The Arborist — Restaurant in Victoria

Tucked away in the heart of Geelong, The Arborist is not just a restaurant – it’s a sensory experience that lingers long after the last bite. From the moment you step through its welcoming entrance, you’re transported into a space where thoughtful design, vibrant atmosphere, and exquisite food come together in perfect harmony.

The venue itself is a visual delight – a seamless fusion of nature and contemporary style. True to its name, The Arborist embraces greenery with arms wide open. Towering trees, lush plants, and sunlight filtering through the foliage set the tone for a dining experience that feels fresh, earthy, and effortlessly elegant. It’s as if you’ve stumbled into a secret garden that just happens to serve world-class food.

The menu is a celebration of local produce and seasonal flavours, carefully curated and presented with an artist’s touch. Every dish feels like a love letter to the region – bursting with creativity, colour, and bold, balanced tastes. Whether it’s the melt-in-your-mouth lamb shoulder, the delicately charred octopus, or the wildly popular woodfired flatbreads topped with vibrant ingredients – each plate tells a story. Vegetarians and vegans aren’t an afterthought here either; their options are just as compelling and flavour-packed.

But it’s not just the food that makes The Arborist shine – it’s the atmosphere. There’s a relaxed, unpretentious charm to the service. The staff are warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate, striking that perfect balance between attentiveness and allowing you to savour the moment. Whether you’re popping in for a casual long lunch or settling in for a special evening under the stars, the energy is always spot on.

Let’s not forget the drinks. Their wine list is a dream – with a sharp focus on Victorian vineyards and small-batch labels – while the cocktails are inventive and beautifully crafted, featuring botanicals and house-made syrups that tie into the restaurant’s leafy ethos.

In short, The Arborist is a standout – a jewel in Geelong’s culinary crown. It’s the kind of place that invites you to slow down, indulge, and reconnect with good food, good company, and the simple pleasure of dining well. A must-visit that turns first-time diners into...

A rich and fullfilling experience, filled with light from the floor-to-ceiling French windows. Greeted by fantastic and knowledgeable staff, we sat down and was presented with menus for drinks and then for food.

The drinks were fantastic. The Passionfruit Gin Fizz was balanced between sour and sweet (but not too sweet), and the Marigold was as richly sweet as its orange colour. Very punchy, fruity flavours that didn't disappoint.

We begun with Salt & Vinegar Prawn Seaweed Crackers. The flavour was surprisingly good for what you would otherwise consider normal Prawn Crackers.

After, we had Lamb Kofka and Baked Halloumi.

The Lamb was so tender and rich with spices you'd forget anything else was there until you get a pop of sweetness from the Pomegranates. The Yoghurt kept it juicy and the lettuce brought some much needed texture.

The Halloumi, mixed with Saltanas, Almonds & Honey, you initially feel like you're eating pancakes for breakfast until the cheese washes away the sweetness with savoury. It's an experience like no other and highly recommend.

For our main, we had Pork Belly, with Sweet Potato & Slaw. Do not skip out on any aspect of this meal. Have every bite with a small part of each mixed in. Pork Belly is meaty & savoury, sweet potato brings a very welcome sweetness, and the slaw brings the whole flavour combo together. The crackling is also perfectly and evenly cooked.

Everything unfortunately overshadowed the disappointing chips that you would otherwise find at any pub. The Roast Garlic Aoli doesn't pack much of a punch either. If you wanted good thick chips like these, I recommend Grill'd.

Overall, this restaurant is a welcome addition, and the staff were absolutely fantastic. It's a spot to go for a special date, or a nice night out with friends as it is on the pricier side.

The staff also advised me they're renovating with a rooftop bar, which would be fantastic to return to. Can't wait to...

Ok here we go I’m being generous . First time eating in Geelong as a new resident from the City and no Geelong isn’t a City . Nice vibes attentive service . I thought the courtesy staff could be more helpful on recommendations and pairing flavours . Had the duck crumpet loved it could have eaten 10 . Seems people rave about the halloumi , good thick piece however I personally it could have been a dessert it was that sweet needed something to cut the sweetness for a main dish . Lamb shoulder was ok but fatty and the rich pate that comes with it seems to be an odd choice both rich . Guys I would sell the pate with bread as a starter . I would order it ! Potatoes could have eaten a 1kg of them sprinkle of paprika would have been nice and more salt please . I really enjoyed the dumplings dish even know the menu said dumpling it was also rich needed a something to cut through it something pickled maybe a pickled caper maybe sage / lemon or lemon zest in the dumplings and the sauce ended up a little gluggy I would have more sauce not reduced so much . Wine and cocktails great can’t fault . I will be back but I think they can do better , needed more thought and love . I think some tunes would really help this place and better lighting to make it a bit more sexy . To the chef who drank something out of a take away container in the kitchen. Loved it made my night . Love you chef . Oh wait there more . The 18th amendment close by is a must do ,, just go don’t look it up...