With international off the cards for now and snap border closures threatening any interstate getaways, Melburnians are looking for interesting parts of Victoria to visit – and for foodies, the border town of Mildura might be an option.

This rural township in Victoria’s far north offers a range of food to amaze anyone willing to take the journey. Whether it’s wining and dining along its prominent Langtree Avenue, or a banquet next to the mighty Murray River, Mildura will have even the most choosy food fanatics covered.

To help new visitors get started on their Mildura food safari, here is a short list of places guaranteed to give you maximum bang for your buck.

1. Rendezvous Restaurant

Why not begin with a little bit of local history? The Rendezvous has been a leader in modern Australian cuisine for more than 80 years, making it one of Victoria’s oldest wining and dining establishments — and it shows! If lunch is on your mind then you might want to try the ‘Rendezvous classic house chicken liver pate’ or the house main ‘Cop the lot burger’. To finish, indulge yourself with a ‘Rendezvous butterscotch fluff’ – a sweet way to end a visitor’s afternoon.

2. Thai-Riffic

A walk across the road will have you thinking you’ve arrived in the heart of South East Asia. From Thai signatures such as pad krapow and massaman curry, Malay favourites like roti and satay chicken, or an all-round Asian classic like sukiyaki- Thai-Riffic has it under the one roof. Their in-house, lactose free coconut ice cream is a must and will have you planning your next visit.

3. Cafe 1902

Fancy a meal with a view? Cafe 1909 can be found just minutes away down the serene Mildura Rowers area by the river. Get your day started on a high with a scrumptious breakfast menu while being immersed in rural Victorian leisure life. Platters include regionally produced foods including the Granola dish made in Robinvale (an hour south-east of Mildura) and local corn fritters. If you’re feeling extra adventurous you can try the ‘Powerhouse Breakfast’- Cafe 1909’s jumbo-sized morning meal, which includes bacon or smoked salmon, poached eggs, spinach, a milk roll, house-made Hollandaise and fried shallots.

4. Andy’s Kitchen

Located north of the CBD is Mildura’s own Chinese buffet. Be sure to catch Andy’s Kitchen on an all-you-can-eat night to be introduced to more than 20 delicious Western & Chinese dishes while knowing you won’t be digging too deep into that wallet! You’ll be relaxing under a cosy Bali hut knowing you’ll be in the care of award winning chefs. If you’re a seafood fanatic you’ll be in for a treat with a smorgasbord of prawns, oysters, fresh sashimi, and assorted sushi. All-round food lovers will also be pleased with the restaurant’s choice of stir fry, fried rice, Chinese dumpling, noodles, grill, handmade desserts… the list goes on!

5. Stefano’s

If you’re looking for somewhere a little more on the “classy” side, then you can’t go much further than ‘Stefano’s’. Founded by regional celebrity chef Stefano do Peri guests will be treated to exquisite Italian style dishes while experiencing the elegance of Mildura’s famed Grand Hotel. Stefano is widely credited with popularising the food and wine of the region and stands by the term ‘cucina povera’ which he uses to refer to his way of using every day, working objects to make compelling art — or using fresh in season local ingredients to create simple but flavoursome dishes.