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Restaurant

The Surly Goat

3 Tenth St, Hepburn Springs VIC 3461, Australia

Recommended by 53 people

Updated

Find The Surly Goat

3 Tenth St, Hepburn Springs VIC 3461, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 3 5348 4628
HoursMonday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 5:00 – 11:00 PM Thursday: 5:00 – 11:00 PM Friday: 5:00 – 11:00 PM Saturday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM Sunday: Closed

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About The Surly Goat

Hepburn Springs hides a rare treat: serious dining ambition entirely stripped of ego. Tucked off the main road beside a quiet gorge, owners Dave and Vanessa run the room with unhurried warmth, welcoming diners like guests at a friend’s dinner party. The kitchen skips the static à la carte sprawl for an evolving, seasonal multi-course menu shaped by local produce and global technique. Courses arrive with deliberate poise—from house rye sourdough served with cultured butter to tender local lamb balanced with preserved lemon and anchovy.

  • Owner-Led Hospitality: Owners Dave and Vanessa personally welcome guests and guide dining service, pairing technical kitchen execution with relaxed, attentive warmth.
  • Seasonal Blind Tasting: The kitchen shapes evolving, multi-course set menus around immediate regional produce, balancing inventive pairings with disciplined restraint.
RestaurantRestaurant

What's On at The Surly Goat

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Dine at The Surly Goat

Technical culinary precision meets unpretentious, owner-led warmth in Hepburn Springs.

  • Inventive Culinary Technique Without Gimmicks

    The kitchen crafts refined, inventive dishes with technical discipline and nuance, eschewing gimmicks in favour of balanced, surprising flavour profiles.

    genuinely inventive without disappearing up its own backside

    Kto Znayet

  • Fine-Dining Precision Minus the Ego

    Guests experience high-calibre dining that rivals fine dining standards without any stiff formality, pretension, or theatrical pomp.

    without the pomp, ceremony, ego or theatrical fuss that often accompanies famous establishments

    Tim Gauci

  • Carefree Dining via Seasonal Tasting Menus

    A fixed set and blind tasting format driven by local seasonal produce lets diners hand over menu decisions completely and unwind.

    not having to choose and just sit back and relax

    Kristen

  • Produce-Led Seasonal Agility

    Dishes are frequently updated based on micro-seasonal changes and regional produce availability, resulting in carefully resolved, focused courses.

    ever changing with the seasons and local produce availability

    Elyssa Watson-Hill

  • Genuinely Welcoming Owner-Led Care

    Hands-on presence from head chef Dave and co-owner Vanessa bridges kitchen mastery and dining-room care with authentic warmth.

    felt considered without being pretentious

    Peter Jones

  • Intimate Hospitality That Feels Like Home

    Warm, personal hospitality creates a cozy, unhurried atmosphere that feels as intimate and relaxed as a private home dinner.

    invited to a very talented friend’s home for dinner

    Tim Gauci

Signature seasonal courses and culinary highlights

  • Set menu

    It’s a fixed seasonal menu that only changes once or twice a fortnight, and you can feel the confidence and discipline that comes with that approach.

    Kto Znayet

  • Steak fillet

    perfectly cooked steak fillet with carrot purée and roasted carrots

    Tim Gauci

  • Duck ravioli

    I had the set menu, with addition of the duck ravioli (which I thoroughly enjoyed, but at the end, it was a lot to carry on the way home).

    Justas Pipinis

  • Duck liver parfait

    Today we started with duck liver parfait with fermented and candied kumquats. Quite possibly the best example I have ever had.

    Sarah Lang

Other favorites

Complementary desserts, breads, and house beverages

  • House-made sourdough with whipped butter

    house-made sourdough with whipped butter

    Tim Gauci

  • Granny smith and parsnip dessert

    I'll dream about the granny smith and parsnip dessert, absolute perfection.

    Bianca Powell

  • Homemade kombucha

    among which the homemade kombucha must be mentioned and recommended (I had a rhubarb-elderflower variety - yum!).

    Justas Pipinis

  • Orange and Polenta cake

    Chicken Breast, and we finished up with Orange and Polenta cake.

    Elyssa Watson-Hill

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful hospitality and culinary details that elevate the dining experience at The Surly Goat.

  • Personal Chef Table Welcome

    Chef David personally steps out from the kitchen to greet guests at their tables, creating an intimate, welcoming hospitality experience.

  • Custom Multi-Course Vegetarian Adaptation

    The kitchen gladly adapts its structured four-course set tasting menu into a bespoke, fully vegetarian version upon request.

  • Butter Knife Cutlery Touch for Tender Lamb

    To highlight meat that is prepared exceptionally tender, the kitchen serves its signature lamb course with a butter knife rather than a steak knife.

  • Thoughtful Family Accommodation for Infants

    The front-of-house team accommodates families by preparing special extra food tailored specifically for visiting babies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of menu format can you expect?

The restaurant serves an evolving seasonal multi-course fixed and degustation menu driven by local ingredients. Portions are designed as balanced courses across the meal rather than large standalone plates.

Can the multi-course set menu cater to vegetarian diners?

Yes. While the standard set menu focuses on seasonal meat and seafood dishes, the kitchen can adapt the multi-course meal to accommodate vegetarian diets when requested.

Should you book a table in advance?

Reservations are strongly recommended. The dining room fills quickly due to popularity, and booking ahead ensures a table for lunch or dinner.

How long does a meal usually take?

Courses are served as a paced multi-course tasting experience. Guests can expect a relaxed dining pace, typically taking up to two hours across lunch or dinner.

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