Tastes of Central Geelong returns for 2023, celebrating the region’s rich and diverse culinary scene with countless events
It’s our favourite time of the year: the beloved festival dedicated to showing off the best food and drink in Geelong is back and we’ve never been more ready to indulge.
With so much to treat yourself to, the annual Tastes of Central Geelong Festival returns for 11 days this March and April, with a mouthwatering and monumental-sized program celebrating all things local and delicious in the region.
Gifting locals and tourists alike an excuse to taste everything under the sun from Thursday, March 23 through to Sunday, April 2, this year’s festival is all about enticing food lovers to make their way into Central Geelong and head into participating restaurants and bars, old and new, who will be hosting a range of brilliant events and experiences. It’s all about staying local, eating local and drinking local by exploring new places and discovering the very best of what the city has to offer.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
With everything from an indulgent Afternoon Tea with Celebrity Chef Adrian Richardson, Q&A with Matthew Evans and Anther Gin, and Urban Cocktail Trail, to a Geelong Waterfront Makers and Growers Market, GENUWINE Natural Wine Festival by Westend, and an evening with a Master of Wine by Westend and La Cachette, there’s pretty much something to keep you busy every day of the festival, and providing the perfect opportunity to sample some of the best food and drink that the Geelong region has to offer.
Promising to be one of its most tantalising programs yet, this year will also feature the return of Geelong’s Bake Off—the epic hunt to find and crown Geelong’s best home baker.
This year, like all its previous years, there are plenty of plates full of activity at the Tastes of Central Geelong festival, so to help you navigate your way through this culinary celebration we’ve listed a few unmissable events and a few of our own personal favourites that we think are an absolute must through the multi-day feast.
Afternoon Tea with Adrian Richardson
One event that we are excited about (and is sure to be one of the biggest treats of the entire festival) is the annual Afternoon Tea event, this year featuring award-winning Australian chef and television presenter Adrian Richardson. Known for being the Bad Chef in Good Chef Bad Chef and appearing with chefs Manu Feildel, Gary Mehigan and Miguel Maestre in Boys Weekend, alongside many other TV appearance, Adrian is behind the successful and bustling La Luna in North Carlton and Bouvier in Brunswick and dedicated to serving up clean, fresh and innovative food.
As part of the event, sweet treats and bubbles will be available and attendees are encouraged to indulge while host and GT Editor, Sarah Bieske interviews Adrian about his life in the culinary spotlight, alongside a live cooking demonstration of three dishes from the chef himself.
When: Saturday, 25 March | 1pm – 3.30pm
Where: The Pier Geelong, Cunningham Pier
Cost: $55-65
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Central Geelong Bake Off
Alright, mixing bowls and wooden spoons at the ready! Are you ready to be crowned Central Geelong’s Best Amateur Baker?
Tastes of Central Geelong are on a quest to find Geelong’s best home baker. Simply enter your signature sweet treat for the chance to be crowned Central Geelong’s Bake Off Champion, take home great prizes and earn bragging rights for life.
With five exciting categories including, two ‘kid’s categories’, ‘indulgent cupcakes’, ‘crunchy biscuits’ and ‘delicious slices’ (including raw and vegan), keen bakers are encouraged to dive into a world of culinary creativity and present treats to get the judges’ taste buds tingling. For the more creative bakers, take things to the next level with Barwon Water’s ‘water’ category where you can showcase the versatility of water as either the hero ingredient or method in creating your sweet treats. The more creative the better.
When: Saturday 25th Mar | 10am
Where: Westfield Geelong
Central Geelong’s Bake Off returns in March and registrations are now open
GENUWINE: A Natural Wine Festival by Westend Geelong
In a first for Geelong, GENUWINE: A Natural Wine Festival, presented by Westend Geelong, will be celebrating the diversity and education of what natural really is about.
Set in the open gardens of the Geelong Club on a sunny Sunday afternoon, Geelong’s first GENUWINE wine fair will be showcasing small artisan producers and importers, passionate about low intervention, well crafted wines that celebrate taste, character and fun.
Local food restaurants will be on hand, as well as non-alcholic options, and DJ to ensure a good time for all!
When: Sunday 26 March | 1pm – 5pm
Where: Gardens of the Geelong Club
Cost: $35
A wine festival is coming to The Geelong Club in March, bringing along more than 100 wines to taste
Urban Cocktail Trail
To celebrate the art, the craftsmanship and most importantly the fun a beautifully made cocktail has to offer, the Urban Cocktail Trail has partnered with the best bars in Central Geelong for guests to enjoy on a self-guided Cocktail Trail!
How does it work you ask? Rally your friends together and start the afternoon with a bite to eat and an arrival cocktail at your starting location before making your way around the trail to redeem your cocktail vouchers, choosing your favourites from the Signature Cocktail List.
As a self-guided experience where you decide to stop and sip is completely up to you, with participating venues including 18th Amendment Bar (Ft. Pina Clear-Ada), Black Sheep (Ft. Teddy Bear’s Picnic), Edge (Ft. Edge of Paradise), Justin Lane (Ft. Salted Watermelon + Elderflower Spritz), Manhattan Bar (Ft. Strawberry and Bush Honey Collins), Non – Disclosure (Ft. The Long Way Home), Sailor’s Rest (Ft. Mango Mai Tai), The Inn Hotel (Ft. The Inn Sour), There There (Ft. Tokyo Vice) and Westend (Ft. Westend’s Autumn Spritz).
When: Saturday, 1 Apr | 1pm – 5pm
Where: Various locations
Cost: From $44, tickets here.
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In Conversation with Matthew Evans & Anther Gin
Prepare for an unforgettable afternoon GT magazine food writer, Cam Ward, joins renowned Australian chef, food critic and television personality, Matthew Evans, in conversation with Anther Gin, the award-winning distillery known for their unique blend of botanicals and exceptional gin.
Matthew will share his insights and philosophy on sustainability and the importance of supporting local producers. Anther Gin will discuss the art of distilling and their passion for crafting exceptional gin using native Australian botanicals.
During the event, guests will have the opportunity to meet Matthews Evans and sample delicious Anther Gin.
When: Sunday 2 April | 12pm – 2.45pm
Where: Geelong Library & Heritage Centre
Cost: $40
Hop-A-Long Geelong
Presented by Valhalla Taproom, Medusa and Bell Beach Brewery, Hop-A-Long Geelong is a beer festival with a difference.
Spread across six Central Geelong venues and including 12 breweries, you’ll enjoy two beers per brewery, including one special release ‘festival’ beer. Showcasing local and independent craft beer within the beating heart of the City of Geelong, beer lovers will stroll from venue to venue and complete your Hop-A-Long Geelong passport.
Get ready to raise a glass and cheers to a fun-filled day! Don’t miss out – tickets go live Friday 24 February!
When: Saturday 1 April | 12pm – 6pm
Where: Various
Cost: $60
Hop-A-Long Geelong is the epic new craft beer festival hitting central Geelong in April
New Games: Togetherness Through Play
Come along to an afternoon of games and playful activities at Tastes of Central Geelong!
Join artist game-maker duo Chad Toprak & Helen Kwok as they introduce and facilitate a series of outdoor games inspired by the New Games movement. From Lemon Jousting to Ninja, Cosmic Counting to Spaghetti Standoff, there’s fun to be had by both adults and children. The New Games movement celebrates togetherness and joy through shared experiences, connection, and cooperation. Learn new games, meet your community, and have a laugh as we enjoy an afternoon of playing together.
Bring along your hat and water bottle, put on some sunscreen and comfy clothes, and let’s play together!
When: Saturday, 25 March | 2pm – 4pm
Where: Johnstone Park
Cost: FREE
Tickets: No bookings or registration required
Fill Your Own Goody Bags.
This year, the Fill your own goody bag is back again, running over the course of a week in the second half of the festival.
To participate, simply pick a day you want to attend (and register), pay for the goody bag, and then go on the hunt from participating businesses and exchange a unique token for your special goody!
When: Monday 27 March – Friday 31 March | 10am – 1pm
Where: Little Malop Street
Cost: $15
And all that is barely the half of it. There’s also a Cannoli Piping Workshop with Cakes and Vases, live painting sites Pinot and Picasso, Geelong Waterfront Makers & Growers Market – Tastes Edition, masterclasses with Union Cellars, Gelato tasting sessions, and Westend Geelong & La Cachette are delivering a sit down with a Master of Wine who will guide attendees through a premium paired wine and food meal.
With hundreds of activities on offer, it doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned foodie or a newfound food lover, we can guarantee that there will be something new and enticing for your to devour.
See the full program online here.
