make your own history at the 'pointy' end

This is the part of the world where land and sea come together in perfect harmony. From the limestone corridors of Sorrento’s history-laden buildings to the Port Phillip foreshore where holidaymakers have played for years, visit once and you’ll want to stay for ever.

Go south and you will find a place where Bass Strait thunders and the sky hits the land with a tap. Tea-trees lean away from the wind and the sand dunes roll and clap, their ancient forms heaving to the swell of the sea below. 

Boatloads of pleasure-seekers came from Melbourne in the early 1900s, up from the paddle steamers to a town where wandering up and down in your finery was the main attraction. From the sparkling front beaches to the rugged coastal ridges and rock pools of Bass Strait, visitors still dare to dream of a lifestyle full of sun, surf and sand and the sampling of Peninsula-grown and crafted cuisine that stands alone on the world stage. 

From holiday shacks to grand residences, this resort-style region still attracts seasonal partygoers, beachcombers and fine-diners alike. Hospitality is exactly what it says it is: meet and greet restaurateurs, provedores and paddock-to-plate innovators serving up their best throughout the seasons, whether you’re at the pub watching the sun sink or at an intimate dining destination. 

Come visit this land of sweet treats, Sicilian and French selections and long ‘petit déjeuners’ by the bay. Come to the place where the back beach churns, the ferry roams and the dolphins play.

To drive is to arrive in this most beautiful place full of grace and natural splendour.

Le Capucin Mubble Pebbles Restaurant at Peppers Moonah Links Resort Penni Ave Distillery The Continental Sorrento

Mubble

At Mubble, ice-cream is more than just a treat; it's an art form.

Step into a world of frozen delight at the family-owned stores in Sorrento and Rye for a taste of heavenly handcrafted ice-cream. For more than two decades on the Mornington Peninsula, they’ve been using fresh local fruit and importing the highest quality flavour ingredients from Italy to create their exquisite single-batch ice-cream and sorbet. They’ve even been known to put smiles on the faces of grumpy kids with just one scoop.

With more than 160 varieties – including dairy-free and vegan options – there’s a lot to be excited about. Best-selling ice-cream flavours include sour cherry, liquorice, Ferrero Rocher, and dulce de leche. Mango and passionfruit are the top two picks in the sorbet range, which is so creamy you wouldn’t know it was vegan.

Mubble also gives the same attention to its other offerings, creating fresh juices, smoothies, hot jam doughnuts, churros, and aromatic coffee. And it does it all with biodegradable packaging.

If you’re planning an event or party, Mubble's got you covered. Its custom ice-cream cart is the perfect addition to your special day; it’s self-sustaining, so there are no power requirements, noisy generators or extension leads to spoil the ambience. With various packages to suit different budgets and events, you can tailor your own Mubble magic and leave a lasting impression on your guests.

Ready for a taste? Jump the queue and order online, or stroll into one of the stores to discover their winning equation: the best ingredients + love + cold = Mubble.

Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday 10am-5.30pm; Friday and Saturday 10am-9pm; late trading over summer, check website for details

Mubble   69 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento  &  2393 Point Nepean Rd, Rye    P: 5984 4944 
www.mubble.com.au        FB: mubbleicecream         Insta: mubble_sorrento

Penni Ave Distillery

Tucked away in Rye’s industrial area, Penni Ave Distillery is known in these parts as the go-to for excellent coffee in the AM and stellar cocktails in the PM. Whatever the hour, the good vibes run high and you’ll be warmly welcomed into the creatively decked-out warehouse space. For a business that began from a hobby and opened its doors in the thick of a pandemic, its loyal following is testament to the quality of what’s offered here.

It’s one of the very few dedicated vodka distilleries in Victoria, where the team work their magic in a copper still named Walter, transforming fermented wheat and barley into wonderfully smooth, multi-award-winning vodka. There’s a big commitment to sustainability, from the solar power to the hand-foraged botanicals that bring innovative, distinctly Australian flavours to the vodka. The range includes 16 Beach, an ode to Rye made with sea celery and saltbush. Then there’s the award-winning Wattle Seed and Burnt Honey, and Lemon Myrtle. The Wattle Seed and Burnt Honey Vodka received the Best Vodka Trophy at the 2022 Australian Distilled Spirit Awards, so try it in your next espresso martini and take it to the next level.

Consider yourself a loyal gin drinker? Made with hand-foraged Tasmanian pepperberry, Penni Ave’s Pepperberry and Coastal Rosemary Vodka offers a sustainably sourced option for you to enjoy with soda or tonic with lemon, or in your favourite gin cocktail. Unlike juniper, pepperberry provides a uniquely native Australian taste while still retaining the punchy flavour of your favourite gin.

Penni Ave’s signature cocktail is the Kakadu Mule, flavoured with organic ginger, fresh mint and finger lime. The impressive cocktail list changes with the seasons, including frozen vodka cocktails in the warmer months. If vodka and cocktails aren’t your thing, try a local beer or vino.

Food trucks rotate from week to week in the driveway, from pizza to Asian hawker-style Thai to Mexican. The live music Sunday Session happens on the first Sunday of the month.

Opening hours: café Monday-Friday 6.30am-noon; bar Thursday and Friday 5-9.30pm, Saturday 7am-9.30pm, Sunday 7am-6pm. See website for extended summer hours and live music sessions during summer

Penni Ave Distillery        2/43 Peninsula Ave, Rye  
www.penniave.com.au        FB: penniave        Insta: penniave