Adelaide inner city

REVIEW A year after opening, The Summertown Aristologist has expanded beyond radiating good vibes as an on-trend hangout to place Adelaide Hills provenance at the centre of every plate. The kitchen’s hands-on commitment is serious, from making smallgoods to pulling vegetables from local plots hours before service. Robust saucisson with Hafod cheddar is a smart […]

The Barossa, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale - wherever you find yourself among the vines, good food is never far away with this list in hand. Here are the best restaurants in South Australia's wine regions, as seen in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, published in August 2017.

REVIEW Here’s a fresh concept: two wineries (Mr. Riggs Wine Co & Zonte’s Footstep) develop a joint cellar door in McLaren Flat as a bar, sales outlet and kitchen, encouraging customers to taste their expansive ranges. Consequently, the nimble kitchen caters for a variety of appetites, but has an unconventional way of creating a two-to-four […]

REVIEW Chef Dan Moss has learned a lot since moving to the Clare Valley in 2012 and opening this boutique bistro. His initial eagerness for experimenting meant dishes sometimes got confusing. But time has tempered the chef’s style and his understanding of regional ingredients has grown. So consider his locavore menu afresh, starting with haloumi, […]

REVIEW FermentAsian warrants the trip to the Barossa. The restaurant’s backstory is cute – charming owner taught to cook by husband, wins awards with elderly parents assisting in the kitchen – and the food embodies quality over quantity. Hanoi spring rolls, the only orthodox Vietnamese offering and Tuoi Do’s signature dish, are thickly wrapped and […]

REVIEW At the restaurant for Maxwell Wines, a new pass cut into the limestone dining room wall allows the buzz from the kitchen to filter into a previously austere dining space overlooking vineyards. Eager staff are enthusiastic about chef Fabian Lehmann’s bold flavours, with good reason. He embraces the vitality of local produce – from […]

REVIEW It might be a simple shack perched atop Port Willunga’s dramatic sandstone cliffs, but the Star of Greece offers more than just flash fish and chips against an idyllic coastal backdrop. Seafood is the core of the menu, with pan-fried calamari strips and beer-battered King George whiting fillets remaining longtime favourites. Barramundi fillet gets […]

REVIEW After negotiating lanes that wind through apple and cherry orchards, you’ll reach a simple-looking shed – inside there’s a handsome, rustic tasting room with jarrah floors and large picture windows. And the big reveal is outside: a steep vine-covered valley, flanked by several decks for dining. Beautiful in summer, the venue is equally enticing […]

REVIEW An idyllic lime orchard and vineyard setting that stretches beyond the galvo pavilion’s windows and dining patio establishes an easy mood. It follows through to a relaxed yet serious regional menu, with chef Dioni Flanagan confidently pursuing exciting combinations. There’s pan-fried tommy ruff fillets on almond purée with a smoked eel crisp, for instance. […]

REVIEW Candles and Edison bulbs provide an inviting glow throughout this former mill, softening its old stone and painted tin walls. Tall tables inside and out are taken by wine bar patrons, while the mismatched chairs at timber tables are reserved for diners in the rear area and mezzanine. Seed’s menu is listed from lightest […]

REVIEW Expect a warm welcome at the restored 170-year-old flour mill, where you can sit on the lawn, expansive deck or inside the three-level venue. Food is drawn from Kangaroo Island and the Fleurieu, supported by a considered South Australian wine list. Paper-thin kingfish sashimi works well with the bitter flavour and crunch of radish, […]

REVIEW Dining at this McLaren Vale restaurant can take longer than expected, but it’s not that service is tardy – quite the opposite. Approachable waitstaff, led by Sarah Hollway, pay close attention to detail. It’s the 230-plus gins and rich wine offering that can cause delays. Fortunately if you linger too long in the cellar, […]

REVIEW Maximilian’s shares lodge-like hilltop premises – and a happy symbiotic relationship – with the reputable Sidewood Estate cellar door. Fittingly, the menu has Sidewood shiraz in the jus of the carefully cooked Coonawarra sirloin, which feels like something north-side from Game of Thrones. The meat is grilled and served with charred cos, a purée […]

A humble McLaren Vale gem.

REVIEW The Lane Vineyard’s welcoming staff are proud of their show-stopping Adelaide Hills views. Our entrée is an even prettier landscape: folds of ocean trout dotted with marinated roe and threaded with tiny marigolds, violets and cornflowers, while dill oil is pooled in a peak of the whitest crème fraîche. Main courses aren’t hard on […]

REVIEW Fresh from a stint at Maxwell Wines’ Ellen Street Restaurant, chef Tom Boden has a new home among the vines and paddocks at Penny’s Hill. In keeping with the rural vibe, Boden’s food is honest, rustic and bound to sate the hungriest of appetites. A slab of slow-roasted lamb is meltingly tender and delicious […]

REVIEW This quaint white timber restaurant was a turn-of-the-century ex-Methodist church, tucked down a quiet Penola street. Ten years ago, accomplished floor manager Erika Bowen and her chef husband Simon transformed it into a tidy, efficient dining room, and have remained true to the building’s historic charm. A small but carefully considered à la carte […]

REVIEW The water wheel still slowly turns, but the appeal of this 1860s Adelaide Hills landmark goes beyond its old flour mill. Seppeltsfield Winery’s Warren Randall bought the property from Petaluma winery in 2015, reinvented the venue’s dining options and, in 2017, the space itself – renovations include a deck and glass-walled top level. Chef […]