share the jag with your family or a few mates), Lynn will reveal all the hidden gems of the Macedon region. Lynn is also a wine aficionado so will tailor-make a winery itinerary to suit your tastes.

Just remember to ask her to show you the curious mystery of Hanging Rock.

More info about Lynn's jag tours.

Wineries
The Macedon region is blessed with a climate perfect for producing crisp and flavoursome wines. There are over 40 wineries within a close driving distance. We relied on Lynn to pick some of her favourite spots to visit. We popped into Cobaw Ridge, which was started from dust by convivial couple Nelly and Allan Cooper. Despite not having a formal tuition in wine making, Alan brews bottles of prize-winning vino. There are not many wineries that are so hands-on - using only grapes grown on their property to make their wine and doing their own cellaring and bottling.

I loved the pinot and peppery shiraz and make sure you try the unusual Lagrein. Cobaw Ridge was the first winery in the world to produce this variety on a commercial basis.

Next up was Granite Hills where we met with Llew and Andrew Knight. This is one of the larger boutique wineries and offer amongst other varietals, a delicious vintage sparkling and a stand-out Rose.

Hanging Rock
Besides all the gourmet fare, Kyneton is also famed for its proximity to Hanging Rock. This Rock is of course the filmset of the classic Australian movie 'Picnic At Hanging Rock' which tells the tale of the mysterious disappearance of a group of schoolgirls at the Rock at the turn of the century.

It's a large crag (which is actually a long-extinct volcano) that dominates the skyline and holds much spiritual significant to the local Aboriginal people.

We climbed Hanging Rock not only for the breathtaking views but also to try and work off some of the food we had eaten over the last few days. It's a lovely 50-minute walk to the top, with well marked wide tracks and just enough uphill climbs to make my heart beat a little faster. The scenery from the 105-metre-high summit was spectacular but it's quite rocky on the top and can get crowded so we didn't spend too much time admiring the panorama.

It costs $10 per car to enter the reserve and there are numerous picnic spots, walks and a cafe within the grounds.

Farmers Markets
Perhaps one the reasons why the food is so good here, is because the fresh-from-the-farm produce is so exceptional. There is usually at least one weekend farmer's market somewhere in the region. We were lucky enough to be visiting during the once-a-month Saturday market in Kyneton. There were many yummy treats on sale including delicious breads, a ranges of cheese, oils, jams, veggies and even live chickens to take home.

Surrounding Towns
While it was easy to spend a couple of days eating our way through Piper Street, it's nice to know that there are many other lovely towns in the surrounding countryside. The charming village of Malmsbury is a short drive away. There's also Castlemaine - a wealthy former gold town with beautifully restored architecture. Bendigo and Ballarat - other gold rush centres - are within thirty minutes drive of Kyneton.

Find out more about Kyneton and the magnificent Macedon Region.

What are you waiting for? Click here to find a delicious holiday package to Melbourne.

Book your trip