[category]
[title]
There are already a lot of solid reasons to head out of the city to Sorrento, and here's a new one to add to the list. The magical seaside town on the Mornington Peninsula has just scored a new restaurant built directly over the water, and it’s the first of its kind for the region.
Perched on pylons above Port Phillip Bay as part of the Searoad Ferries Terminal, Onda is a 150-seat coastal Mediterranean restaurant that leans all the way into its setting. To reach the dining room, you’ll cross a glass feature floor (yes, you can see the water moving beneath you) before choosing between the light-filled interior or a breezy deck overlooking the bay. Either way, the view is the main event.
The menu follows the same logic as the location: seafood-forward. Expect freshly shucked oysters with lemon and pickled shallots, school prawns with bisque-spiked aioli, grilled calamari salad with pickled lemon and grapes, and pan-roasted snapper with fennel and saffron. There’s plenty beyond the ocean, too – lamb rump with harissa, burrata with green tomato chutney, gnocchi alla vodka and a 300g dry-aged scotch fillet all make appearances.
Wood-fired pizzas anchor the offering, named after Port Phillip Bay ferries in a cheeky nod to the setting. The Lonsdale piles on calamari, mussels and prawns, while the Golden Crown comes topped with prosciutto and rocket. And for dessert? The Nutella, chocolate, cookie and strawberry pizza is shaping up to be the crowd favourite.
Leading the kitchen is executive chef Mike Jaques, whose résumé includes Michelin-starred kitchens in London and a Chef’s Hat at Tulip in Geelong. In 2025 he was also named Peter Watson Memorial Chef of the Year, one of Australian hospitality’s top honours. He’s joined by head chef Tobias Marks, formerly of Gingerboy, Major Tom’s and Jackalope.
Upstairs, a tapas and cocktail bar channels laid-back aperitivo energy, shifting from ferry passenger lounge by day to Spritz-fuelled golden hour gem as the sun drops. Drinks skew coastal and summery – think Aperol Spritzes, local wines, and a tight list of gins and cocktails built for long afternoons.
Onda sits within the new Searoad Ferries Sorrento Terminal but operates as a destination in its own right – whether you’re cruising in from Queenscliff, visiting from Melbourne for a day trip or you're a local on the lookout for your new fave sunset spot.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served seven days a week from 7.30am (with evening hours soon extending to 9pm). Walk-ins are welcome, but if you’ve got your eye on that west-facing deck at sunset, booking ahead might be wise. You can learn more and book over here.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.