Whether you’re looking for fresh produce, boutique wine or rich coffees, Adelaide’s vibrant city and regional areas are packed with culinary gems.
At Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant, sustainability is front and centre with chef Scott Huggins sourcing ingredients from the gardens to create the menu. The same ethos is at Etica, where low food miles and traceability are paramount.
Topiary
When it comes to self-catering on your upcoming holiday, you can’t beat the convenience and value of sourcing your own produce. Luckily, South Australia is home to a thriving farmers’ market scene where you can find everything from gourmet cheeses and jams to artisan bread and boutique wine. Some of the most popular markets in Adelaide are located in the city centre, including the Adelaide Central Market and the Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market. Both are a wonderland of all things food and drink, with a whole range of stalls featuring vegan sweets and gluten-free snacks, wholesome juices and smoothies, and fresh seafood and produce. There’s even a dedicated succulent and terrarium stall, along with a great selection of locally made wares.
The Adelaide Hills is a prime destination for gastronomic adventures with its abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, and artisan producers producing delicious foods and drinks. Stock up on your favourites at roadside stalls and farm gates, or visit one of the many providores. There are also plenty of pubs with beer gardens in summer and cosy bars in winter, where you can sample some of the Hills’ famous wines.
A must-visit is the Topiary garden, where yews are sculpted into various shapes, including whales, birds, swans, spirals, and a tyrannosaurus rex. These whimsical sculptures are not just a delight for the eyes, but they can also help to improve mental wellbeing and relieve stress. In fact, research suggests that spending time in a garden can help reduce anxiety and depression, as well as increase feelings of happiness and joy.
There is a real sense of escapism in creating your own garden of topiary, and it’s a fantastic way to relax and unwind. Whether you’re looking for something simple and elegant, or just want to add some greenery to your home, topiary is the perfect option.
To really get to know your local wine and artisan food scene, you should book a tour with a professional. These tours can include a guided wine tasting at a local cellar door, or they could take you to a specialised restaurant for a unique dining experience.
Fino Seppeltsfield
Located inside one of Australia’s most iconic wineries in the Barossa Valley, Fino Seppeltsfield is an exciting new dining option. The team at Fino have brought a fresh approach to progressive regional dining with an emphasis on quality local produce and the simplicity of sharing a meal together. The restaurant has a semi-subterranean area that sits within the original 1868 bluestone wine fermentation tanks as well as a main dining room and al fresco space overlooking the famous Seppeltsfield fountain.
With a menu designed to showcase the best of South Australian ingredients, the chefs have created dishes that are both inventive and delicious. Some of the favourites include Berkshire pork belly with Schu Am ham, cheese and sage served with earthy steamed beetroot and cabbage; Coorong mulloway fillet with brandade, capers and endive; or the Hutton Vale lamb and silverbeet pasty with heirloom tomatoes and baby spinach. The restaurant also has a selection of wines from the St Hugo cellar collection that pair perfectly with the dishes.
Owners David Swain and Sharon Romeo have brought a wealth of experience to the team at Fino. They work closely with their growers and suppliers to bring the Fino ethos of food, provenance and the simple joy of sharing a meal together to their guests.
The team of Sam Smith (head chef) and Daniel Murphy (front of house) have embraced the challenge of delivering a genuine Fino experience to their guests with dishes that celebrate the flavours of the Barossa and its surrounds. They have crafted a menu that is full of fresh, seasonal produce from local growers and producers including Najobe Park free-range, grass fed beef from the Hills, Flour Power organic sourdough and Paracombe Premium Perry pear cider.
Great growers are part of Adelaide’s DNA. They can be found all over the city and the region at roadside stalls and farm gates, and are also showcased at the city’s famed Adelaide Central Market where they supply fruit and vegetables, meat and seafood, dairy and a myriad of bakery, cheese and smallgoods stalls. The market is also home to a number of artisan producers who create everything from artisan breads and pastas to olive oil and vinegars.
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South Australia has an enviable reputation as a destination for gourmet food and wine. The state’s sunny climate is ideal for growing premium grapes and the diverse culture of the region means that many ethnic communities have contributed their culinary knowledge. This has helped to create a unique and vibrant food culture.
You can sample these gourmet foods at restaurants, cellar doors, farm gates and boutique markets across the state. A number of these are artisanal, and they use local ingredients and products to showcase the best of what’s on offer.
The Adelaide Central Market is a favourite with locals and visitors alike, and offers an eclectic range of produce. Stalls sell everything from Najobe Park free-range grass-fed beef to Flour Power organic sourdough and Paracombe Premium Perry pear cider. The market also hosts a number of artisanal producers, including Aki’s handmade tofu products and breads or Hughsli’s SA-made muesli.
A number of Adelaide Hills wineries are a short drive from the city and offer sublime tasting experiences. Shaw + Smith in Hahndorf is a cellar door with sweeping views of the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Lane Vineyard in Verdun is another, offering a gourmet lunch menu.
The area is also renowned for its beer and spirits. Port Adelaide is home to a clutch of microbreweries, such as Big Shed Brewing and Pirate Life, while the Adelaide Hills boasts a raft of distillers, including Applewood, which produces beautiful gins.
There are plenty of great places to stock up on locally made goodies for the pantry, including the oh-so-stylish Lush & Fresh, which stocks a wide range of bath and body products. Another is the Fishermen’s Wharf Markets in Port Adelaide, a trash-and-treasure bazaar of bric-a-brac and curios where you might find anything from collectable crystal to a cricket bat.
If you want to discover more gourmet foods and wines, look out for the Eat Local SA signs on restaurants, cafes, cellar doors, farm gates and accommodation throughout the state. The program is also available as an app to download, which helps you to find participating venues.
Gepps Cross Farmers Market
The artisanal food scene in South Australia is booming, with the state boasting world-class chefs and producers. From the iconic Adelaide Central Market to intimate cellar doors and family-run restaurants, it’s all about quality produce and the stories behind it.
The local community is embracing the farm-to-table philosophy, with many markets offering the freshest local produce direct from the grower. This is especially true at the Gepps Cross Farmers Market, which sources its produce from small local family farms.
It also offers a wide variety of stalls, including organic, gluten free, dairy free and vegan foods. The organisers of the Gepps Cross Farmers Market are passionate about the local community and have a strong focus on sustainability. They also encourage visitors to support the producers and bring their containers for reuse at the end of the day.
A visit to the farmers market is a great opportunity to meet the growers, who are always happy to share their knowledge about their products. Some of the products are not found in supermarkets, such as local cheeses and eggs. They also sell a variety of fresh and dried foods, such as herbs, spices, oils and vinegars.
In addition to the fresh food on offer, the Gepps Cross Farmers Market also has a range of plants. This is a good opportunity to get your hands on rare or unusual plants for your garden. You can also buy potted flowers and herbs to decorate your home or office.
The farmers market is a great place to try new cuisines, and many stalls specialise in specific ingredients. For example, you can get a gyro from a Greek restaurant, or try a pie from a Barossa pie shop. There are also a number of small businesses selling their products at the market, such as Masterchef royalty Poh Ling Yeow’s bakery Jamface.
While many visitors flock to the famous Adelaide Central Market, there are a number of other food and fresh produce markets to explore. The Gepps Cross Treasure Market, for example, is located at the former Mainline Drive-In and is a popular alternative to garage sales. It’s a fantastic place to find unique treasures and gifts, and prices tend to drop as the market closes.