Shoot for the MICHELIN stars, land close to home

When the first MICHELIN Guide to Australia was launched in mid-October, with 12 coveted stars awarded, alongside 16 Bib Gourmand awards and 50 MICHELIN-selected establishments, it reiterated what so many of us already understood: South Australia is a serious player on the global food and wine scene.

This is a state that produces about 50 per cent of Australia’s wine, 80 per cent of Australia’s premium wine, across some of the country’s best-known regions, the places we associate with legendary names such as Penfolds and Wynns.

It’s also a gastronomic hotspot, the home of Adelaide Central Market, Barossa shiraz, Maggie Beer, Coffin Bay oysters and genuine star chefs such as Jake Kellie, Fabian Lehmann and Scott Huggins.

This is, in short, the natural home for the MICHELIN Guide, and an incredibly exciting destination for those who like to wine and dine.

These are South Australia’s best regions for gastronomes, and what to look out for while you’re there.

Adelaide

The South Australian capital now boasts six MICHELIN stars, not to mention 12 Bib Gourmand awards, and plenty of standard inclusions in the French restaurant guide’s first foray into Australia.

To understand Adelaide, you should begin at the Adelaide Central Market. Wander at your own pace or take a tour – the sprawling facility has been around since 1869 and remains the heart and soul of the city’s food scene, with some of the finest produce around.

Then, experience the city’s high-end dining at MICHELIN-starred arkhe, Aurora, Esmay, Restaurant Botanic and, of course, the now two-starred Magill Estate Restaurant.

And sample the cuisines of the world at the likes of Parwana (Afghan), Osteria Oggi (Italian), Ong (Vietnamese), and many more.

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Barossa

Few wine regions and varietals in Australia can make a genuine claim to global fame, but Barossa shiraz is one of them. Penfolds Grange is iconic; Peter Lehmann Wines, Yalumba and Henschke are legends. This region is home to some of the oldest vines not just in Australia but in the world – that’s some serious history.

In the Barossa you will also discover an exciting new wave of winemakers and cellar doors that includes Spinifex, Rieslingfreak and Artisans of Barossa. You could tour the Barossa just sampling drops and you would be happy – Small Batch is a wonderful wine tour operator with which to do so.

There’s more to this region, however, than one grape varietal. The Barossa is a hotbed of gastronomic talent. Check out fermentAsian for seriously good Vietnamese-influenced cuisine, Bib Gourmand-awarded Fino at Seppeltsfield for a long lunch in the sun, Vino Lokal for wine-bar-style dining, Vintners for a regional classic, and Appellation at The Louise for fine-dining. And don’t miss Hentley Farm, recently awarded one MICHELIN star for its modern Australian cuisine.

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McLaren Vale

It seems almost unfair when you consider the riches on Adelaide’s doorstep compared with other capital cities. The Barossa is only an hour’s drive away, and it’s not even the closest wine region to the state capital – nor is Adelaide Hills. Because, in the city’s southern outskirts, so begins McLaren Vale, a world-class producer of wine and food right there for the visiting.

Let’s begin with the cellar doors that should be on everyone’s list: d’Arenberg is instantly recognisable thanks to The Cube, its unique, five-storey headquarters that looks like a slightly twisted Rubik’s Cube. New-wave labels such as Bondar, SC Pannell, Ministry of Clouds and Alpha Box and Dice are also well worth trying. Stay in Adelaide CBD, and a tour with the likes of Taste the McLaren or Groovy Grapes will deliver you from cellar door to door in with ease.

And as with any good wine region, there’s also great food. Start with one MICHELIN star: Maxwell Restaurant is a must-visit where the food feels like an extension of the winery itself, and every dish is designed with the winery’s own wines and ginger-spiked meads in mind. Or head to The Salopian Inn, newly awarded a Bib Gourmand, for a farm-to-table feast which draws from the organic bounty of its surrounding garden.

Adelaide Hills

Adelaide Hills also has its share of gems, including some of the most exciting new winemakers in Australia. Its band of young, forward-thinking vignerons is pushing the Australian scene forward. Check out Ngeringa, Vinteloper, Hesketh, Murdoch Hill, Koerner, Bottle Shock and CRFT, to name a few.

And of course, you want to dine in the Hills. Hardy’s Verandah is epic fine dining with a view – and a beautifully curated wine program which has earned head sommelier Maxime Martin a prestigious MICHELIN sommelier award. CRFT does grazing plates to pair with wine tastings. And those one-MICHELIN-starred restaurants: LVN Restaurant at Bird in Hand, Aptos and Anvers now all have that famous red badge at their front door.

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Clare Valley

Around 90 minutes from Adelaide, the Clare Valley is boutique area where creativity runs deep and rich rewards and ripe for the taking – and tasting.

Clare wineries are best known for their world-class riesling, made by the likes of Grosset and Jim Barry, though cellar doors such as Knappstein, Shut the Gate and Kilikanoon provide ample reason to hang around in the Clare and sample as much as possible.

This is also the home of a MICHELIN star. Skillogalee Barrel House is run by chef Dan Moss, who serves set menus of modern Australian cuisine, pairing French techniques with the finest local ingredients. Antidote Kitchen, another Clare Valley favourite, received a Bib Gourmand award for its approachable, Indian-influenced cuisine. This, clearly, is a place to wine and dine, and it’s just 90 minutes from Adelaide.

Further afield

The chance to sample great food and wine in South Australia doesn’t begin and end at Adelaide and its surrounding wine regions. Look a little further and you will still discover plenty of high-quality culinary experiences.

Take Kangaroo Island, for example, where the likes of the Islander Estate, Dudley Wines and Kangaroo Island Spirits offer approachable, delicious food to pair with their more famous liquid products.

This is also the home of Southern Ocean Lodge, the winner of three MICHELIN keys – the organisation’s rating for hotels – and itself home to an excellent on-site restaurant. And don’t forget Tirage, recently awarded a Bib Gourmand award by MICHELIN for its easy-going wine bar fare.

Win the ultimate South Australian foodie escape with a former MICHELIN Guide Inspector.

The Ultimate Reservation is a money-can’t-buy journey into South Australia’s food culture, taking you beyond the table to discover its restaurants, regions, producers and people, with a former MICHELIN Guide inspector joining you along the way.

Think it should be you? Take a video of up to 60 seconds about why you’d love to experience The Ultimate Reservation for your chance to win for you and a companion. Visit southaustralia.com/ultimatereservation to enter.