Max’s Restaurant, nestled in the grounds of the beautiful Red Hill Estate winery, is the original winery restaurant on the Mornington Peninsula.
20 years ago, the owner Max Paganoni returned from his travels through Europe with the dream of establishing a restaurant that the Mornington Peninsula could be proud of, and to help show off the fantastic wine and produce that the region has to offer. As anyone who has dined at Max’s Restaurant will tell you, Max achieved his aim with world class dining, matched with great wine and superb views across Western Port and Philip Island.
Perched on the peak of Red Hill, the views down to Western Port are fabulous, with the vines and rolling hills in the foreground and large gum trees to the side and rear. It’s the perfect spot for soaking up the view and enjoying a glass of wine at any time of year.
Weddings at Max’s Restaurant are usually relaxed events, with the ceremony usually held under the huge Red River Gum trees close to the meandering driveway and rustic wooden fence at the entrance to Red Hill Estate. The married couple are usually framed by the eucalypt trees, with the waters of Western Port glinting in the sunshine behind which makes for a beautiful view for the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, family photos are usually taken in the same spot to make the most of the beautiful view, before guests move up to the restaurant and it’s outdoor area to enjoy the scenery and Max’s always excellent canapes and pre dinner drinks. The couple usually then have 40 minutes allocated for wedding photos on the grounds and amongst the vines before rejoining their guests for an evening of excellent food, wine and some (hopefully!) funny and heartfelt speeches before finishing the night with dancing and merriment!
As with all the wedding venues on the Mornington Peninsula that we recommend, Max’s Restaurant has always shown great service and a warm welcome to both couples, guests and their wedding photographers. If we don’t get treated well at a venue, or see poor service or attitudes from staff, then we don’t endorse them or say nice things about them. If you have a wedding venue in mind that’s not on our list and would like to know what we think about it, please feel free to get in touch – we’ll be honest about our experience there and list both the positives and (if any), negatives.
