I love the Swan Valley, we go past this beautiful part of Western Australia every week and always come home with boxes of fresh produce.
We can't get enough of Swan Valley's fresh fruit, local ice-creameries, wineries, gourmet treats (love Mondo nougat) and restaurants.
It is also home to my favourite drive-through coffee, Yahava Koffeeworks which is featured in my Perth's best coffee spots post. Yahava came in handy when I had napping babies but craved a good coffee to get me through the day. Sorry, I'm a coffee snob and can't drink drive-through coffee from Muzz Buzz.
Whether you're a tourist visiting Perth or a Perth local, the Swan Valley is definitely a must for your Perth to do list. Here's my list of the best things to do in the Swan Valley.
Best things to do in the Swan Valley
Follow City of Swan's Swan Valley Fresh Seasonal Produce Trail and experience the beautiful food in this region all year round.
1. Do The Swan Valley Fresh Seasonal Produce Trail
Eating seasonal produce grown right here in Western Australia is the best.
In Summer, you'll find the sweetest table grapes, watermelons, rockmelons, tomatoes, sweet corn, mangoes, figs, peaches and apricot.
Autumn is when pumpkins, mangoes and pomegranates ripen in the Swan Valley.
In Spring, Swan Valley is blossoming with plums, peaches, apricots, broad beans, peas, zucchini, beetroot, rhubarb and eggplants.
Winter is the time of the year when citrus, oranges, limes, mandarins, lemons and cumquats are all ripening on the trees producing the sweetest and juiciest fruit.
burger boy grew up in Swan View and his parents currently live in The Vines which is just down the road from the Swan Valley, so we are certainly spoilt with our fresh produce. Of all the grapes, watermelons and rockmelons I've ever tasted nothing comes even close to the Swan Valley.
Some of the local Swan Valley growers we've visited in the last month are featured below.
Swan Valley Sisters
Tara and Anne-Marie (the Swan Valley sisters) collect produce from nearby farms and sell them on the weekends. They have their own café brewing the best coffee and house-made baked delights like this tart...
At Swan Valley Sisters you can (July-Sept) pick your own oranges, lemons and mandarins direct from the orchard, asparagus (Sept-Mar), mangoes and figs (Feb-Mar).
Picking our own asparagus, mangoes and figs was definitely junior burger's favourite part of the Swan Valley Fresh Produce Trail.
The sisters behind Swan Valley Sisters, Ann-Marie & Tara said they welcome customers to pick their fruit via appointments on weekends 8 - 1. You just buy one of their bags for $2.50 and pay for what you pick.
The mangoes were the sweetest I've had in a long time, the kids were eating one a day last month and burger boy and I even enjoyed a Mango Mojito on our balcony one weekend.
Swan Valley Sisters
Open Sat-Sun 8am-12:30pm
1715 Gnangara Rd, Henley Brook
0498 008 656
Swanville Citrus
I love seedless mandarins. Back when I was working full time in an office job, I'd go through half a dozen mandarins a day and my favourite place to buy my favourite Imperial mandarin variety is from Swanville Citrus.
You'll spot Swanville Citrus off Great Northern Highway in a roadside stall selling the sweetest mandarins and oranges. Just another month to go and I'll be heading there to get my mandarin fix.
Edgecombe Brothers
In 2013, I did an Asparagus Masterclass at Edgecombe brothers and loved it!
Our Asparagus Master Class was run by the highly passionate Alfred Edgecombe (better referred to as "Alf"), one of the brothers who own Edgecombe Brothers Winery. It was really inspiring to hear how Alf and his brothers first started growing asparagus in the 1990s in his brother George's backyard.
Asparagus has a 9-month growing season which starts in July and goes until April, with November being the prime time. Edgecombe Brothers Winery uses most of the asparagus they pick for their cafe, sells any surplus at Maggie Place and the rest outside their estate in the Swan Valley. Alf's tip to keeping asparagus fresh for up to two weeks is to put them in water in the fridge.
For all the coffee, cheese, bread, wine and of course asparagus we ate this masterclass is great value for money considering we also spent half a day learning about asparagus.
It's $55 pp on a weekday, $70 on the weekend. Click the below link to read my full review...
Edgecombe Brothers
Open 7 days 10am-5pm
1733 Gnangara Rd, Ellenbrook
08 9296 4307
Rangeview Vineyards
burger boy's family are good friends with The Sorgiovanni's, the hardworking and lovely family behind this traditional 70-year-old table grape shed. Our family have been buying grapes, watermelons and rockmelons from Rangeview Vineyards for as long as I've been in the family.
Every time we've been to Rangeview Vineyards, Mrs Sorgiovanni is always by this table making sure every bunch of grapes is perfect...we can't wait for grapes to be back in season again.
Rangeview Vineyards
Open Tue-Sun Jan-Apr
60 Maisie St, Baskerville
08 9296 4268
Kato's 3000
When we walked into Kato's @3000, I felt like I was in the South West of Western Australia and not just 25 minutes from Perth! Grapes on display for tasting and purchase, unique ice-cream flavours made from freshly picked fruit, watermelon spiders and fruit slushies are just some of the deliciousness on offer.
Kato's @3000
Open Fri-Sun Jan-Apr
3000 West Swan Rd, Caversham
0431 596 489
Nuo's Grapes
Jenny and Peter Nuich's family has been growing produce since 1933. At Nuo's Grapes, Peter tells us that dried fruits was a speciality back then but these days there's just not enough space to grow dried fruit so the focus is on table grapes.
He tells us "Everything is seedless as no one wants seeds even in watermelons" and I absolutely agree, I won't buy any grapes or watermelon with seed no matter how sweet.
Peter says that he loves the "Vineyard life [despite the]long hours, [you]watch the sun come up & watch it go down" and he wouldn't have it any other way.
He sells his grapes direct from his premises in the Swan Valley as well as wholesale at Canningvale Markets during the grape season which will be back again next Summer.
Nuo's Grapes
Open Fri-Sun Jan-Apr
4752 West Swan Rd, West Swan
0438 741 005
Katich's the Grape Place
burger boy went to primary school with The Katich's and our families have known each other for decades. The Katich family have been supplying fresh grapes, melons and seasonal produce from their home block since 1964. The long hours put into the property by the three generations shows in the quality of their table grapes.
Despite the name The Grape Place, during the grape season you can also buy free range eggs, chutneys and relishes, macadamia nuts, home-made vinegar, freshly squeezed grape juice, fruit slushies and handmade ice creams from the Millers Dairy in Cowaramup.
Katich's The Grape Place
Open 7 Days Jan-Apr 8:30am-5:30pm
899 West Swan Rd, Caversham
08 9279 2270
Check out City of Swan's Swan Valley Fresh Seasonal Produce Trail map below...
2. Get a Unique Swan Valley Experience with Explore Tours
If you're after something where you don't need to think or navigate, do a 'edutour' with Explore Tours. Managing Director of Explore Tours, Adam Saunders describes it as a "hands on experience that tantalises your brain, not just your tastebuds". On this 7 hour Swan Valley tour, my writer Stephanie tasted some exquisite cheeses and wines in Perth's picturesque Swan Valley and learnt lots about them whilst being chauffeured around in a comfortable coach that seats 24.
The full day Swan Valley Cheese and Wine Maker Experience is $189, read the full review here.
3. Visit Top Swan Valley restaurants & wineries as recommended by my readers
Create your own Swan Valley journey using this list of favourite Swan Valley Restaurants and Wineries as recommended by my readers:
Amarettos Restaurant (recommended by Belinda B) have "the best customer service and great food"
Elmar's in the Valley (recommended by Hugo F) for their roast pork The schweinshaxe pork knuckle on a bed of fried potatoes and with sauerkraut and mustard [is]sensational... Yummy crackling."
French Accent Restaurant (recommended by Rebecca D) is "new and absolutely delicious. [Favourite dishes] are the duck and strawberry cheesecake."
Jane Brook Estate Wines (recommended by Juliet B) "best platters, lovely wine and amazing service!"
Olive Farm Wines (Kiarra H) "is my fav winery by far! Awesome wines across the board, great building & there's cheese right next door"
Penny Garden (Chris R) - "Big menu so it caters to lots of appetites, good-sized meals and pricing. I did a Swan Valley bus tour with my friends' for my 40th & had lunch there which was great! I've also been for Father's Day and a couple of other times."
Riverbank Estate (recommended by Juliet B) "for both food and wine"
Sandalford Wines (as recommended by @takemetofoodieheaven) - "I really love walking around the Sandalford grounds. It's just stunning"
Stewarts on Brookleigh (as recommended by @takemetofoodieheaven) "we really enjoy the food every time we have been back"
Taylor's (recommended by Juliet B) "for beautiful cafe food."
The Tap at Chapel Farm (recommended by Juliet B) "for an afternoon beverage (next door to Jane Brook)"
Comment with your favourite Swan Valley restaurants and wineries!
4. Get on Swan Valley Explorer's Hop on Hop off Bus
The Swan Valley Explorer hop on hop off bus operates Wed-Sun from Guildford station to most Swan Valley restaurants and winery. It's $20 for a day pass. Check out the timetable and Swan Valley stop offs here.
5. Do the Sweet Temptation Trail
Follow Swan Valley's Sweet Temptation Trail at your own pace and make the most of the special offers available at each of the venue.
- House of Honey
- Swan Valley Café
- Olive Farm Winery
- Maali Bridge Park
- Mondo Nougat
- Morish Nuts
- Maison Saint-Honoré
- Pinelli Estate Winery Restaurant
I personally vouch for House of Honey and Mondo Nougat - you need to have the honey cake and my favourite Mondo Nougat is the soft apricot nougat. For my full review, check out my Afternoon tea in the Swan Valley at Mondo Nougat & House of Honey post below:
Where to stay in the Swan Valley
I love that the Swan Valley is the perfect destination for a mini romantic getaway or family holiday away from the hectic city life without travelling too far from Perth. There's plenty of Swan Valley accommodation options ranging from cosy farm stays to bed and breakfast to luxury accommodation.
Novotel's Vines Resort brings back childhood memories, heading to the Swan Valley was my family holiday and I'll always remember the villas we stayed in.
If you are still researching different regions of Western Australia for your holiday or mini getaway, the Great Southern is also beautiful. Here are some posts about Albany's food and wine spots.
Disclaimer: foodie cravings was invited to preview 4 businesses featured on Swan Valley's Seasonal Fresh Produce Trail by the City of Swan. This post also contains an affiliate link to booking.com. If you book through booking.com, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.
