The centre of town is anchored by Love Shack, a seven-day community hub that exemplifies a pub’s friendly, energised spirit: tap in with a pint, mushroom vol au vent and game of pool. In the same precinct, there’s Tortoise Espresso, home of
bagels and bottomless filter, with a lovely stay-a-while room out the back. It shares the space with Table Records, which also serves snacks by ex-Public Wine Shop chef Ali Currey-Voumard. Near-neighbours Superhero
create bang-on banh mi.

For daytime pitstops, Nira is a hole-in-the-wall kiosk for coffee and matcha with pavement stools and local dogs to pat, and Grafting Cellars wine shop offers simple snacks and light meals from day to night. A good sausage roll is the
sign of a good bakery: Johnny Baker nails it in two locations, one in town and the other up the hill, behind the quirky Northern Arts Hotel, which hosts bands and film screenings. Nearby, Doveton Corner Store dispenses quality coffee, sandwiches and house-baked cakes (if the lemon and olive oil number is on, you should try it).

It’s not far from here to The Mill, an art, food and shopping precinct in an old wool mill. It’s a must-visit for producers such as French-style cheesemakers Long Paddock; Oakwood Smallgoods, which makes pâtés, bacon and excellent Macedonian-style kransky sausages; and bean-to-bar chocolatier Cabosse and Feve. Don’t leave town without trying their macadamia praline. Poke your head into Das Kaffeehaus for a look at its atmospheric Austrian-inspired design; stay for the decadent Viennese cakes. A shot of schnapps in your coffee is just short of compulsory.

Shedshaker Brewing makes beer on site and pours it alongside pasta and pizza. A busy roster of live music makes it an exuberant hangout. If grapes are more the vibe, Boomtown is a cellar door and contemporary eatery with farmhouse-inspired food. Walk it all off with a browse of the maze-like flea market, stuffed with new and old treasures.

Cementing Castlemaine’s reputation as an up-and- coming rival to Daylesford is hatted Bar Midland, serving all-Victorian food and drink for book-ahead fine dining and walk-in snacks. Origini is a charming bolthole with checkered tablecloths and a concise menu of northern Italian classics.

For drinks, jump between Mostyn Street Cellars, which also has charcuterie and chippies; Gornelly’s, which morphs from daytime sandwich stop to chatty wine bar; and Maurocco Bar, a quirky lounge where the martinis are icy and the mood is warm.

Sometimes old-school country Chinese is the only meal that will do. New China Restaurant has stunning decor and very good food, including excellent spring rolls.