Our restaurant critics’ picks of the latest and best eats around the country right now: Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard, Lenswood.
What once was a tiny tasting shed tucked far off the main road at Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills has been transformed into an alluring place to dine. Owners Sharon Pearson and Garry Sweeney have expanded and refurbished the wine tasting room to include table settings, attractive art on the walls, and plate glass leading to timber decks overlooking the picturesque steep vineyard. But the big change is the menu. Former Playford Adelaide sous Matt Fitton has embraced local produce and is making bold statements on the plate with the likes of diced rare venison and beetroot folded with smoked walnut cream and wattleseed. Slow-cooked duck egg with asparagus tips, a dusting of dried chicken and puffed wheat is a smart dish designed to sit beside the winery’s S&G Chardonnay, made by Basket Range winemaker Taras Ochota. No longer just a cellar door, it’s now a dining and drinking destination.
Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard, 166 Harris Rd, Lenswood, SA, (08) 8389 8339.
Got a hot tip for our Hot Plates team? Let us know on Facebook or tag your Instagram photos with #GThotplates.