Best Bites Program

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The Mornington Peninsula is widely recognised for its exceptional fresh produce, innovative dining options, and vibrant tourism scene. However, food plays a pivotal role in the local business landscape, spanning across various sectors such as food manufacturing, retail, health, and education.

Mornington Peninsula Shire and Peninsula Health have collaborated to bring you Best Bites, a program that aims to recognize and celebrate outstanding local food businesses. These businesses are recognised for their commitment to food safety, promoting healthy eating, practicing sustainability, and ensuring access and inclusion for all. You can show your support for our local Best Bites businesses by keeping an eye out for venues proudly displaying the Best Bites door sticker, indicating their active participation in the program.

Best Bites Awards

Exciting news! The Best Bites Awards have now been incorporated into the Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Awards. Nominations are now open for all food businesses to enter and vie for recognition.

Congratulations to all the deserving winners of the 2022 Best Bites Food Awards (see below), who have demonstrated excellence in healthy, accessible and sustainable dining and shown commitment to the highest standards in the local food industry.

Best Bites Food Guide

The Bites Food Guide(PDF, 10MB) connects you with over 100 exceptional local food businesses that prioritise food safety, healthy eating, sustainability and accessibility on the Mornington Peninsula. Please view our local business directory.

2022 Best Bites Food Awards winners

2022 Best Bites Awards

Business Category results

Restaurant

Winners:

  • Bronze (joint) – Unica Cucina E Caffe, Capel Sound
  • Bronze (joint) – Stumpy Gully Dining, Moorooduc
  • Silver – The Kitchen, Bistro, Bar and Courtyard, Tootgarook
  • Gold – Foxeys Hangout, Red Hill

Finalists:

  • Rosebud RSL, Rosebud
  • Rye Hotel, Rye

Café

Winners:

  • Bronze – Two to Tango, Somerville
  • Silver – Blue Mini Cafe-eatery-emporium-events, Rosebud
  • Gold – Commonfolk Coffee Company, Mornington

Finalists:

  • Corner Pantry, Somerville
  • Elements Eatery, Rosebud
  • Miss Moose Tuckshop, Somerville
  • Lilo Café, Mornington

Farmgate

  • Gold – Mock Red Hill, Red Hill

Takeaway outlets

  • Silver – The Hive Loukoumades, Rye
  • Gold – Spudalicious, Hastings

Health and education 

 Winners:

  • Bronze – Tyabb Village Children’s Centre, Tyabb
  • Silver (joint) - Hastings Childcare and Community Kinder, Hastings
  • Silver (joint) - Crib Point Early Learning Centre, Crib Point

Finalists:

  • Westernport Childcare Centre & Kindergarten, Hastings
  • Rosebud Early Learning, Rosebud
  • Toorak Caterer’s, Mount Eliza
  • Kidz Shed, Hastings

Retail

 Winners:

  • Bronze – La Casa Nostra Deli, Rosebud
  • Silver – Ritchies Mount Eliza, Mount Eliza
  • Gold – Be Fit Food, Mornington

Finalists:

  • Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery, Flinders
  • Mt Eliza Village Fruits, Mount Eliza


Areas of Excellence category results

Smoke free and alcohol management

Winner:

  • The Hidden Kitchen, Tootgarook

Highly Commended:

  • Crib Point Early Learning Centre, Crib Point
  • Tyabb Village Children’s Centre, Tyabb

Nutrition and healthy eating

Winner:

  • Blue Mini Cafe-eatery-emporium-events, Rosebud

Highly Commended:

  • Toorak Caterer’s, Mount Eliza

  •   Hastings Childcare and Community Kinder, Hastings

Access and inclusion

Winner:

  • It’s A Burger, Rosebud

Highly Commended:

  • Tyabb Village Children’s Centre, Tyabb
  • Commonfolk Coffee Company, Mornington

Energy and water efficiency

Winner:

  • Paradigm Hill, Merricks

Highly Commended:

  • Commonfolk Coffee Company (Energy), Mornington
  • Tyabb Village Children’s Centre (Water), Tyabb

Waste and recycling

Winner:

  • Via Battisti, Mount Martha

Highly Commended:

  • Toorak Caterer’s, Mount Eliza
  • Lilo Café, Mornington


Who runs the Best Bites program?

The Best Bites program is coordinated by the Best Bites Advisory Committee, consisting of representatives from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Peninsula Health, and other relevant organisations with knowledge and experience in the program areas of access and inclusion, nutrition, and sustainability. The committee operates under specific Terms of Reference to ensure effective guidance and decision making. Email us if you’d like to be involved in the committee.


For more information about the Best Bites Program, please 
contact us.