Sunday 4 September 2022 is Father’s Day and it’s time to celebrate the dear old dads and father figures in our lives!

Nothing sorted? Well, forget getting your dear old dad a pair of socks and instead treat him with something safe and something delicious thanks to the killer local businesses around town, from feasts, grazing boxes to fun events and special treats.

Please note, at the time of writing bookings were still available but due to high demand, some venues may book out. We’ll also keep adding to this list as more events get announced. 

Prefer just treating dad to a beer? Here’s our list of the best bars and pubs in the great regional city of Geelong.

Of course the BBQ Lords at Mulita were going to concoct something special for Father’s Day and they’ve certainly gone above and beyond this year with their epic Texas Barbecue Spread!

With tables available on Sunday from 11am to 3pm, treat the big fella to a full selection of everything from the Barbecue plus Hot Fried Chicken and an assortment of sides, pickles and sauces to match.

You’ll get 14 hour Red Gum Smoked Brisket, Pulled Pork, Pork Belly Bites, Jalapeno & Cheddar Sausage, Smoked Barbecue Wings, Fried Chicken Tenders, House Slaw, Mac n’ Cheese, Brisket Beans, French Fries and Pickles & Onions… all for just $55 for adults and kids under 12 at $25. Kids can choose to eat from the Barbecue Share Platters or select from a dedicated Children’s Menu including a drink and dessert.

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Taking over the upstairs level of The Pavilion – a spot that has always had the potential to be a game-changer for locals and visitors alike – Caledonia Shores is a relatively new spot that captures the waterfront’s unique energy and inimitable soul, giving diners a cosily lit front-row seat to the breathtaking views of Geelong’s Eastern Beach.

For Father’s Day, the restaurant is putting on a spread for dinner. Priced at $88 per person, indulge dad in steamed oysters, Mapo Mushrooms, chicken and chive dumplings, Lamb Biang Pancake, Papaya Salad and steamed rice.  With these unique Asian Freestyle dishes combined with impeccable presentation, this will be a Father’s Day to remember.

Alternatively, you can also book a casual dinner and order off the regular menu.

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Located just 15 minutes from Geelong and the Surf Coast, or an hour from Melbourne, Mt Duneed Estate (AKA one of our favourite wineries) is celebrating all the Dads, Pas, male role models and just all the awesome blokes in our lives with a two-course shared lunch.

With adults at $69 a head and kids 12 and under at just $19, families can indulge in an entree of Kim chi cucumbers, felino salami, green olives, blue cheese and bacon remoulade, local kransky, dried fruits, apostle whey camembert and sliced ciabatta. For main, there;s seared lamb noisette, flame grilled mojo chicken or a Tamarind roasted sweet potato dish, with sides including roasted potatoes, honey roasted carrots, and broccolini, heirloom tomatoes and black rice. For the kids, there’s southern fried chicken with fries or a tomato and cheese pizza, and to finish off, a chocolate brownie with whipped cream

There’s two sessions available and live music all day, proving the perfect soundtrack to dad’s day.

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The Dunes out in Ocean Grove are also helping celebrate the great man with delicious food and coastal views.

Choose from the venues A La’ Carte menu or sit back, relax and enjoy a hand-selected set menu, catering for all tastes and dietary requirements.

Items on the set menu include warm olives, wood fired flatbread, baby squid, southern fried chicken, Petuna Ocean Trout, fish and chips, roasted pine mushroom, The Dunes Burger, grilled pork chop and salted caramel ice cream sundaes, among other delicious eats.

Available for both lunch and dinner, this promises to be a treat!

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Wildfire Craft BBQ, Geelong’s new home of slow-cooked, high-quality Texas-style barbecued meat, has indicating they’ll be putting on a spread for Father’s Day.

Dedicated to deep southern flavours – that all-American, slow-cooked, tangy barbecue goodness, this new spot has been selling out every single day they’ve been open. The team have flagged orders for Father’s Day will open on August 27, so we recommend you keep an eye on their socials as that’s where all the news goes down.

We assume they’ll be offering something along the lines of their BBQ packs, which usually come packed with a variation of brisket, pulled pork, handmade sausage, and choice of side and sauce, depending what you choose. Whatever they do, you can bet dad will love it.

Keep your eyes peeled here.

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Oh my platter. Winters Cafe have well and truly outdone themselves with their offerings over the past year, and lucky for us, they’ve decided to whip up a pack for Father’s Day.

Offering the ultimate brekky spread, this one is perfect for the whole family with smoked salmon bagels, ham & cheese croissants, panacotta, waffles with chocolate sauce, and house baked muesli with berry yoghurt.

Box for 2 is $65 and a box for 4 is $125. They must be picked up on Saturday, ready to heat and serve for Sunday.

To order, simply DM them on Instagram or call on 5221 8832. If you’d prefer to go out, Winters is taking breaky and lunch bookings.

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Coffee and croissant in the morning for dad, délicieuse!

If you’re looking to teleport your darling father to the streets of Paris, there’s no better place to start than at That Place Patisserie in Belmont. What once started as a friendly neighbourhood café has quickly become Geelong’s top destination for classically produced French pastries and French-inspired sweet treats. Croissants are the star of the show at That Place, being prepared fresh in-house by Ashlea Allen, a French-trained pastry chef (at L’ecole Gregoire-Ferrandi followed by work at two of the city’s finest bakeries, La Patisserie des Reves and Le Grenier a Pain). Allen says she crafted the menu using her training as a foundation but applied rustic Australian café ideas to give the range a homey twist.

For Father’s Day, the team have put together a truly special menu, featuring a bunch of favoruites. Of course all their beautiful pastries and breakfast items will be available too, to really elevate dad’s special morning.

Email thatplacepatisserie@gmail.com to place your order.

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Offering graze boxes and graze tables, Boxed & Boards is the creation of Zara Ramia, spawned from a passion from creating memories for her family and friendly. Turning a hobby into a flourishing business, the grazing boxes are filled with the finest range of cheese, meats, fresh produce and accompaniments, with the option of adding in wine too!

For Father’s Day, Boxed & Boards is offering a special box launching on Saturday, August 20. We’ll update this as soon as the info is announced.

If that doesn’t box take your fancy, there are other options to choose from. The $65 small graze if perfect if you’re looking for some brownie points on the day, with a box packed with Brie, Sopressa & Prosciutto, Crackers, Quince jelly, Chocolate, Pretzels, Mixed nuts, Dried & Fresh fruit, Marinated vegetables and Dip.

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Show dad just how much you love the man this Father’s Day with some delicious Vietnamese cuisine! Still relatively new on the local dining scene, Anh Chi Em not only lives up to authentic Southeast Asian standards but goes above and beyond the traditional Geelong standard for cultural dining.

With vibrant eats, treat dad with a delicious Anh Chi Em set menu to either take home or dine in on the special day. For $56 per person, you can get grilled tiger prawns with garlic, chilli and chive butter, sticky caramel pork ribs with steamed rice and sauteed garlic beans, and coconut creme brulee.

There is also a vegetarian set menu available with chargrilled eggplant, honey soy Seitan and shitake mushrooms with steamed rice and sauteed garlic beans and coconut crme brulee. Or if you’re really wanting to indulge dad, you can get Anh Chi Em’s famous oysters.

Available Sunday September 4. Bookings/pre-orders required by 2 September, unless sold out prior! Call 0410812995.

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Making cookies that will impress absolutely everyone you know, Geelong’s very own Jacqui of ‘Cookies By Qui’ has been creating premium custom cookies for all life’s special moments since 2017, with over a decade of cookie decorating experience. A home-based business with a fully registered kitchen, this local baking sensation is earning herself a solid reputation for the amount of detail she puts into her little creations. We’ve had to double take on quite a few of her posts of late because they are that realistic – and people are loving it!

For father’s day, the clever cookie maker is back and has crafted some adorable treats – a Tee-rific golfing gift box, a personalised ‘cheers to you’ cookie, Measure Up gift box, a father’s day mug of minis, personalised cookies, Happy Father’s day gift box, and brown butter bourbon pecan chocolate chunk cookies.

You have to be quick though, as quantities are limited. Pick up is on September 2 at various times from St Albans Park or alternatively cookies can be shipped via Express Post.

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These guys take food seriously. They’ve scoured Geelong and surrounds to uncover the gastronomical delights of our region, along with a few other goodies along the way. We’re talking 6ft6 Rose, Frieda & Gus candles, Prendergast & Grace Mini YoYo’s, Organic Zee teas, Leighgrove Olives Frantoio Olive Oil, Moorabool Valley Chocolate Assorted Chocolates, and so much more.

For dad, there’s a beer and cider hamper with packed with beers from Blackman’s, cider from Flying Brick, choccie coated pretzels, salted caramel popcorn, BBQ sauce, tomato relish, spices, plus more.

There’s also a ‘His Wine Hamper’ with pinot noir, chocolate coated raspberries, caramel fudge, maple roasted spiced nuts, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and more.

It’s all at thelocavorium.com.au

Known around town (well Australia) as the very first cheese train, Splatters has long been on our radar, going from food truck to one of Geelong’s favourite online grazing stores, to an Australian first, all in a couple of years.

Providing a mix of sweet and savoury elements and a variety of textures coming together, Splatter cheese platters (a splatterbox!) have a little something for everyone and if Dad’s a cheese fan, you can bet he’ll love it.

Focusing on fresh, housemade, local, imported and season ingredients, these splatterboxes feature an array of divine cheeses accompanied by cured meats (think salami, kabana, prosciutto), season fruit and nuts, dip, a mixture of crackers, olives, dried fruits, vegetable crudites, and other yummies like chocolate dipped pretzels. Splatters (being the considerate folk they are) also offer gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options, as well as kids boxes, fresh fruit boxes, and even brunch boxes for two.

Prices range from around $30 to $195 depending on what size you’re looking for.

Browse through the options online here.

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For $95 per person (kids $45 and under 5 free), guests will enjoy a BBQ Buffet Lunch with seafood, a Live BBQ cooking station, salads, desserts and more, while dad gets a complimentary drink!

You’ll find blue crab, sushi, oysters, assorted greens, chicken and avocado salad, tomato mozzarella salad, antipasto, cold mezze, cheese, ciabatta and baguettes, gyoza, roast carrots, grilled barramundi, maple and chili glazed pumpkin, tortellini, Angus sirloin steak, peri-peri chicken skewers, pork and fennel sausages, corn on the cob, jacket potatoes, hickory smoked bbq pork spare ribs and heaps, heaps more. ⁠ Bookings available from 12:30pm ⁠ ⁠ Buffet Breakfast and A la carte dinner are also available ⁠

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Renowned for being lovers of live music, their chilled vibes, delicious Australian and American food and top beers, Mount Duneed watering hole The Hop Inn is celebrating loved ones this Father’s Day with live music from Jason Hoekstra and Jeb Costin all afternoon, alongside a two or three-course beer and food matching experience with multiple sessions times available.

For Entree, get Crispy Pork and Chorizo Bites with Smokey Sesame Sauce paired with Gage Roads Single Fin Summer Ale and then for main indulge in Grilled Moroccan Spiced Lamb Chops with Roasted Baby Potatoes, Veggies and a house made jus, paired with Fury & Son IPA

Finish off with Triple Chocolate Brownie served with a chocolate sauce and chocolate ice-cream, Paired with a Deeds Brown Ale.

The three-course is just $73.00, while the two course option available for $55 without the dessert, normal menu available throughout the day.

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If you’re looking to provide a feast for the King in your life, look no further than this Father’s Day family-style feast.

Spoil dad with a visit to Clyde Park’s award-winning bistro and leave it to the professionals to do the cooking and cleaning – with love from their family to yours.

With sitting times at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, treat dad to a $99 two hour lunch featuring live music, Father’s Day styling with fine crockery and linen napkins, a complimentary wine tasting post lunch, a gift for dad and kid’s face painting to keep the little ones occupied. (Kids $35 for lunch).

Of course, it’s the lunch that’s the main attraction here. Start your long lunch off by grazing on garlic cheese pizza, arancini pea and pecorino, and Burrata and Prosciutto. To share with the family, there will be a roast pork with jus, apple and crackle, beef brisket, Shiraz glazed chicken cutlets, accompanied with rosemary roast potatoes, crunchy slaw, grilled onions, chimichurri and charred broccoli. Finish off with a Key Lime Pie for dessert.

For the little ones, there’s a selection of tasty treats on offer.

For extra brownie points, you can pre-order a biscuit box, or a prosecco or beer on arrival.

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Does dad have a sweet tooth? If you’re looking to truly treat that mother figure in your life, these dessert boxes are a great place to start.

Based in Geelong, the team make gift buying easy, taking the stress off your shoulders, filling these boxes with an abundance of sweet treats! You can choose to buy a pre-designed box, you can build your own, and you can even request a custom order if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for. As for what’s in the boxes, you’ll find a number of savoury grazing options, sugar-filled boxes with a bunch of chocolate and lollies, and there’s even a couple with alcohol!

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The Little Treat Box is the dream job from local creative Johanna. Beginning her journey as a florist, she now creates the most delicious and stunning treats, from custom cookies for birthdays, party favours and weddings to their crowd favourite “Smash Hearts”.

For Fathers Day, Johanna has created two smash dome, with a Father’s Day heart and one for Grandad. You get a Chocolate smash dome in blue with gold edible splatter, filled with a mixture of lollies and chocolates. Very cool!

Browse the Smash domes here.

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If you’re looking for something easy, local and luxe to gift dear old dad, The Local Edit have you covered.

Ran by a born-and-bred Geelong girl, this small business was conceived during the first wave of the pandemic when shopping local had never been more important – alongside supporting others in the region. Making gift giving easy, The Local Edit puts all amazing goodies from Geelong, Surf Coast and Bellarine locals in one place, in a luxe, beautiful package and with a card.

For Father’s Day you can ‘Edit Your Own’ or choose from their Signature Gift range. There’s a few options to choose from, including a limited edition gift bag with a keep cup, drinking chocolate, Him body wash, Freckleberry ‘Dad’ Chocolate Word and Chocolate Coated Pretzels, Coast n Smoke Meat Rub Twin Pack – Bancoora Bagel Seasoning and Zeally Seasoning, Toffee Nut Clusters and a Personalised Card

There’s even free local delivery available and they are delivering Father’s Day – Sunday 4th September!

Shop their packs via the website.

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The crew at The Food Purveyor love sourcing delicious produce and packing it into Gift Hampers, packed right here in Geelong.

With a number of hampers to choose from, they’ve curated some very special packs that mum will love, ranging from $25 through to $125. You can get your hands on the I Love You with red wine hamper, My Love Loves Gin Hamper, or go all out with The Eat, Sleep, GIN, Repeat Hamper, which is packed with Great Ocean Road gin, tonic, dehydrated citrus, chocolate-coated pretzels, smoked honey almonds, olives, Turkish Delight, Smoked salt caramel fudge and apple slices. Tasty!

Find them at www.thefoodpurveyor.com.au

If you know of any businesses running Father’s Day events and want to give them a shout out, let us know!