delicious.100: Red Hill South’s Port Phillip Estate is one of Victoria’s best restaurants.

Port Phillip Estate sits high above the coast at Red Hill, ensuring it enjoys the best restaurant view in Victoria.

Poached pear with nuts, yoghurt and honeycomb. Pictures: Andrew Tauber

Port Phillip Estate sits high above the coast at Red Hill, ensuring it enjoys the best restaurant view in Victoria. but a box seat over Western Port is not the only reason to visit this fine diner on Mornington Peninsula.

The building itself — a dramatic curved structure — undulates amid native grasses and spotted gums. Then there are the surrounding vineyards, supplying fruit for the exceptional wines you enjoy here, and Stuart Deller’s elegant cooking.

Port Phillip Estate.

His kitchen brigade conveys a strong sense of place. In spring, Port Phillip’s menu included local whiting with kohlrabi, fennel and a slow-cooked egg; “fire roasted’’ dory ornamented with cucumber and lovage; and organic suckling pig under a perfect lid of crackling.

Whiting with kohl rabi.

Suckling pig.

Dessert is Deller’s trump card, especially if he’s drizzling poached Red Hill pears with peninsula honey (pictured above), but little things count as well: the house-baked epi rolls and the “pure harvested’’ rainwater, served still or sparkling.

Service could be more accomplished — a lack of salesmanship was noticeable — but lunch at Port Phillip Estate, with THAT view, can be deeply satisfying.

Must eat dish: suckling pig with cabbage, apple and coffee beer sauce

BEST VIEW: PORT PHILLIP ESTATE

263 Red Hill Rd, Red Hill South.

Ph: 5989 4444

portphillipestate.com.au

Cuisine: contemporary

Chef: Stuart Deller

Price: more than $80 a person for two courses, food only

Bookings: yes

Open: Wed-Sun noon-3pm, Fri-Sat 6.30-9.30pm

Instagram: @portphillipestate

This restaurant was ranked the 49th best restaurant in Victoria in the 2016 edition of the delicious.100.