Wills Domain, WA: The best winery lunch in Yallingup?

Wills Domain in Yallingup, Western Australia, is one of the top wineries in the Margaret River region. But it’s the restaurant, serving produce grown in the garden, that’s the main attraction.

Wills Domain is one of several excellent wineries in the Margaret River region of Western Australia. It consists of two vineyards in the Gunyulgup Valley, Yallingup. Of these, the Yallingup Estate opened in 1985 and the Wills Domain Estate kicked off in 1992.

The Haunold family, originally from Austria, has been in the winemaking business since 1383 and operates the winery.

Wills Domain in Yallingup, Western Australia. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

Wills Domain wines

Wills Domain’s reputation is for high quality wines. The Paladin Hill Chardonnay, Paladin Hill Matrix and Paladin Hill Shiraz have received consistently high review scores from wine critics.

But Wills Domain is probably better known for its restaurant than its wines. In 2018, the Wills Domain Restaurant was named as the number one restaurant in Western Australia by the Western Australia Good Food Guide.

Wills Domain restaurant

It unashamedly offers fine dining, but there’s an emphasis on sustainable, wild harvested produce. Much of that produce grows in the on-site gardens, and the winery lunch menu is kept seasonal as a result. There are some unusual ingredients, too – meats include quail and Patagonian tooth fish.

A two course meal with starter and main costs $85, and it’s $95 if you want dessert as well. This Yallingup winery restaurant is open for lunch only, from Thursday to Monday. Book via the Wills Domain website.

The cellar door, however, is open for tastings from 10am to 5pm daily.

Yallingup is at the northern end of the Margaret River wine region. Attractions near the winery include the Yallingup Maze, Quinninup Falls, Canal Rocks and Indijup Natural Spa. The Torpedo Rocks Lookout and Ngigli Cave are a little further north.