McLaren Vale v Barossa — which wine region has the best restaurants

Which wine region wins the battle of the restaurants in the delicious 100 for 2018? It’s north versus south and there the main winner is South Australians.

• delicious 100: South Australia’s best restaurants

The acclaimed wine regions of McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley have both developed brilliant restaurants to match the quality of what is poured into the glass.

However, the argument over which of the pair offers the best dining experiences overall shifts with each new opening or change of chef.

With The Advertiser delicious 100, which ranks the state’s best restaurants for the first time from one to 100, it is possible to make an up-to-date comparison of each region and see which is faring best.

Choosing a winner, however, depends on which way the numbers are crunched.

Regional restaurants comprise more than a third of the list, which reflect their crucial role in the state’s food culture.

McLaren Vale leads the way with nine of the 100, as well as another two nearby, compared to seven in the Barossa. So points there to the Vale.

Gather Food and Wine’s Tom Tilbury. Photos John Kruger

On the other hand, the Barossa has three restaurants in the top 10, compared to two for its southern rival, and maintains the advantage in the top 20 at five to four. So it really is line ball.

Peter Clarke, co-owner and chef at Vintners Bar and Grill, one of the high-ranking Barossa restaurants has lived and worked in the region for more than 20 years. He has his own property where he grows fruit and vegetables, as well as a strong network of local farmers.

“It puts me in touch with the seasons,” he says.

“I am able to judge when the produce is at its prime. And having the Barossa Farmers Market right behind us is also fantastic. If someone is trying to breed a new chicken or grow another vegetable, it’s generally done in the country and they will come to us before a city restaurant.”

He says visitors to the area love to eat something grown locally, such as his dish of “Michael’s heritage pork, smoked apple and kohlrabi”. Asked to pick a favourite between the regions, the answer isn’t surprising.

Vintners owners Peter Clarke and Rami Heer. Picture Matt Turner

“I love the sea but it’s definitely the Barossa,” he says.

On the other side, Tom Tilbury from Gather at Coriole has just returned to McLaren Vale, where he grew up and first worked as a chef.

“We’re surrounded by the (Willunga) range and the ocean is right there,” he says. “It’s a beautiful little pocket that is so interesting to cook in. It is such a beautiful part of the state.”

He believes the regions are quite different. “The Barossa has its own unique characteristics,” he says. “You probably have people staying there more while at McLaren Vale you can duck down (from the city) for a quick meal.”

SIMON SAYS:

Between them, the Barossa and McLaren Vale have half of the restaurants in the delicious 100 top 10, and 14 of the top 50 — so both offer a host of terrific dining options that continue to evolve and improve. However, if I have to pick a favourite at this moment, with summer approaching, the proximity of the sea and its bounty would tilt the balance to McLaren Vale. Just.