Located an easy 16 km from Perth’s city centre, Swan Valley has been a renowned grape-growing region for almost 190 years. Today, it welcomes visitors from far and wide to sample top drops from more than 40 wineries, while also delighting in the nougat, nuts, honey, cheese and chocolate that locals delight in producing.
The best way to experience Swan Valley is to fill the morning with sweet treats and then hit the wineries for lunch and enjoy more in the afternoon. If you want to indulge, join a tour so that you don’t need to drive, and then you can also take more goodies home.
Mondo Nougat and Morish Nuts
First up is a double-dipping treat on the Great Northern Highway, in two adjoining buildings that house Mondo Nougat and Morish Nuts. Both companies had humble family-run beginnings, but today each has claimed its rightful place on the Australian gourmet snack stage.
Many people assume that real nougat is chewy, but according to the manager of Mondo, this is not at all true – the nougat that Italians love is actually crunchy. The crunchy vanilla nougat is awesome, and other favourites include the salted caramel, the cranberry and pistachio. When you visit the factory and cafe, you can watch the production team crafting these delicious treats through the viewing window, before enjoying a slice of nougat cheesecake or a deluxe nougat hot chocolate from the cafe.
A hop, skip and a jump and you’re in Morish Nuts. This family business, headed up by Principal Nut Archie Moroni and partner, Marie Mapp, disrupted the snack scene more than a decade ago, using a family recipe prepared in their Swan Valley kitchen to reinvent the approach to bagged nuts.
There are some amazing combinations such as the hot and spicy caramel-coated cashews and pistachios, praline with hot and spicy caramel and chilli, lime zest and spices, abalone, and truffle-flavoured macadamias. There’s a peanut crunch (a slab of popcorn and peanuts smothered in a rich caramel butter coating with a sprinkling of coconut) and Peanut Brittle. When you visit the factory outlet, you can expect to also find a range of hampers and gift packs.
The House of Honey
If you have only ever consumed mainstream processed honey, then you haven’t experienced true honey. The sticky sweet delight is a food worth dedicating your life to, according to the passionate beekeeping couple behind House of Honey – Rupert and Kim Phillips.
When you visit the Swan Valley sanctuary, you will find more than 20 varieties of honey available for tasting, as well as honey mead, gifts, candles and more. Visitors are welcome to take a self-guided tour of the property, or book in for a 30-minute honey shop tour where you will learn all about bees, sample honey straight from the hives, and taste the handcrafted meads.
Each honey made lovingly by the team is entirely unique. The Jarrah variety is a stand-out. Amber-coloured with a malty flavour, it is renowned for its high antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. The Banksia flavour is citrusy, ideal for peppermint tea. Blackbutt, on the other hand, (dubbed the Guinness of honeys), is heavy and thick. There are endless plants and trees that bees can extract pollen from, and the result means an enormous range of taste sensations.
Before you leave, swing by the Sticky Spoon Cafe for brunch, coffee and honey Devonshire tea. The kids menu includes toasties, muffins and seasonal fruit bowls for little ones, while grown us can enjoy a range of pastries, sandwiches, sweet treats and signature honey drinks. Always a favourite, the lavender infused honey hot chocolate is sure to delight.
Vineyards in Swan Valley
With 40 wineries all in arms’ reach, it can be tought to choose where to start. These are some of our favourites, and you’ll no doubt get other recommendations as you swan about.
Faber Vineyard
Faber Vineyard was established in 1997 by John Griffiths and Jane Micallef, named after the Latin word for craft. John embraces the traditional varieties of the Swan Valley – Verdelho and Shiraz – while Brown Muscat is also a backbone of Faber Vineyard.
There’s lovely indoor and outdoor spaces for tastings, and the vineyard is known for is monthly events such as local producer’s days, barrel tastings, tours, and long lunches. No matter when you visit, you are welcome to pair your tasting with lunch platters or pizza flatbreads loaded with seasonal local produce.
Upper Reach Winery
At Upper Reach Winery , the team believe that wine is one of life’s essentials, along with good food, family and friends. They hold Twilight Concerts in February and March, a series of intimate outdoor shows with soul, swing and jazz performances.
When visiting, you can sign up for a tour of the winery to learn about the process from grape to bottle, or join a food and wine pairing masterclass. The restaurant and TreeHouse Pizza Bar are great spots for a lunch with a view.
There is also one lovely cottage on the grounds that is an original workers cottage built in 1907. It’s been refurbished as a delightful accommodation option, and has two queen-sized bedrooms, making it ideal for a family or two couples spending a holiday in Swan Valley.
Riverbank Estate
At Riverbank Estate, the focus is on unique handcrafted wines, as well as rustic cellar door experiences and superb dining experiences at the award-winning Riverbank Estate restaurant.
The restaurant boasts amazing panoramic views of the vineyard, which guests can enjoy while dining on sustainably caught Western Australian seafood such as crabs and rock lobster, as well as beef dry-aged on site for 45 to 60 days. The restaurant has earned many accolades including five prestigious Gold Plate awards since 2013. You are also welcome to swing by the cellar door for a guided tasting.
Mandoon Estate
Mandoon Estate is all about amazing wines. If you are after some luxury and downtime after a tasting, it is also a wonderful place to stay.
Maya Maya is an exclusive collection of 32 beautifully appointed suites overlooking the historic Verdelho vines planted in 1895 on the banks of the Swan River. Here, the friendly team are always on hand to craft your perfect getaway, whether that includes gallery hopping, bushwalking or long lunches.
The estate has a few dining options to suit all tastes. Wild Swan is a fine dining restaurant that pairs fresh ingredients with top wines, while Homestead Brewery offers a relaxed vibe and a menu of big, bold flavours to compliment the brews. If you’re travelling with kids, grab a table or lounge on a picnic rug at the Llawn, where you can take advantage of the full pizza menu, Spit Hut BBQ specials, a fully serviced bar and picnic hampers.
Sandalford Wines
Sandalford Wines is one of the busiest in the valley, attracting large groups as well as those after an intimate tasting and dining experience.
Founded in 1840, Sandalford is one of Western Australia’s oldest and largest privately owned wineries. The cellar door doubles as a large store offering all sorts of wine paraphernalia, and the tastings can include Estate Reserve, and Margaret River and Element Wines, as well as ultra-premium drops.
En route to the restrooms, check out the hallway and grand staircase where there’s barely any wall room left, as it’s plastered with framed concert posters showcasing the famous musicians who have performed here. The signed pieces from Sandalford’s colourful past are nothing short of gobsmacking. Pretty much any band you’ve ever heard of, and any musician of merit – and even all those awesome one-hit-wonders you may have forgotten – have entertained the crowds here in the Swan Valley.
The restaurant combines modern Australian and European cuisine in its range of hand-rolled pasta, wood-fired pizza and artisanal dishes crafted in the open kitchen.
Best Breweries in Swan Valley
If you are a beer lover, then you are in luck as there are plenty to explore in the Swan Valley.
Mash Brewing
Mash Brewing is a family and dog-friendly pub in the heart of the valley. In the beer garden, you can relax with a draught poured directly from the source, while the kids run around in the playground.
The delicious food menu includes grazing boards, chicken wings and crispy pork belly bites, as well as burgers and pub classic meals. Weekly specials, such as $20 lunch meals from Monday to Thursday and $5 beer, wine and spirits on Fridays, make this a popular spot with locals and visitors.
On the weekend, you can also enjoy a bottomless brunch, which comes with six sharing platters and bottomless beer, cider, ginger beer, wine and sparkling for only $69 per person – it’s a steal.
Homestead Brewing
Homestead Brewery is a fan favourite in the Swan Valley. It’s famous for the custom-built Schulz brewing system, which was imported from Germany. When visiting, you can enjoy the entire core range as well as seasonal release beers and other drinks. Make sure to tuck into a burger, pizza or classic pub meal, all crafted from scratch on the estate.
Txoko
If you have your dog with you, then head to ‘Cho-Ko’ (spelled Txoko) in the hills of Baskerville. It’s a relaxed space where you can hang and chat with other beer lovers while savouring some unusual brews such as the Divergence Honey Hybrid Sour and the James the Dank Peach IPA with peaches and grassy hops expressions.
The venue also offers pizza, steak, pork ribs and light beer snacks to enjoy over a pint, while the kids menu is perfect for little ones. Every Thursday night, trivia is a popular pastime with locals, and on Mondays you can enjoy a pizza and a pint for only $25.
The Great Southern Distilling Co.
If you are a whiskey or gin lover, Great Southern Distilling Co has opened up shop in the Swan Valley after its Albany headquarters soared to international success.
In 2024, both the Limeburners Single Malt Darkest Winter Whisky and the Ginversity Whisky Cask Gin won gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and this only scratches the surface when it comes to accomplishments and accolades.
At the Swan Valley distillery, you can enjoy a gin blending class as top distillers teach you how to develop your own bespoke gin blend, or simply sit back and sample the whole range of spirits. We suggest trying the Smoked Hemp Gin, Sriracha Gin, Albany Port Cask Single Malt Whisky and Heavy Peat Cask Strength Whisky.
You can find more mouth-watering foodie recommendations for Western Australia here.
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