Schnitty love: On the hunt for SA’s largest schnitzels

We asked and readers delivered, helping us compile a list of the best places to grab the biggest schnitzels across SA. Did we miss your favourite? Let us know here.

Maccelesfield Hotel schnitzel Picture: Supplied

We asked “where can you find South Australia’s biggest schnitzel?” and you delivered. No, not like Uber Eats, although we are a bit peckish.

When The Advertiser put the call out, you took to social media to let us know where to get ginormous schnitties – and there was even a bit of “show and tell” by those who posted pics.

DID WE MISS YOUR LOCAL FAVOURITE FOR A BIG SCHNITTY? TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

Maranellos Cafe’s The Australian Parmi schnitzel. Picture: Supplied

MARANELLOS CAFE RESTAURANT

4 John St, Salisbury, 0456 587 630

Is there a plate hiding somewhere under that schnitty?

That’s the question we were asking when we feasted our eyes on the size of the chicken and beef schnitzel pics, taken at Maranellos and delivered to us.

With no less than 12 to choose from – including the pictured Aussie schnitty – they are so huge that they come on a platter.

Prices start at $28 for a “massive home made schnitzel seasoned to perfection” with chips and salad.

You might want to BYO doggy bag!

The Rising Sun schnitty with pepper sauce. Picture: Supplied

THE RISING SUN HOTEL

19 Main North Rd. Auburn, [phone]

There is a pub in Auburn they call the Rising Sun and it’s been the ruin of many who caught up with their mates for a drink, turning into a beer and a schnitty on the way to have mum’s roast. There’s the 320g chicken schnitty for $22.90 (with a gluten-free option), or 350g beef for $23.90.

Both are house-crumbed and come with crispy sea-salt chips, house-made slaw and lemon wedges.

Toppings – including creamy garlic, for those not planning on getting saucy with anyone later – are two bucks extra.

Islanders’ Tavern’s special Mexican chicken schnitzel. Picture: Supplied

Cafe Paparazzi’s chicken parmi. Picture: Supplied

ISLANDERS’ TAVERN

Tolarno Drive, Hindmarsh Island, [phone]

Okay, so the schnitzels aren’t quite hanging over the sides of the plates, but the Mexican schnitties, which pop up on the specials board from time to time, are as almost as tall as they are wide.

And that is, as we used to say in the 1980s, bulk good.

When it’s on the menu, the yummy spesh mex – which you can also feast your eyes on, because it’s pretty good looking as far as schnitties go – comes with extras such as sour cream, guacamole and corn chips.

The Islanders’ Tavern also does a basic chicken or beef schnitty, which comes with chips, salad and a sauce – Gravy, Pepper, Mushroom, Creamy Garlic or Diane – for just $20.

If you’d prefer a topping, there’s parmigiana, for an extra $4, or seafood, which is prawns and squid in a garlic sauce, for $9.

CAFE PAPARAZZI

291 Unley Rd, Malvern, [phone]

Yes, it’s in a swanky suburb – note, not ‘burb’ – but the good folk at Paparazzi aren’t at all precious about their famous schnitties, to which you gave rave reviews.

They have even popped a happy drooling face emoji next to the schnitzel heading on their online menu!

At last count there’s 11 to choose from, ranging from the Plain and Simple chicken or veal schnitty, which is “fried golden” with a lemon wedge, to the Texas Style, which may well be bigger than Texas – it’s a Plain and Simple plus pepperoni, jalapeños, hot sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.

The Greeks may have invented schnitzels – for anyone who missed it, that’s a My Big Fat Greek Wedding reference – because this cafe has a Yiros Yiros schnitty.

As the name suggests it’s topped with a lot of lamb Yiros, grilled onion, melted mozzarella cheese and garlic tzatziki.

Prices start at $24.90 for the Plain and Simple.

Settebello’s schnitties are so big they hang over the side of the platter! Picture: Supplied

CAFE SETTEBELLO

84 Newton Rd, Campbelltown, [phone]

If you go silly for schnitties then it pays to know that Settebello means serious business when it comes to making them.

So much so, that it has a “Schnitzel Factory” that churns out 26 varieties – or maybe that’s 52, because you get the choice of chicken or veal for each one.

There’s the cracking Aussie Outback which includes egg, then there’s Ocean’s Fantasy, with squid and prawns.

Just Cheese, with feta, bocconcini and melted mozzarella ... and just because they can, Chook’n’Pasta, which has spaghetti plonked on it.

There’s also – and image if schnitzels and pizzas could breed and have babies, okay? – a Meat Cravers schnitty with salami, bacon and sausage.

Prices start at $26 for a Plane and Simple and extra sauces on the side are five bucks.

If that sounds like a lot to fork out, you need to know it won’t be just any old gravy boat – if it’s in proportion to the schnitties, it’s gonna be a gravy titanic!

Biggest Schnitzel – lower light – picture supplied

LOWER LIGHT HOTEL

33 Port Wakefield Rd, Lower Light, [phone]

Forget “would you like fries with that?”, you get everything including the kitchen sink with your schnitty at Bev and Joff’s legendary pub.

Okay, well maybe that is an exaggeration, but only a slight one!

Look at the above pic Advertiser reader Ann Burnell shared with us.

We’ve cropped her “so yummy” schnitzel to about a sixth of its size in order for us to show you everything you can have with it.

There’s so many different sides piled onto the plate that Lower Light Hotel has just got to have a super-sized salad bar with the lot that would put Sizzler to shame – and there’s even a sanger!

Head along on Monday or Thursday for $12 schnitzel night.

And, yes, that 12 bucks also includes chips, salad or veg and gravy – unless you want a parmi or surf'n’turf schnitty, which are a little more pricey, but big on “bang for your buck” value.

Macclesfield Hotel’s schnitzel parmigiana is huge. Picture: Facebook

A Hotel Renmark schnitty with gravy. Picture: Supplied

THE MACCLESFIELD HOTEL

31 Venables St, Macclesfield, [phone]

Prepare to pig out at this pub, where there’s a pork schnitzel on the menu.

Don’t want any pork on your fork? No worries, there’s also chicken and beef.

You can get your schnitty with chips only, salad only, veg only, mash only, chips and salad, mash and veg or chips and veg. Phew!

But wait, there’s more!

There’s 13 sauces to choose from, including BBQ Bourbon, Sweet and Sour, Chilli Ginger and Lime, Plum and Curry.

Plus, you’re spoiled for choice with toppings.

There’s posh nosh ones like the Maccy Royale, with hollandaise, onion, bacon and camembert or 3 Little Pigs, with BBQ sauce, bacon, ham, pork belly and cheese.

And, let’s not forget, Fatboy, with BBQ sauce, onion, bacon and cheese, with the option of an egg, if you would like some extra protein with your meal.

You can get half or full schnitzels from $20 for a half chicken schnitty, plus extra for sauces and toppings.

But here’s a tip: Thursday is $22 schnitty night, so as they say in the classics, be sure to read the fine print.

HOTEL RENMARK

Murray Ave, Renmark, [phone]

Smart locals and visitors know that Hump Day isn’t just quiz night at this Riverland community-run establishment.

Wednesday is also Schnitzel Day, when beef or chicken schnitties are just $14, plus extra for toppings, in the main bar.

You can also get a schnitty in Hotel Renmark’s bistro, Nanya, where you can order a Panko Crumbed Chicken Schnitzel or Rollbusch Beef Schnitzel – which both come with chips and salad.

FYI, Nanya doesn’t do things by halves.

You can get fancy toppings like Red Wine Jus and Garlic Prawns, with no less than five prawns.

Actually, the bistro does do things by halves, because you can order a half schnitty.

The Holdy Mega Snitty Deal Picture: Supplied

HOLDFAST HOTEL

83 Brighton Road, Glenelg, [phone]

Behold The Holdy’s Mega Snitty Deal!

BTW, “snitty” is Aussie for schnitty, which is an abbreviation of schnitzel - the national dish of Austria, where the schnitzel originated.

But let’s get back to the mega deal.

For $60 you get not one, but two 800g mega schnitzels, with parmigiana toppings, plus a jug of Coopers.

The offer is available in the Sports & Garden Bar all day, every day.

Schnitties are also available in the restaurant, where there’s a garlic and herb crumbed beef schnitty and two types of chicken; one is parmesan crumbed chicken breast and the other is plant-based chicken.

The Holdy also holds its more mature clientele dear; from Monday to Saturday, between noon and 2.30pm, Seniors Card holders can get a beef or chicken schnitty, with chips, salad and gravy for $15.90.

San Marino’s Texas Style schnitzel. Picture: Supplied

SAN MARINO

108 Commercial Rd, Seaford, [phone]

Have we saved the best until last?

We’re not sure because we would have had to taste test every humungous South Aussie schnitty to be able to tell you that with confidence - and a case of indigestion that no amount of Quick Eze could ever cure.

But, judging by the above photo of a Texas Style schnitty, San Marino may well be serving up the biggest schnitzels.

Like Cafe Settebello, the eatery has its own “Schnitzel Factory”, except this one’s menu has even more on offer, so it must be said factory chain’s state headquarters.

San Marino’s exclusive schnitties include the Spanish Matador, with sausage and chilli, for $29.90, and The Wingy Volcano, which has bacon and 10 smokey BBQ chicken wings for $30.90, which, quite frankly, could feed a family of four!