10 ideas to help you create a Phillip Island festive spread!

🎄Create your own Phillip Island festive spread!

'Tis the season to catch up with friends, family and work colleagues, and what better way to enjoy great company than by supporting local and indulging in fresh Phillip Island produce. Eating locally and in-season benefits the health of the planet, your taste buds, and community ties and supports the local economy.

Here are 10 ideas to help you create the finest Phillip Island spread!

1. Keep calm and eat the cheese 🧀

If you love local fresh cheese, then you won't want to miss out on purchasing Bassine Speciality Cheeses handmade artisan farmhouse cheeses! Bassine produces a range of soft cheeses, including feta, brie, camembert, washed rind, coulommiers, halloumi, ricotta, quark, fruit cheese and marinated feta.

2. Eat Local, Buy Local, Grow Local 🍓

Experience the best of paddock-to-plate at Macca's Farm - fresh produce, free-range meats, and 'Pick-Your-Own' strawberries in stunning Glen Forbes!

Located in Glen Forbes, Macca's Farm offers free-range pork, beef, lamb, hydroponic vegetables, and ‘Pick-Your-Own’ strawberries!

Located in Ventnor, The Store Phillip Island is a must-visit, one-stop-shop for all of your gourmet staples. Offering high-quality, locally sourced and made products including fresh sourdough, condiments and fresh flowers!

Not too far from The Store is Omaru Farm and Cafe, which offers a wide range of organic and flavorful seasonings, spices, and products from Omaru Farm Store.

If you are looking for organic and bulk whole foods, you will want to visit The Corner Dispensary. Located in Cowes, The Corner Dispensary offers an extensive range of health and bulk foods, local and organic produce and grocery, eco-friendly living, personal care, and gift ideas, as well as supplements, herbal dispensary, and clinic space.

3. The best things in life are sweet 🍬

Who doesn't love sweats, right? For dessert treats, stock up on Panny's Phillip Island Chocolate Factory individually made chocolate bars, chocolate blocks for sharing, cream-filled chocolates, nut clusters, sweetly filled truffles, penguins, koalas, dolphins and a vast range of gift packs for every occasion. Plus, not to mention their huge range of amazingly decorated shoes…which are a huge hit.

For doughnuts, cakes, and more, Beachside Bakehouse San Remo offers a selection of freshly baked bakery treats, including bread, cakes, pies, pastries, sausage rolls, and sandwiches.

4. Decorations that will impress ✨

Get ready to deck the halls and create the ultimate festive spread with a little help from Phillip Island’s best local retailers. Lattitude in San Remo is your go-to for beautiful homewares and coastal-inspired touches to bring your Christmas table to life. In Cowes, Linen House has everything you need to add warmth and style to your entertaining spaces, from cosy bedding to elegant table décor. And for those finishing touches, The Store in Ventnor offers a curated collection of unique finds perfect for adding charm to your Christmas decorating or gifting with style this season.

Image: The Store

5. Festive seafood that will reel in the crowd 🍤

When it comes to fresh local seafood, you can't go past Bass Strait Direct and the San Remo Fisherman's Co-Op.

Straight off the boat, Bass Strait Direct offers fresh seafood plucked from Bass Strait daily including quality seafood from Flathead and Gummy flake to scallops and prawns!

San Remo Fisherman's Co-Op sources sustainable seafood from their own fleet of fish and lobster vessels. With an ever-changing variety according to seasons and weather, shop a range of seafood including lobster, fish, prawns, oysters, scallops, abalone and much more!

6. Christmas lunch🎄

Located in Cowes, Phillip Island, Hill Top Farm Meats is a family-run business that brings you the very best in Grass Fed and Free Range Meats. The Pantry,Cape Woolamai and San Remo Butchers, also stock a fantastic range of meats and gourmet staples.

7. Market to market 🥖

Pick up some of the best local produce at Local Markets and taste local flavours and products at monthly local markets, including cheese, artisan bread, farm-grown vegetables, condiments, produce and much more!

8. Christmas blooms 💐

Add a burst of festive colour to your home this season with beautiful blooms from local favourites. The Store Phillip Island offers fresh, seasonal bunches with a modern coastal feel - perfect for a Christmas centrepiece or thoughtful gift. Phillip Island Flowers in Cowes creates stunning floral arrangements tailored for every festive occasion, while San Remo IGA also has a lovely selection of ready-to-go bouquets to brighten your home or holiday table. Whether you’re after something lush and native or classic and elegant, these local spots have your festive florals sorted.

9. Wine and dine with Phillip Island local wines 🍷

Purple Hen Winery is a family-owned and operated winery producing premium cool climate wines on a beautiful part of Phillip Island. Shop online or experience their cellar door and browse their range of award-winning wines from chardonnay to pinot noir.

Phillip Island Winery's cellar door offers wine-tasting and retail wine sales. Fruit is sourced locally where possible, and wines include Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato and a Sparkling Chardonnay-Pinot Noir blend. Online shop is also available.

Silverwaters Vineyard is a family-owned small cellar door located in San Remo and offers Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz either online or in person.

The Gurdies Winery produces a range of varietal and blended wines made from eight varieties of Estate-grown grapes, using traditional wine-making processes. The wines are typically cool climate in style, the most popular being Riesling, Verdelho-Chardonnay, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Other varieties include Pinot Noir and Tempranillo and the winery also produces red and white port.

10. A festive brew 🍻

For locally brewed craft beer, don't miss the chance to taste and check out the unique range of brews and seasonal beers from Ocean Reach Brewing. The production brewery pumps out a range of core beers plus plenty of seasonal and experimental beers throughout the year. The Brewers enjoy experimenting with hop-forward beers but enjoy all beer styles and believe they are best shared with mates. For trendy can designs and great-tasting brews, drop by their taphouse in Cowes or shop online.

Philip Island Brewing Co specialises in creating unique small-batch handcrafted beers, unlike your standard lager. Unique flavours are created with the use of malts, yeasts and hops. The addition of a diverse range of Australian native fruits and plants are also used to create a range of speciality brews unique to the Island. Shop their beers and their Phillip Island survival pack online or find their range of beers on tap at Rusty Water Brewery Restaurant & Bar.

Don't forget to tag us in your festive photos at #phillipisland or @phillipisland on Instagram.