The Long Apron

The Long Apron is the restaurant at Spicers Clovelly Estate in Montville, offering French-inspired dining shaped around seasonal Australian produce. Its cooking combines classic French technique with a restrained, contemporary approach, with the kitchen placing emphasis on local, sustainable and single-origin ingredients. The menu changes regularly, so the dishes listed online are examples of the restaurant’s style rather than a guarantee of what will be served on the day. Guests can choose between à la carte and tasting menu experiences.

Past dishes have included marinated scallops with heirloom tomato, caramelised cream and perilla; eye fillet with confit potato, pickled mushrooms and béarnaise; duck breast with pear, chestnut and Jerusalem artichoke; and cheesecake with white chocolate sorbet, passionfruit and sablée. These examples point to a menu that balances carefully prepared produce with classic combinations and precise presentation. Local seafood, quality meats and vegetables are central to the kitchen’s approach, with strong relationships maintained with farmers and providores.

The setting is described as intimate and French provincial, within the buildings and grounds of Spicers Clovelly Estate. The experience extends beyond the meal, with an extensive wine list that focuses particularly on French regions including Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône. Premium wines are available by the glass, while petite fours and wine tasting in the library can be enjoyed before seating. The restaurant also has breakfast seven days a week, lunch from Friday to Sunday and dinner seven days a week, according to the published schedule.

Head chef Geoff Abel leads the kitchen, bringing experience from restaurants and resorts including Aria Brisbane, Urbane/The Euro Brasserie and the Coral Sea Resort in the Whitsundays. Before joining The Long Apron, he owned Redcliffe’s farm-to-plate Flock Eatery, which received Moreton Bay sustainability and business awards. The Long Apron’s French-inspired seasonal cuisine has also been recognised by the Australian Good Food Guide and Australia’s Wine List Awards. With its intimate setting, tasting option and considered wine program, it suits diners planning a special meal, a long lunch or an unhurried dinner in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. The venue is also part of an estate known for weddings, making it relevant for celebrations and group occasions; guests are advised to plan transport, as taxi and Uber availability in the Hinterland can be limited.