Canonical: https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/insider-picks-2026-08-10/ Publisher: Peninsula Insider Published: 2026-08-10T00:00:00.000Z Modified: 2026-08-10T00:00:00.000Z Format: public main text, generated from the canonical page; imagery and interactive controls omitted. Dates and caveats below retain their page meaning; this format is not a new fact check. Insider Edit 10 August 2026 4 min read # Insider Picks: 10 August 2026 The Bay Hotel Mornington's vault dining room for a winter occasion, the Red Hill Brewery Secret Stash Weekend this Saturday and Sunday, and The Heritage at Balnarring for a pub lunch beside an open fire. Keep this for later - By **The Peninsula Insider** Insider Picks Winter ## EAT - The Bay Hotel Mornington, Mornington The old vault at The Bay Hotel is the most persuasive argument for a mid-winter group dinner on the Peninsula. Converted from the original bank strongroom, it is a private dining room with thick limestone walls, zero natural light, and exactly the atmosphere you want when the wind is coming off the bay. The gastropub kitchen builds its menu around Peninsula producers week to week, so ask what’s running when you book rather than assuming a fixed list. The vault seats a group properly and the team will build a food and wine sequence around what’s on the produce list - this is the booking to make for an occasion that actually warrants the occasion. The heritage-listed building is on Mornington’s Esplanade, walking distance from the waterfront. Book well ahead; the vault does not hold many covers. Pair it with a walk along Mornington’s Schnapper Point jetty before dinner while the light drops. ## EXPERIENCE - Red Hill Brewery Secret Stash Weekend, Red Hill South Red Hill Brewery opens the cellar on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August to release beers that don’t normally leave the brewery. The Secret Stash Weekend runs 11am to 6pm both days, and the draw is access to limited batches - past years have surfaced barrel-aged darks and experimental hop-forward ales that never made it into regular production. The Shoreham Road site sits in the middle of the Red Hill wine country, surrounded by the kind of winter paddock quiet that makes a tasting paddle feel like a considered afternoon rather than a stop on a list. Go Saturday if you want first pick of what’s available; Sunday tends to be slightly more relaxed for pace. Tickets are paid - check the website for availability and book before Friday. Bookings at redhillbrewery.com.au. Pair it with lunch at Lindenderry’s terrace restaurant at Red Hill, a ten-minute drive away. ## DISCOVERY - The Heritage, Balnarring The Heritage is Balnarring’s village pub, set in a 1930s heritage home on a two-acre block in the middle of the village. In August that means the original open fires, a Sunday roast served through winter until it sells out, and a pub favourites list that runs to a chicken parma or schnitzel and pub-style fish and chips alongside a changing specials board. The big beer garden is not the point in winter; the fire is. Balnarring village is fifteen minutes from the freeway on the Red Hill side, which makes this an easy add to a Saturday that includes a cellar door or two. It opens Wednesday to Sunday from 11:30am and is closed Monday and Tuesday. Call 03 5983 2597 to book a table. 3059 Frankston-Flinders Road, Balnarring. Pair it with a late-afternoon visit to Elan Vineyard & Gallery, five minutes up the road. ### This weekend at a glance **The Bay Hotel Mornington** - 770 Esplanade, Mornington. Book the vault for groups; bookings essential. **Red Hill Brewery Secret Stash Weekend** - 88 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South. Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August, 11am–6pm. Book at redhillbrewery.com.au. **The Heritage** - 3059 Frankston-Flinders Road, Balnarring. Open fires, winter Sunday roast. Wednesday to Sunday from 11:30am; call 03 5983 2597 to book. Corrected 13 September 2026: this edition first named the pub as the Balnarring Pub at 2 Coolart Road, described counter meals and walk-in lunches, and did not give its opening days. The pub is The Heritage at 3059 Frankston-Flinders Road, which asks guests to call to book and is closed Monday and Tuesday. Something wrong on this page, or is this your business? [Tell us what to fix]() and you get a case reference back. corrections@peninsulainsider.com.au reaches the same desk. Questions readers actually ask ## FAQ When is the Red Hill Brewery Secret Stash Weekend? Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August 2026, 11am–6pm at Red Hill Brewery, 88 Shoreham Road, Red Hill South. Book or check details at redhillbrewery.com.au. Where is The Bay Hotel Mornington's vault dining room? The Bay Hotel Mornington is at 770 Esplanade, Mornington. Bookings essential for the private vault - contact the venue directly or check their website. Does The Heritage at Balnarring take bookings? Yes. The Heritage asks guests to call 03 5983 2597 to book a table. It is at 3059 Frankston-Flinders Road, Balnarring, and opens Wednesday to Sunday from 11:30am. Or let PI plan your day ## Where in the Peninsula is PI? A painted Peninsula, three witnesses a stop, and the sun for a clock. Find PI before sunset and her route becomes a day you can drive. Find her and go in the draw for $250 to dine at Doot Doot Doot, Jackalope.[Draw terms and prize details]() [Play Case 02]() Six to ten minutes. Free, no account. Keep reading ## More from the Journal [All stories →]() Insider Edit 7 min ### [The Sorrento Solstice Festival: A Night When the Peninsula Burns]() 15 June 2026 The longest night of the year deserves a proper send-off. 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