Best places to eat and drink in Ringwood

From a flame-powered pub, cheap and cheerful dumpling house and friendly family butcher — these are the best places to eat and drink in Ringwood according to a top chef.

From a flame-powered pub, cheap and cheerful dumpling house and friendly family butcher — these are the best places to eat and drink in Ringwood, according to Milton Wine head chef Tane Flanagan.

Cheeky Challa is best known for its Vietnamese coffee and traditional meals.

Best place for a coffee and breakfast

Cheeky Challa

A small, family owned Vietnamese cafe with standout banh mi and delicious specialty coffee brewed to perfection. I’ve always been a fan of a late breakfast that I can pick-up — they also have street-style food that they rotate week to week that never misses. Can’t beat it.

20/42-44 New St

A steakhouse in an old fire station? I’ve seen it all.

Best counter meal and beer

The Firehouse

The Firehouse is a retrofitted fire station and provides a great spot for people to sit down and unwind with a beer and a meal. With rotating beers on tap and a menu built around their smoker-grill set up, it’s definitely the spot for a quick splash and a feed.

253-257 Maroondah Hwy

There are more dumplings to poke a chopstick at Block 7 Dumplings.

Where I take the family

Block 7 Dumplings

An underrated gem located in Eastland shopping centre. While the delicious dumplings, made in an open kitchen at the front of the shop, are the first thing that catches the eye, the huge selection never misses and is what keeps us coming back. The sambal chilli string beans and fried bean curd are the first things ordered every time.

Level 2, Eastland, 175 Maroondah Hwy

The owners of Bjs Meats will always remember a face, name and order.

Where I stock the pantry, fridge and freezer

Bjs Meats

This butcher is a third-generation family business and the quality of produce shows you why it’s still going strong. This shop is a gem. From the interesting large selection of cuts to the friendly faces always willing to help and showing interest in what you are going to be cooking, I can’t go past them.

Ringwood Square Shopping Centre, Shop 1/59-65 Maroondah Hwy

You have to travel outside of your postcode for something fancy in Ringwood.

When I want to be a little fancy

Rob Dolan Wines

Living in a small town requires a commute to get something fancy and we often end

up at Rob Dolan cellar door, a five-minute drive up the road for a classic Yarra

Valley winery experience. Good wines and a lovely, classy set up overlooking the

vineyard makes for a wonderful afternoon out.

21-23 Delaneys Rd, Warrandyte South

Milton Wine celebrates its 10 anniversary with a weekend dedicated to the 2014 vintage, August 2-4. milton.wine