The Whiskery cheers inclusion in top 50

A BELLARINE restaurant has been named among Open Table’s Top 50 restaurants for brunch and lunch in Australia for this year.

The Whiskery has been selected from more than 180,000 verified OpenTable diner reviews and booking data.

Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five-star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance, percentage of capacity and direct searches.

Set on a rural property, The Whiskery offers a relaxed, rustic setting where visitors can enjoy a gin, whiskey and some seasonable nibbles and pizzas.

The Whiskery owner Russ Watson said the Open Table honour was a huge thrill for the restaurant’s small team.

“It’s a great accolade for our staff and our management down there.

“We are a simple offering. We don’t have an enormous selection, but what we do, we do extremely well.

“The comment from the customers is where the award comes from, and it’s from the interactions they have with the staff.

“A lot of them are not long-term professional hospitality people, but what they bring with their attitude and their personalities, they just kick goals.”

With Mother’s Day on this weekend, The Whiskery will likely be a hive of activity.

OpenTable data revealed Mother’s Day was the biggest dining day in 2024, with a 12 per cent year-on-year increase in bookings and tables.

“I have say it’ll be pretty busy, we get wonderful family groups coming through,” Mr Watson said.

“The people that come through just love it. That quiet adult space is the reason many come to dine with us.

“The gardens are looking fantastic, and it continues to be a lovely environment.”

To book at The Whiskery, head to bellarinedistillery.com.au/the-whiskery