Swiss Mountain Hotel

3454 Midland Highway
Blampied, Victoria 3350
(03) 53 457411
Out among the rolling pastures, potato fields and rolling hills, on the road between Daylesford and Ballarat, sits the tiny Swiss Mountain Hotel. It's a funny little place, bustling and full of travellers and local farmers one day, forlorn the next. We've been in for Sunday roast a few times and the food is hardy fare, as you'd expect for such a rustic setting. There's nothing much special about the Swiss Mountain apart from its setting, but it is generally welcoming and comfortable.

Cricketer's Arms Hotel

69 Cruikshank Street,
Port Melbourne
(03) 9646 3306
Every neighbourhood should have a pub like this. Turn down the narrow inner-city street and there, in between the neat homes, sits the Arms, and it's everything a pub should be. I'm even willing to overlook its poor selection of tap beers (yes, it's a CUB pub). But the wine selection is good and you can sit on stubbies of the Melbourne-brewed Cricketer's Arms Lager all day. The food is excellent and service is also first rate. It's got a comfortable bar and lovely dining room, plus a very good beer garden out back. I haven't noticed if there was a pool table or dart board, but there are TVs and a sports theme in the front bar, so it would be a great place to watch the footy on weekends.