Maxwell restaurant tops our best regional dining experiences in the SA’s delicious.100
From a cutting-edge cellar door in McLaren Vale, to a humble Italian cafe in the Barossa – explore the top 15 regional restaurants in South Australia.
Food & Wine
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Imagination and (dry) ice and all things nice.
Maxwell head chef Fabian Lehmann brings together all the necessary ingredients to create an unforgettable dining experience, which has seen the restaurant named as Best Regional in the 2022 delicious.100.
The Advertiser’s delicious.100, released on August 6, is a list of South Australia’s best restaurants.
Maxwell, the restaurant of family-owned Maxwell Wines in McLaren Vale, offers a 10-course tasting menu in a relaxed setting, overlooking the vineyards.
“Our goal has always been to provide our guests with a special and memorable experience,” says Lehmann, who has worked at Maxwell for six years. “We have come a long way and it’s been an incredible journey.”
One of the showstopping dishes on his current menu is the abalone, served in the shell with a veil of “smoke” created by dry ice.
“It’s a great way to catch guests’ attention and a great introduction to the tasting menu,” Lehmann says.
Other top ranking regional restaurants in South Australia include a natural wine bar-turned-degustation destination in Willunga, a Clare Valley pub with sustainability at heart, and a seafood-forward diner on the Eyre Peninsula.
Here’s our top 15 – for more, and to vote for your favourite restaurant for the chance to win dinner up the value of $2000 at Restaurant Botanic, see our full delicious.100 list.
1. Maxwell
9 Olivers Rd, McLaren Vale | 8323 8200 | maxwellwines.com.au
A pair of waffles, brushed with beef fat, arrive on a folded napkin, ready to swipe through the glossy puddle of sauce at the base of a block of grilled wagyu.
This final savoury course is Exhibit A of the sensible sophistication and egalitarian appeal that has taken Maxwell to a place among the very best of the state’s vast array of winery restaurants.
All this comes together in a striking, golden-stoned cellar door, where tables in the original dining room are now supplemented by those on a newly-enclosed deck.
It is equally an ideal place to celebrate a special occasion as it is to simply enjoy the good life, over a leisurely long lunch with serene vineyard views.
2. Muni
2/3 High St, Willunga | 7516 5958 | munirestaurant.com.au
A small property at the bottom of Willunga’s famed hill has been finished in natural tones with a restraint that suggests modern Japan.
It opened as a bar pouring natural wines alongside small, affordable plates but that has morphed into a degustation showcasing the vast imagination of Taiwanese-born owner/chefs Mug Chen and Chia Wu (ex Vue de monde, Melbourne).
The detail they put into every plate is extraordinary. Leeks are poached in beetroot juice for two hours and re-rolled into uniform little batons, then piped with “liquid brioche” and sprinkled with beetroot powder. Then there’s the squid, blasted with a blowtorch and on an emulsion of the spicy sausage ‘nduja.
Muni is the mouse that roared, a small but perfectly formed restaurant with two chefs who are stars of the future.
3. The Little Rickshaw
24 Old Coach Rd, Aldinga | 0403784568 | thelittlerickshaw.com.au
If “shanty chic” were a thing, this would be it: a former blacksmith’s workshop-turned-diner, with a welcoming mix of corrugated iron, exposed stone and timber beams, rugs underfoot and hanging bulbs overhead.
The Feed Me option is a good way to go. It might start with a tartare of whiting caught in local waters yesterday, barely bound by kelp oil, ponzu and fresh wasabi sitting atop a tiny piece of rice paper.
A perfectly pleated pork and shiitake mushroom dumpling, in a puddle of black vinegar dashi sauce, is the stuff of dumpling dreams.
Heartier highlights include hand-pulled noodles dressed in a lipsmacking garlic chilli oil (keep your drink handy), and fall-of-the-bone wagyu rib with a sticky chilli infused honey.
4. The Farm Eatery
Pheasant Farm Rd, Nuriootpa | 8562 1902 | thefarmeatery.com
The purpose-built lakeside function pavilion alongside Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop has been cleverly sectioned into smaller, warmer lunch-only restaurant spaces finetuned by the deft and highly experienced touch of Elli Beer.
You will pay $70 to share what Elli calls “three courses”, but it’s really so much more.
A big bowl of marinated olives, sweet-to-tangy pickles and beetroot relish make this a course on its own.
Then there’s a pretty spray of kingfish, horseradish and dill, wholly upstaged by excellent and generous celeriac croquettes (about four morsels each). They are shrouded in finely grated parmesan and circled with the most delicious finely chopped smoked macadamias you’ll surely ever eat.
A choice of three seasonal mains are sided by a super salad of greens, roasted grapes, pear and miso.
5. The Salopian Inn
Cnr Main Rd & McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale | 8323 8769 | salopian.com.au
It’s lunchtime on a chilly Saturday afternoon and The Salopian is humming with the kind of electricity that you find in a restaurant at the top of its game.
Couples and groups of friends young and old are sharing in spirited conversation and the staff seem to be having an equally good time.
There’s a sense that this is what all dining out should be like: relaxed, convivial, but with food that’s been produced with love and care.
The Salopian is rightly famous for its dumplings and pork buns, but other “small delights” are worthy of attention. Like the Hiramasa kingfish sashimi, spiked with Japanese flavours of soy and ponzu and decorated with watermelon radish and daikon that, like much of the vegies and other produce, are grown in the patch at Armstrong’s home.
Char-kissed local squid is tossed with fresh kohlrabi and fennel, and a quince-based hot sauce that’ll get the tastebuds dancing. For something richer, tender braised kangaroo tail in chilli caramel is unctuous and sticky sweet.
6. Lot 100
68 Chambers Rd, Hay Valley | 7077 2888 | lot100.com.au
Sustainable farm-to-table is the noble raison d’etre of this popular Hills outpost sited high above the Hay Valley on an 84-hectare farm that provisions both the restaurant and resident craft beverage makers.
The beating heart of the collaborative operation is a giant architectural shed with cool bar pouring beer, wine, gin and more, all made on site.
On weekends the place fairly heaves; outdoors there’s extensive seating for tastings or tucking into wood-fired pizza.
Inside the big shed, Hills resident and native food wizard Shannon Fleming concentrates on an inventive degustation that unfolds leisurely across the afternoon.
Native and foraged ingredients star: kingfish sashimi speckled with wild Hills blackberries and purslane; sugar loaf cabbage dusted with bunya nuts beside excellent dry-aged scotch fillet.
And that lovely view through wind-ruffled gum trees towards the cider orchard merits its own Michelin star.
7. The Lane
5 Ravenswood Lane, Hahndorf | 8388 1250 | thelane.com.au
Cinematic vistas of rolling hills and vineyards that wrap The Lane provide an idyllic platform for a sensational dining experience.
Chef Tom Robinson captures an authentic regional and seasonal flavour through his excellent selection of ingredients, deft execution and gorgeous presentation.
While the kitchen serves a limited Harvest menu for lunch from Tuesday to Thursday, it’s the five-course Provenance set menu served at other times that provides real cause for excitement. An opening snack of salt-baked beetroot, rich black garlic and nori in a mini-tart is a savoury delight.
Crisp-skinned Murray cod sits in a gentle chardonnay beurre blanc piqued with caviar. This is serious food without the austere edges.
8. Vintners Bar & Grill
752 Stockwell Rd, Angaston | 8564 2488 | vintners.com.au
On a cold and blustery day, Vintners Bar & Grill in the Barossa is a welcome haven, with a wood fire crackling beneath a majestic mirror which reflects the exemplary collection of wines arrayed on the opposite wall.
Remarkably, the restaurant has been trading for more than 25 years and is as good as ever, with the same co-owner/chef, Peter Clarke, in charge.
His menu remains innovative, with Korean beef tartare with nashi pear and fermented chilli, or fried pigs ears with BBQ sauce examples of a cuisine which defies being locked into a particular category.
Roasted heirloom carrots with sheep’s milk yoghurt, honey and baharat is given an extra lift with pomegranate seeds and fine shavings of lightly roasted garlic.
Everything is served on beautiful bespoke crockery and the service is excellent, confirming Vintners’ place among the Barossa’s best eateries.
9. Hardy’s Verandah
Mount Lofty House, 1 Mawson Drive, Crafers | 8130 9292 | hardysverandah.com.au
If it’s a big celebration, or you just feel the need to splurge, Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant has the grand setting and luxe experience to fit the occasion.
On the table, chef Jin Choi delivers with poise and elegance. There’s sublime savouriness in raw wagyu beef wrapped around a core of enoki mushrooms with a ponzu sauce, and pleasing spikes of Sichuan pepper in rich plum sauce to accompany lean duck breast smoked with oolong tea.
HVR delivers with its picturesque views over the Piccadilly Valley, precise attention to detail with service, elegant table settings and pristine glassware.
10. Watervale Hotel
37 Main North Rd, Watervale | 8843 0229 | watervalehotel.com.au
Forget the limp lettuce and pallid tomato of a standard pub salad. What they serve at the Watervale is a joy to behold.
A ceramic bowl is filled with leaves and stems of lettuces, cabbages and other greens; slices of beetroot, cucumber and squash; apple, radish and a mix of petals and blooms.
A ceramic bowl of Spanish-style king prawns is not for the faint-hearted, with the crustaceans’ heads staring out of a dark emulsion rich with paprika.
Filo cigars are filled with a lightly spiced lamb mince sourced from offcuts from the two whole carcasses that are purchased by the hotel each week.
Whole rainbow trout is grilled and served with the tang of fresh sorrel from the garden in wilted leaves and a melting pat of butter.
11. Mt Lofty Vineyard
166 Harris Rd, Lenswood | 8389 8339 | mtloftyrangesvineyard.com.au
A warm saltbush focaccia waiting to be slathered in a delightfully savoury shallot butter; a tiny celeriac, walnut and egg yolk taco; and a crispy salmon churros sitting atop tartare sauce – think Barnacle Bill working the kitchen at Noma.
Cellar door restaurant Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard will have you hooked by the end of the appetisers, let alone any of the “proper” courses to come.
Part of the appeal, of course, is the setting, perched above a misty valley with kangaroos lazily grazing between rows of vines.
Chef Jesse White’s menu talks perfectly to this place with dishes that are locally inspired and seasonal.
12. Casa Carboni
67 Murray St, Angaston | 0415 157 669 | casacarboni.com.au
A tumble of perfectly pleated ravioli takes centre stage on a plate glossy with Paris Creek butter sauce and finished with shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano.
It’s the kind of dish you might expect to see at a fine dining establishment, not in a humble cafe and cooking school.
We’re at Casa Carboni in Angaston, where owner/teacher/cook Matteo Carboni and his FOH wife Fiona host a long lunch each Sunday, as well as simpler meals earlier in the week.
Fiona reveals the menu upon arrival – starting with a snack of Port Lincoln sardine on sourdough with enough acidity to get the tastebuds going.
Beautifully cooked ox tongue on lightly pickled red cabbage, topped with garlicky salsa verde, is a triumph. And if you’ve ever wondered what risotto should be like, Matteo’s risotto alle vongole will have you wanting to return for a class.
13. Fino at Seppeltsfield
730 Seppeltsfield Rd, Seppeltsfield | 8562 8528 | fino.net.au
A visit to Seppeltsfield is a complete outing. The buildings spread across the Barossa property are steeped in history, as are many of the wines, while the working galleries of the JamFactory have an array of art and crafts to admire.
Both the a la carte and sharing menus build steadily in size, so if you are yearning for more of the likes of a deliciously meaty lamb croquette garnished with beetroot and labne, hold on.
Kingfish crudo, with persimmon and Geraldton wax, is a more delicate and generous starter.
From the larger serves, four sweet fillets of Coorong Mullet feature in a lively plating with leek, oyster mushrooms and romesco, while wagyu brisket is accompanied by sugarloaf cabbage and black vinegar. Crema catalana, a permanent dessert fixture, is always excellent.
14. FermentAsian
90 Murray St, Tanunda | 8563 0765 | fermentasian.com.au
Owner/chef Tuoi Do’s rambling gardens at her home are just a skip away from the restaurant in central Tanunda and, lovingly tended by her super green-thumb parents, are the main source of almost every earthy morsel used in the kitchen.
Then you add the deft touch of Tuoi, who has long been lauded for developing a depth beyond the freshness of traditional Vietnamese food.
Authenticity reigns, from the bubbly, crisp Hanoi-style spring rolls to cracking pork with a fine rim of crunch.
Her squid is steeped in an unusual, unforgettable peppery sauce deliciously dominated by slow-cooked tomatoes.
15. Line & Label
1 Whillas Road, Port Lincoln | 8682 6635 | peterteaklewines.com
In the hills above the famed Boston Bay waters and township of Port Lincoln, businessman Peter Teakle has developed an enviable destination restaurant in the midst of an impressive vineyard and winery precinct.
The menu and drinks list further raise the tone, focusing on the Eyre Peninsula’s seafood.
Excellent cooking throughout makes this a trustworthy adventure, starting with a tasting plate of pickled squid, smoked bluefin tuna, kingfish sashimi, Gazander oysters (shucked but with the lid returned to the shell), edible succulents, pickled ginger and wasabi.
The main menu provides plenty of land-based highlights that contrast and balance robust Asian flavours with classic European techniques.
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