I don’t know about you but for me, half of the fun of going on holiday is the planning stage. And when you’re heading south for a getaway, you have to make a plan of where to stop for lunch on the way to Margaret River and beyond.
When we visited Diamond Forest Farm Stay back in June, we had a lunch stop on the way there and the way back, so I thought I’d share these with you in case you were looking for where to stop for lunch on the way to Margaret River.
Lunch Stop #1 – The Crooked Carrot

Having driven past The Crooked Carrot each time we’ve been to Margaret River, we finally decided to give it a try.
The car park has always been completely jam-packed when we have driven past, but that’s probably due to the fact we’ve headed away on holiday over a long weekend or during the school holidays.
This time, we headed away for a mid-week break on a Tuesday but still decided to book a table in advance just in case it was busy.
On arrival there were plenty of tables all nicely socially-distanced from each other. It wasn’t long after restaurants were allowed to serve tables again so it was all quite new and strange to be eating out again.
We found our table, albeit having been taken by some other people, and settled in to check the menu.
There are heaps of dishes on the menu to choose from, for adults and kids alike. My eye was drawn to the toastie list (not that common here in WA compared to South Africa) and I had to go for the egg mayo toastie.

Mr 10 went for a cheese toastie and Mr C opted for a chicken wrap. We also got a bowl of chips to share (holy moly it was a big bowl!). The food was good, but not anything to rave about. My toastie had onion in it, which I really don’t like and had never seen before with an egg mayo toastie.
The iced coffees were delicious but the kids milkshake was not very cold and very milky – I always forget that milkshakes here are often just milk and you have to ask for a thickshake if you want an ice-cream style milkshake.

But the outdoor area at The Crooked Carrot is the real draw here. It has several huge open spaces for kids to run around and let off steam after being cooped up in the car. All of them are fully enclosed making it safe for kids. Dogs are also allowed on a lead which is fab for anyone travelling with their fur babies like we were.
There’s an area specifically for little ones and then a HUGE nature play area. They also have a veggie garden you can walk around, an original Melbourne tram which looks like it was used as a seating area pre-Covid, and a collection of old trucks and cars which was also closed off when we visited (thank you coronavirus).

If you want to stop somewhere for lunch on the way to Margaret River that’s on the main road with lots of choice, good prices and an amazing outdoor space, The Crooked Carrot will tick all your boxes.
Lunch Stop #2 – Old Coast Road Brewery

Because I like to try new places, we decided to try a different stop for lunch on our way home. I’d seen some signs on the way down for The Old Coast Road Brewery not far from The Crooked Carrot, so we booked a table for our return journey.
The Old Coast Road Brewery is set on a dirt road just a little way to the east of The Crooked Carrot.
The driveway approach has to be one of the most beautiful ones I’ve seen and can imagine how stunning it must be in spring. The avenue is lined with a range of different olive tree varieties and is just gorgeous.

The restaurant has plenty of outdoor seating and it’s all undercover as well. Dogs are allowed on leads if they stay on the grass, and they have a huge footy field set up for kids along with lots of different sports equipment like balls and cricket bats.

When we visited they were just days away from opening a new mini golf course which looked super fun. Each hole has a WA theme making it a great way to learn a little more about our beautiful home state. There was also a small playground area for the little ones.
As a brewery, we couldn’t visit without trying some of their beer. With so many different beers to choose from, there was only one solution – a tasting paddle!

Food-wise Mr 10 went for the kid’s fish and chips, and Mr C and I shared the spiced squid and an Asian-style chicken salad. We all really enjoyed our meals and the stunning views that went with our lunch.

We did see some wood fired pizzas coming out of the kitchen which looked delicious too – if I had been hungrier I definitely would have gone for one of them.
I hope this inspires you on your search of where to stop for lunch on the way to Margaret River. Both The Crooked Carrot and The Old Coast Road Brewery are around 90 minutes from the centre of Perth making them ideal lunch stops for your south west holiday.
Where are your favorite lunch stops on the way to Margaret River? Let me know in the comments below.
No Comments