Pipis Kiosk

Pipis Kiosk is not your average seaside kiosk. Sure, there’s a takeaway window where you can find beachside classics such as fish’n’chips, burgers and ice-creams to enjoy on the sand. But on the inside there’s a relaxed, elegant restaurant with big windows, soaring ceilings and unobstructed ocean views.

The seasonal menu changes every few weeks – but the mainstay is the signature pasta; bucatini with Goolwa pippies, smoked tomato and pernod, France’s anise-flavoured liqueur. Proving all good things take time, chef/co-owner Jordan Clay smokes the tomatoes overnight over a very low heat on the woodfired grill.

On the wine list, co-owner Tom Hunter spotlights Australian producers. So, the list features mostly small, local names from cool-climate regions: the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley and a smattering from WA and Tassie. International drops also get a look in; perhaps a rosé from Provence or a crisp Italian prosecco.

Whether the sea is flat, the sky azure and the sand swarming or the complete opposite – crashing waves, stormy weather and no one around – the dining room is an excellent vantage point. The neutral, white-walled dining room seats 40 on its light-coloured tables and rattan chairs, and another 50 outside – so dogs and sandy feet are very much welcome.