Farmers Lunch – Food and Wine for 2

At Green Olive at Red Hill, lunch comes with a view of the vineyard, kitchen garden, and ducks on the dam. The meal is built around the farm itself, with seasonal grazing plates, estate drinks, dessert, and coffee served in an easy two-hour sitting. The food is part of the farm experience, not just a meal in a winery.

I like the choice of grazing plates, since sharing lets you sample more than one style of farm produce. I also like the relaxed setup for two adults and a dog, a rare combination for a proper food-and-wine outing. The main consideration is timing: sittings are limited to 11:45 and 2:00, and the farm is open only Thursday through Monday.

Key points

• A complete two-course lunch for two: Two grazing plates to share, dessert for each person, drinks, water, and coffee or tea are included.
• Food tied to the property: Green Olive grows olives, grapes, herbs, vegetables, lemons, hops, and bush food, and raises sheep.
• A scenic farm setting: Look across the vineyard, kitchen garden, and dam while you eat.
• Dog-friendly and child-friendly: Your dog can join this farm outing, making it useful for a relaxed day on the Mornington Peninsula.
• Easy to plan from Melbourne: The property is about one hour from Melbourne in Red Hill, with a two-hour dining experience.
• Flexible booking terms: You can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund and reserve now with payment later.

Lunch with the farm in view

The appeal here is simple: you sit down to eat while the source of much of the food is right around you. Green Olive at Red Hill covers 27 acres in Red Hill, part of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula wine region. Its cool climate, volcanic soil, and position between the bays help support both food crops and wine production.

This is not presented as a formal winery tasting with a lecture and a long list of technical notes. Instead, you get a grazing-style meal in a working farm setting. You can admire the vineyard, kitchen garden, and dam while choosing food designed around seasonal produce.

I like that arrangement for a midday stop. You do not need to fit a long activity into the schedule, and you are not simply dropping into a restaurant that could be anywhere. The property gives the lunch its character.

The setting also helps make this a good celebration choice. Scott used the lunch for his mother’s birthday and gave the food, wine, people, and surroundings top marks. That tells you the experience can work for a special occasion without becoming stiff or overly formal.

What arrives for two people

The package is designed for two adults and includes more than a single plate each. You receive two grazing plates of your choice to share, followed by a farm-made dessert for each person. Each person also gets a glass of wine, beer, or cider.

A bottle of sparkling or still water is included, along with a farm-roasted coffee or loose-leaf tea for each person. That makes the meal feel complete rather than like a small tasting stop that leaves you searching for lunch afterward.

The grazing format is worth noting. You are not selecting a fixed entrée and main course from a standard menu. The plates are inspired by produce grown on the property, so the meal has a seasonal and local focus. Because the two plates are shared, you and your companion can compare your choices instead of ordering the same thing twice.

The supplied information does not list the exact plate choices or daily dishes. That is useful to keep in mind if you have strict dietary needs or are hoping for one particular item. The menu may change with the season, which is part of the point, but you should not arrive expecting a specific dish unless the farm confirms it.

Estate drinks and the final course

Each person can choose one glass of wine, beer, or cider. Wine makes the most obvious match for the vineyard setting, but the beer and cider options give you room to choose something different. The package includes one drink per person, not an open tasting or a full bottle.

The water is a practical touch, especially for a leisurely lunch. You are not left to add basic table drinks to the bill.

Dessert comes after the grazing plates, with one farm-made dessert for each person. The description does not specify the dessert menu, so the precise choice will depend on what is available when you visit. I like the inclusion because it turns the stop into a genuine two-course lunch rather than a snack with a drink.

Coffee or loose-leaf tea finishes the meal. The coffee is farm roasted, adding one more house-made detail to the experience. You get one serving per person, so this is best understood as a calm finish to lunch, not a separate coffee tasting.

A working farm, not just a winery

Green Olive grows olives and grapes, but the property also produces herbs, vegetables, lemons, hops, and bush food. Sheep are raised on the farm as well. That range matters because it gives the meal a wider farm-to-table connection than a vineyard stop focused only on wine.

You can look toward the kitchen garden and the farm while you eat. The setting makes it easier to understand where the food theme comes from, even though this package does not include a separate farm tour or guided walk.

The farm’s location is another part of its appeal. Red Hill is in the Mornington Peninsula wine region, about one hour from Melbourne. For someone planning a day outside the city, this lunch can anchor a wider visit to the area. For someone coming only for the meal, the drive is still a real commitment, so the two-hour sitting works best when you give yourself time to enjoy the property and nearby region.

Rebecca, visiting from the United Kingdom, singled out the view of the pond and vineyards and liked sitting among the foods being eaten. That detail captures the experience well. You are not only looking at a decorative view from a dining room. The food, garden, water, and vines are presented as parts of one place.

The two-hour pace

The experience lasts two hours, which gives you enough time for the grazing plates, dessert, and a hot drink without forcing the meal into a quick stop. The format should suit you if you like to eat slowly, talk, and take in the setting.

The available booking times are listed as 11:45 and 2:00. Since the choices are narrow, check the start time carefully before planning the rest of your day. The farm is open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, so Tuesday and Wednesday are not options for this lunch.

The 11:45 sitting is useful if you want the meal to lead into an afternoon around the Mornington Peninsula. The 2:00 sitting may suit a later start, but it leaves less of the day afterward for other activities. Those are planning considerations rather than faults, yet they matter if you are building a full itinerary.

There is no guide named for this experience. An English-speaking host or greeter is provided, so you can expect communication in English, but the meal itself is the main event rather than a named guide-led tour.

Dog-friendly dining in Red Hill

The dog-friendly policy is one of the clearest reasons to choose this outing. You can bring your dog along to a farm lunch instead of arranging care or leaving the pet at your accommodation.

The experience is also described as child-friendly, so it can suit a mixed family day. Still, the package is priced and structured for two adults. It is not presented as a large family meal or a children’s activity, so families should confirm how additional people are handled before booking.

The dog-friendly setting adds practical value for couples who want a proper meal without splitting up for the afternoon. It also fits the farm atmosphere better than a formal indoor dining room would. You should still plan to keep your dog under control and follow any property rules, since no specific pet arrangements are provided.

Is the $106 price good value?

The price is $106 per group of up to two people. That works out to $53 per person when two people attend. For that amount, you receive two shared grazing plates, a drink for each person, water, dessert for each person, and coffee or tea for each person.

The value improves if you want the full package. Ordering two plates, two alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks, two desserts, bottled water, and two hot drinks separately could quickly add up at a winery. Here, the cost also includes the setting and the convenience of a planned farm lunch.

This is not the cheapest way to eat on the Mornington Peninsula, and it is not meant to be. You are paying for a complete experience at a farm and winery, not only for calories. If you are mainly looking for a quick sandwich or a basic picnic, this package may feel too structured and costly.

I see the strongest value for a birthday, a couple’s outing, or a day when you want one polished food stop rather than several small tastings. The two-person pricing is clear and makes the budget easy to work out.

Practical details before booking

Green Olive at Red Hill is wheelchair accessible, which makes the experience available to more visitors, although the supplied information does not describe every surface or facility on the property. If you need specific access details, ask the farm before arrival.

English is the listed language, and an English-speaking host or greeter is available. The booking is limited to two participants, matching the package price for a pair.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Mornington Peninsula plans may change.

Keep the operating schedule in front of you: Thursday through Monday, with start times at 11:45 and 2:00. The listing gives the first time as 11:45pm, which appears inconsistent with a midday lunch, so confirm the exact time when booking.

Who will enjoy this lunch most?

I would choose this for a couple who wants food, wine, and scenery in one stop. It also suits a birthday lunch, especially if you want something more personal than a standard restaurant meal.

Dog owners get a clear advantage because the pet-friendly setting removes one common obstacle to a day out. Families may also find the child-friendly farm setting useful, though the package itself is designed around two adults.

Food lovers who care about seasonal produce should appreciate the connection between the plates and the farm. The range of crops, vines, olives, sheep, kitchen garden, and dam gives you plenty to look at while you eat.

I would be less likely to choose it if I wanted a detailed wine education, a long vineyard tour, or a large tasting flight. None of those is part of the package. This is a scenic, food-focused lunch with a drink, not a full winery program.

Should you book Green Olive at Red Hill?

Book it if you want a relaxed Mornington Peninsula lunch where the view and the food belong to the same farm. The combination of grazing plates, estate drinks, dessert, hot drinks, and a dog-friendly setting gives the $106 pair price solid value for a special outing.

The limited days and fixed sittings require planning, and the menu details are not specified in advance. Confirm the timing and ask about food requirements if needed.

For a birthday, a couple’s day out, or a dog-friendly farm experience near Melbourne, I would put this high on the list. If your priority is a formal wine tour or a large meal with many menu choices, choose something else.

FAQ

How much does Farmers Lunch cost?

The experience costs $106 per group of up to two people.

How long does the lunch take?

The lunch lasts two hours.

What food is included?

You receive two grazing plates of your choice to share, followed by one farm-made dessert for each person.

What drinks are included?

Each person receives one glass of wine, beer, or cider. The package also includes a bottle of sparkling or still water and one farm-roasted coffee or loose-leaf tea per person.

Is the experience dog-friendly?

Yes. Green Olive at Red Hill is dog-friendly, making it suitable for bringing your pet along.

When is the lunch available?

The farm is open for this experience five days a week, Thursday through Monday. Booking times are listed as 11:45 and 2:00.

Can I cancel or pay later?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve your place and pay later.