An evening deep in dark Daylesford on a frosty winters night, my partner and I on a lovely weekend…read moreaway elected Rubens as our first feasting feat. Though, firstly we were told they were unable to seat us without a reservation on night like this. So away we went and returned when our time came. The interior is sparsely decorated, a pizza oven feature in the main dining area, a beautiful touch, if it functions, I do not know. Clean, contemporary, functional wooden furniture that cleverly compliment the exposed ceiling beams which are common in these parts. The restaurant was bustling and all seemingly enjoying. The serving staff are polite and professional, attentive however there were a few repeated questions, implying there was a lack of communication and/or organisation with front of house, however given how busy Rubens was this night, staff being over attentive is hardly a complaint. We ordered a Margherita, mostly because we couldn't decide on anything else. The ingredients were so fresh and the base was perfect! However, there was a shocking lack of depth to the flavour. Strange especially as one would assume the Napoli sauce base and the basil pesto on this pizza should be house made? All I could taste was sourness. There was a sad excuse for a garnish of grated beets and sparsely scattered roquette- refer to my photo. For $15, in Daylesford, I was disappointed frankly. Now, for one of the two issues that has lead me to to the two stars. I'll admit I made an adjustment to a menu item which is usually a no no however, the concept wasn't that dissimilar to what was already on there. I asked the for Napoli Marinara with Gnocchi instead of the listed spaghetti- why? Because I wanted Gnocchi. Boy, do I regret this order! I expected floury, potato pillows with fresh seafood and rich Napoli sauce. What I got was, sour mash potato marinara soup. Considering the beautiful meals I saw on other tables, I am unsure how my meal turned out this way. I sent it back. They didn't charge me for it. I would have expected an a word from the manager but didn't hear a peep. I was brought a spaghetti with Napoli sauce in place of my meal ($22) is strange to admit I was surprised we were charged for this, considering it is a basic dish chosen to correct an error? You may be surprised to learn, that the sauce was sour. This is the second reason I have come to the two stars, an Italian inspired/style restaurant that can not master red sauce is an embarrassment. To develop complexity and to balance flavour in a basic red sauce, is admittedly something that requires technique and practice, but possibly one of the most important things a chef/cook must learn. The Mango Island cocktail that is quite popular from all accounts, is very decent, strong and sweet, worth a taste if you happen upon Rubens. If..

We had a pleasant evening meal here at Ruben's…read more The starter sharing plate was delicious, as were the donuts for dessert. The pizza left me disappointed though. The base is not made in house and a bit frozen pizza-ish if I'm honest. Not what you want from an Italian restaurant. The toppings were fresh though. The pasta had by our friends was very nice from all accounts. Staff were very nice and very helpful.

The pizza is amazing. Cooked in a wood fired oven and the varieties of pizza are not what you…read moreexpect. I've had several types and they are all very nice. The friendly staff and good service keep you satisfied and not wanting for anything. The coffee is also good and if you can't stop for a meal grab a takeaway pizza it still great. Make sure you book if you want a table as it can be very busy and you may be disappointed or will have to wait a while. They are only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and I usually book at least a week in advance and even then in the festive times of year it's hard to get a table. Give it a go you won't be disappointed it's a bit of a drive from Melbourne but there are plenty of other places to see and things to do if you make it a day trip.

Amazing pizza using fresh, quality ingredients. The share platters are not to be missed!…read more The atmosphere is simply gorgeous - the outdoor area is a beautiful garden that seems more like an intimate backyard party than a restaurant. I can see many day trips to Avenel in my future just to go to Bank Street!

Woodfired pizza oven, cinnamon apple crepes, lightly fried calamari and steak...mmmm my tummy just…read moregrumbled again thinking about it. We booked a dinner for 2 at the Winery Kitchen on a rainy weekend away in Seymour and we couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable dinner. Staff were friendly from the get go and the atmosphere really relaxing and casual. The inside has simple decor and the restaurant is round with seating outside as well which seems perfect for the summer. The highlights: Pizza - heaps of prosciutto and rocket and the base was crispy but thin and soft enough that I even ate a few crusts! Apple pie crepes - the ice cream was really creamy and we really wanted to ask for another bowl of it by itself but actual crepes were great too. Tiny bit crispy on the edges with perfectly soft cinnamon apple on the inside. The great thing is heaps of the ingredients are freshly supplied from their garden out the back or from local farmers. What a great place!

Have eaten at this restaurant on many occasions food is to die for no need to travel to Melboure…read more The pizza is the best you will find any where just like in Italy it's a must try experience.Breakfast is also a must

Labella Pizza is the bomb. It is:…read more - super tasty - not at all oily - well priced/cheap It is a family owned and run business and you can tell. Mick and his family are super friendly and it is really nice heading down to the store. They remember regulars and occasionally will give you a small discount or chuck in a freebie. That's the right kind of service if you ask me! My favourite pizza from there is the vegetarian. It is absolutely delicious and I've included a photo for you. Seriously, I cannot recommend this particular one more highly. All the pizzas from Labellas are nice but this one has always stood out and my family love it. Often we order four of the same because yup - it's that good. The shop itself is also really clean and fresh and it always smells good in there. There are bargain packs available for a drink and a pizza combo and those really are good deals. Give them a go and you won't look back!

Awesome Pizzas, restaurant is always busy... Nothings a…read moreproblem, relaxed atmosphere when picking up . Keep up the great work

Good food and great service. They are friendly and polite. Will go there again for sure.read more

I have been to this place a lot of times. They've a wide range of pizzas (also pastas although I've…read morenever tried the pasta, but they do say my mates pizza and pasta, so i guess they must have them). The pizza made are halal and delicious. I ordered twelve pizza (four kebab pizza, five barbecue chicken pizza and three hot and spicy pizza all of which were good pizzas) for a party and upon pick up which only took them fifteen minutes to cook. A very impressive amount of time. The owner of the store gave us two large drinks and two garlic breads as a reward with no charge for free. Which is probably a bribe that hurts no one and every pizza shops and businesses must do. They also asked us if we needed any help to get the pizzas in the car which we didn't. Anyways those kind of briber equates to a great customer service and one that will take me back many times in their shop again and again. Makes you feel appreciated and welcomed. Not to say that there pizzas are expensive, they reasonably priced pizzas and even though they have a monopoly within some part of the community they have managed to not abuse their power. WHIC IS GREAT. HOPEFULLY THIS REVIEW WILL HELP THE NEXT TIME YOU GO THERE.

these guys know how to make an awesome pizza!! Their cheesy garlic pizza is to die for! Generous…read moreamount of toppings! Delivery service is A1.

It doesn't look like much when you walk past but on the inside this place is MAGNIFICENT! The…read morepizzas are always overflowing with ingredients,which in this case is a good thing. This family business has the best customer service and the chefs get everything done ASAP. Prices are great and would HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Food was overpriced, tasted awful, and made me physically ill. Service was ok, nothing notable,…read moreambience was fine I guess.

The skinny flat white didn't take long and it tasted all right. It can stand toe-to-toe with what…read moreMelbourne has to offer. Service was quick and we had a couple of choices for our table, so the one next to the fireplace got our vote! #lovefireplaces The menu offers a variety of items for the hungry and the foodies. The seafood chowder was not as creamy as I was hoping for but the taste was fresh and did not disappoint! There could've been another piece of bread but the low carb dieter in me was thankful there wasn't. :)) The home-made lasagne had a generous serving and my pasta-lover wife enjoyed it. And the best dish for us was the Thai-style calamari was perfectly cooked, tender, and flavourful. The salad had a good balance of vegetation and shallots and dressing. The aioli that came with it sealed the deal. We would come back again!

When I was growing up Daylesford was the kind of place my grandparents would go for a day trip. The…read morekind of place where you bought alpaca knitting yarn, preserved fruits and other "old people" stuff. Now, either Daylesford has got trendy or I've become old because now I love the place! A weekend away in this part of Victoria is a relaxed affair, and while I might be willing to give up the city life for a couple of days I'm not prepared to give up on city quality food and booze. That's where Wombat Hill comes in. It's a charming spot inside the botanical gardens which means you can have a pre or post lunch stroll and a climb up the tower that gives good views over Daylesford. Come for breakfast, a hearty lunch or afternoon tea. There's big comforting meals like meatballs and soup, or if you're wanting to stick to healthy things you can order beautiful salads and even a bottle of keffir! Booze hounds are equally looked after with cocktails and wine. A sure bet when you're in Daylesford for the day. Note: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

This delightful cafe/function venue is a highlight of a trip to Daylesford. Set in the beautiful…read moreWombat Hill Botanical Gardens the cafe invites fireside eating and drinking in stylish and a"home beautiful" setting. If the weather is mildish or even better sunny head for the attached conservatory (guaranteed "warm inside") or open area with fire pit. We have sampled breakfast, lunch and in-betweens. The prices are very good value for the area and there are always special soups, pizzas and curries of the day. A highlight today was home made crumpets with poached pears which will unfortunately put you off bought crumpets for all time! The sweets cabinet has a scrummy selection of home made temptations including the cutest mini carrot cakes. Wombat Hill is fully licensed and has a blackboard menu of cocktails - I spy an Espresso Martini or a Citrus Fizz. How about a gelato martini with 1 scoops or 2? Does anyone know what time cocktail technically starts as their kitchen closes at 4.00pm!!! Oh I forgot any hour on holiday is cocktail hour!

Definitely 5 stars! I ordered the Chicken & Mushroom pasta and it was absolutely delicious. My…read morefiancé ordered the Hellboy pizza and it was also delicious. The crust on any pizza can make it or break it - the owner certainly knows what he's doing with the wood fired grill. Highly recommend!

From the owner: Italian Woodfire Pizza Restaurant, serving authentic woodfire pizza, woodfire lasagne and…read moremeatballs, pasta, risotto, modern breakfast and using Niccolo coffee beans on a La Marzocco espresso machine. Open 7am-Late, 7days.