Kilcunda

December 6-7, 2025

   

We had an overnight stay in Kilcunda this summer, motivated by a live music show at Archies Creek Hotel. The weather was pretty miserable (excepting a 20 minute period in which I took the above photo), but the eating was an unexpectedly bright spot.

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I looked past the name and booked us dinner at Udder & Hoe. It has a compact circular floor plan with an arc of floor-to-ceiling windows facing the (on our visit, very dreary) beach, and millennial-instagram vibes. We picked most of the vegetarian options across the menu - it doesn't explicitly mark dietary suitability but it's the kind of place that lists all the featured ingredients rather than naming dishes.

   

What we ate, we liked a lot. Sourdough came with sweet, fluffy Tenby Point honey butter ($8), and a flat little chickpea crumpet ($7) was topped with Prom Country feta and a tangle of pickled zucchini and fresh herbs. The same salad mix was teamed with radish and almonds, atop a burrata ($18) with a side of croutons. A third time, a pickled onion version garnished a deceptively small, very hearty mushroom and kale lasagne ($30). Lasagne isn't a summery food, but then this wasn't a particularly summery evening. It's probably for the best that we didn't order the side of organic salad leaf with pickled onion ($14). We skipped dessert but picked up a block of chocolate from their display of fancy groceries and trinkets.

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kgs' eclectic outdoor furniture looked abandoned on our evening walk, but the morning confirmed that it's a bright and very-much-in-business cafe. We started early and had our pick of the more carefully curated indoor furniture and booth seating. The menu covers off on the breakfast classics, and leans towards burgers and wraps for lunch. Again, we relied on ingredient lists and not markers for dietary interpretation. I chose a cosy plate of sourdough crumpets ($19) teamed with tangy strawberry-rhubarb compote and yoghurt plus a toasted oat crumb. Michael tried the on-trend hot honey toast ($17.50), which actually featured smashed avocado, Danish feta and a bit of chilli. 

   

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While we didn't get to enjoy Kilcunda's beach as we might have hoped, the catering far exceeded my expectations... all the more reason to come back when the forecast improves.