Spoons Riverside

Spoons is about as close to a one-stop-shop as you’ll find in Swan Hill. The unique venue sits beneath a canopy of towering red gums, right by the river. On one side of the building is a cafe and restaurant that highlights the area’s reputation as the heart of Australia’s food bowl. And on the other; a provedore and gift shop stocked with locally-made knick-knacks, homewares and artisan goods.

Follow the pendant lighting to a sunlit dining room, which opens up to an expansive timber deck overlooking the Murray river – an idyllic perch for a casual breakfast or lunch. Produce from the area, plus nearby Mildura, Lake Boga and Barham, informs the changing seasonal menu. The ebb and flow of the year sees plenty of Murray cod and stone fruit during summer, and the butcher’s best cuts have a starring turn come winter.

The breakfast menu is composed of pancakes, porridges and classic fare. Lunch is more varied, with platters of new harvest olives, salami and house-made terrines. There are sangas and daily deep tin pies, too. But if it’s a long lunch on the cards, there’s a list of Victorian wines pouring. Vineyards from the Murray Darling region and Macedon Ranges are best in show.

On your way out, stop in at the gift shop and provedore for locally made condiments by Jamie’s Fine Dressings. Or peruse the curation of hand-crafted crockery, clothing and gifts made by local Swan Hill makers.