foxey's hangout

headed down to one of my favourite day trip getaway spots – red hill for some r&r on the weekend with kw and j. foxey’s hangout has become a favourite winery lunchplacefor its beautiful deck, homely atmosphere and stunning views of the vines and hills (not to mention some lovely pinot).  we nabbed one of the few tables outside and got ready for a long afternoon of great company and food. quick note on the perfectly timed dishes that were consistently coming out of the kitchen and friendly service we enjoy each time! foxey’s offers a long list of tasting plates written up on the chalk board inside. some constant dishes include the bbq quail and spicy meatballs, but there is a varying range each time we visit. we started off with some warm and chewy ciabatta bread, accompanied by a crunchy pistachio dukkah and olive oil. the nuttiness of the olive oil complemented the spices and black sesame in the dukkah perfectly. also ideal for mopping up the sauce and juice on some of our dishes la

stopped here for a bite for lunch on our way through and was pleasantly surprised by the food. thisplaceis a gorgeous setting for a catch up with good friends on a sunny afternoon.

decided to come in for late lunch, 2pm.. it’s now 3:50 and we’re still waiting for three courses!

the kitchen is open, i’m pretty sure there are no chef’s.. the dude at the grill is around 20.

the food is basic, which isn’t a bad thing, but overly basic, and overly average.

of all dishes (tiny dishes of course), there was nothing notable.

meat balls were burned and a bit quail dry. maybe it was a busy day?

they ran out of the mushroom sausage roll, so whacked together a rice sushi ball with some sort of brown sauce on it. wasn’t informed what that was. just landed.

the blond staff member put my wife off side at the start telling her that the way she ordered wasn’t smart. (two adults ordered the ‘leave it to us, three children ordered 4 plates between them.)

apart from the location and setup which looked pretty nice, i don’t think thisplaceshould be above a 3.2 for overall experience.

what a specialplaceto enjoy a delicious lunch. the service was wonderful and the food was on par. the staff fed us and allowed us to sample almost everything and accommodated food allergies. we tried the sparkling rose and pinot noir, both a must. we sat in the alfresco dining area enjoying the warm sunshine overlooking the lush green backyard. if you’re nearby go but go early it gets busy for good reason.

i've been to foxeys twice and it has a really nice environment. it's not big at all but everyone is friendly and it's relaxing sitting on the deck. it is busy though and there is a small menu but the food is nice. it's not super fancy but a perfectplaceif you're stopping somewhere for a small bite.

well finally i got to visit thisplaceand well worth the visit for the food but in saying that quite expensive per serve ($12) per tapas plate. one quail was $12 and there was 4 of us. a loaf of bread and oil and pistachio nuts also the same. continuing - 4 small tomatoes and mint with a tiny bit of mint - yep $12, same for 1/2 an avocado and 3 burnt (read caramelised walnuts) with prosciutto.

look, the menu is good but $12 for one inch mushroom ‘sausage’ rolls times 4?with a spicy tomato sauce was not worth the money a bit like the bread. the experience was good and theplaceis always packed when opened but i really question the price per dish.

they say they cater to vegetarians, etc etc but didn’t have soy milk!

would i go again - sadly no. there is so many more options on the peninsula maybe the cost is to cover the plentitude if staff.

brilliant in every way! the friendliestplacewe have been to this weekend! non pretentious lovely views good.service nice dessert and wine! can't fault it much better than the other wanky places in mornington (cough 10 mins by tractor) will definitely be back! thank you very much for a lovely experience

always a good time coming down and spending time at the wineries in red hill. i've been to foxey's 3 times now and have always enjoyed it. despite being on the smaller side (space-wise) then other locations in the area, i love the cozy space and deck that overlooks the adjacent vineyard. great during summer but a little nippy in winter (needs heaters outside i think - asap!). i also love the tasting section - lined with wine barrels, the space is beautiful but the incredibly knowledgable bloke who runs them really makes any visit to foxey's a memorable one.

on my most recent visit our group of 5 were disgruntled at being seated outside as it was very cold and the blankets provided weren't enough to take the chill off! as a table inside would be about 20 minutes, we went to have a tasting. again, the bloke who ran it was fantastic (with generous pours!) but really told the story of each drop well. we then got seated and ended up doing the 'feed me' option which is $35 a head and you get all their small plates (apart from dessert) catered to the party size so that no one misses out. it was great value and very delicious. my favourite dish was the sourdough with olive oil and sukkah. so simple but the quality of the olive oil just took it to another level. we were all very happy with the dishes and washed it all down with a bottle of pinot (which we had sampled during our tasting). fantasticplace- very relaxed and great to just sit back and spend a few hours.

thisplacehas a deceptively simple menu, most dishes tastes fantastic and goes well with the wines. theplacehas a great ambience and plenty of sunlight with a scenic vineyard in view.

thisplaceis packed every weekend for good reason. amazing location and fit out with vinyard views, great simple menu, good cool climate wines and friendly service. i recommend the sparkling shiraz on a warm day

worth dropping in on your way to the peninsula. if it's a nice day, enjoy your wine or meal on the deck, with the grassy view into the hills, it's very peaceful. at $12 a plate, it can quickly add up, but the food is fresh, simple but innovative. 
they have a separate area for wine tasting, but i'm no connoisseur, especially on whites so i won't comment. 
probably the busiestplacein the area so be prepared to wait 15-20 mins for a seat if you go during peak time.

foxey's hangout in red hill is more of a low keyplaceto drop by on your way through red hill. they have a small little restaurant that sits high with a beautiful outlook over their winery. you can sit out on their deck and order small plates to share. the tomato salad and mushroom sausage rolls are definitely worth testing out!

after a trip to the strawberry farm, we came here for lunch. we were directed where to park upon arrival. the restaurant only take walk-ins and no reservations so we arrived expecting to wait a little at lunch time (1pm); being a group of five and a weekend.

we were directed to the wine cellar for some wine tasting while we waited. looking at the wine tasting menu, this is usually $8 per person with 10 wines ranging from sparkling to whites to rose to the different red wine varieties and a sweet wine at the end. two of us tasted 4 wines which ended up being complimentary while we were waiting for a table. surprisingly, the wait was short (we got through 4 and our table was ready).

the restaurant itself is not large with indoor and outdoor seating area overlooking the beautifully grown vineyards and green hills. the tables were more like coffee tables which gave a sense of lounging at home in front of a fireplaceand just catching up with friends and family.

the menu is simple and is made for sharing with each plate being $12. noting that some plates had bigger servings than others and may be considered more value for money for some (tip: take a look at photos to get a better idea however staff there will be able to advise as well). the menu also offers a 'leave it to us' for $35 per person where you'll get a tasting of everything on the menu which the staff advised will be a light lunch. between the five of us we spent a little over $100 (roughly $20-30 per person) on a light lunch (no desserts) and 3 beverages (2 coffees and 1 wine); so we were a little better off doing a la carte considering we had two smaller appetites at the table. the food itself was presented very simply on a white plate where the focus was not on the presentation but rather simple homemade food that can be had with wine, good views and great company. (tip: order the bread to fill you up a little)

overall a very comfortable space to just chill and enjoy all that is on offer at a winery and although nothing was amazing about the food, it was comfort food (bit like snack/finger food) that you could easily have with friends/family while catching up.

dishes that make up this review:

bread, olive oil and pistachio spice (you can also have half loaf if you prefer)
atlantic salmon with miso mayo
mushroom sausage rolls x2
roast capsicum, anchovies, capers
bbq quail
spiced meatballs, yoghurt dip
avocado, walnuts and pancetta

follow me on instagram for more photos: @fo0die

we were seated at an inappropriately low coffee table. theplacefelt chaotic. we requested to be put on a more appropriate table. we ordered the tasting menu each and although the food was good there was a terrible attitude about the place, an arrogance and i can't say i'll be back and i definitely wouldn't recommend to a friend. perhaps be more friendly and approachable. you are, after all, in the hospitality industry and people don't stumble across your location they travel purposefully to visit you.

cute little winery and kitchen in red hill. food was simple but wonderfully presented. there was a "feed me" option for $36 per person, but we chose to go for a la carte dishes... trying the atlantic salmon with miso mayo dressing, pork and veal meatballs with yoghurt sauce, and the bbq quail.
atlantic salmon was delicious although small in portion size. the miso dressing paired perfectly with the fish.
meatballs were heavy in coriander which was not to my taste. the yoghurt sauce was quite plain and could have use some herbs in it- maybe dill or chives?
quail was dainty and well cooked and charred.
at $12 per plate of small sharing dishes, we left still feeling like we had a few snacks rather than lunch.
the sparkling shiraz was divine, and we promptly bought a couple of bottles to take home.
service was attentive and polite; and the view and seating arrangements (outdoors on steps with stool-style tables) was unique and fun yet classy.
overall a nice and refinedplaceto bring friends and visitors for special occasions or if you're feeling a bit fancy.