Many factors contribute to a wonderful dining experience; a great view, a sense of community, local produce, great service and of course, great wine. These Adelaide Hills restaurants and eateries tick all the long lunch boxes.

Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard
Lenswood

Arguably one of the best dining views in the Hills. Think vineyards and towering gum trees. Owners and vignerons Sharon and Garry Pearson moved from Sydney to transform a tin shed into a beautifully designed hilltop cellar door and restaurant. New head chef Matt Rodgers (originally from the UK) recently joined the team and showcases Adelaide Hills produce as part of the two, three-course and degustation menu.

That’s Enrico
Lobethal

Pizzaiolo Enrico Sgarbossa serves what has to be a contender for best pizza in the state (and arguably the nation). The Italian is obsessed with dough and it shows. The ‘feed me’ option is stunning value and the small wine list champions local organic and biodynamic wine producers. Don’t leave without trying his wife Akiha’s tiramisu.

Mordrelle Wines
Hahndorf

You’ll need to plan ahead for this one but it’s worth the effort. Argentinian winemaker Martin Moran makes some of the best sparkling wine in Australia but is also a master of meat. The family-owned and run ‘by appointment only’ tasting space and winery can be booked for a traditional ‘gaucho’ Argentinian barbecue and wine experience (lunch or dinner) for a minimum of eight people. It all happens on the farm.

Topiary
Tea Tree Gully

A 140-year-old building in a flower-packed plant nursery is an unlikely location for a top dining destination but it works. This is a hidden foothills treasure. The team, led by chef and co-owner Kane Pollard, has sustainability at heart. Nothing is wasted here. Topiary is a love letter to local producers with beautifully presented dishes best explored via the Forager’s Menu (though you can do the a-la-carte dance if you wish). It’s fine dining quality with a relaxed vibe, particularly on the balcony and wisteria-framed courtyard. You can also get an Uber here, which is always a bonus when long lunches are involved.

Mt Bera
Gumeracha

Chances are you’ve never heard of Mt Bera Restaurant. It’s a hidden treasure set against a biodynamic winery and cellar door backdrop. New chef Manuel Prieto makes seasonal share plates and the boutique, family-owned estate produces single vineyard wines that are full of heart and alternative varieties. Hear the rumble of ‘moos’ in the distance? The bovines on the Running with the Cows Tempranillo bottles are not only a reference to their biodynamic practices and cycles of the moon, but also a tribute to their beloved Jersey cows. There’s a new private underground cellar on the horizon, too. Watch this space for clandestine dining for a maximum of 14 people.

The Scenic Hotel
Norton Summit

Special mention goes to this community-focussed pub with grub so good it deserves the spotlight. A certain local food writer dined here twice in one day, which is credit to the spread on offer. It’s a joyful place to visit; from the affable staff, hilltop view, cracking local-leaning wine list, and dishes that screech with colour and freshness. Be sure to try the seasonal pickled vegetables (grown by the team’s mates) and a list of starters that beg to be scooped with hunks of sheoak whole wheat sourdough.

The Lane Vineyard
Hahndorf

A cellar door restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over 40-hectares of vineyards and farmland. The five-course Provenance menu and choose your own Harvest menu champion local producers and veggies from the kitchen garden. Chef Tom Robinson is a humble, wildly talented guy. Dishes are paired with a curated selection of The Lane wines or the non-alc Temperance menu. It’s a truly lovely day out. You can also pre-order a picnic basket if you want to dine casually across the pretty property. Find it just five minutes from Hahndorf.

LVN Restaurant at Bird in Hand
Woodside

Vineyards lead the way to this new treat. Executive chef Jacob Davey (formerly Restaurant Botanic) dives deep into Bird in Hand’s kitchen garden to create a fine dining experience that exudes class. In fact, everything about LVN is classy; sleek design, impressive art, and dishes that draw gasps. It’s a dedicated lunch spot and the little culinary works of art keep coming (seven-to-10 courses) so dedicate your whole afternoon to breaking bread alongside estate wines.

Ondeen
Verdun

Chef Kane Pollard (Topiary) is at the helm at this new Verdun haunt. Part restaurant, part Full Circle Spirits tasting space, it exudes Pollard’s exquisite, hyper-seasonal approach to foraging, local produce and authenticity. The chef is a true South Australian treasure and one of the most authentic souls in the hospitality world. Choose as you go or opt for the long dining experience. The honey malt crème caramel and fresh honeycomb is the stuff of dreams, as is the thoughtful non-alc offering (for those who need to drive). Hit a few golf balls toward a target on the nearby lake while you’re there.

Thelma
Piccadilly

This wholesome new kid on the leafy block attracts a steady flow of in-the-know city folk and Adelaide Hills dwellers. It’s so hot right now largely thanks to chef Tom Campbell’s reputation for farm-to-plate snacks and shared plates of beauty.

The little bistro is part breakfast and lunch spot, with an occasional evening event and guest chef cameo added to the mix. The spotlight is firmly focused on Adelaide Hills produce (co-owner James Spreadbury’s brother owns a biodynamic market garden nearby) and the natural wine list is carefully curated by fellow co-owner Olivia Moore who also owns LOC Bottle Bar in Adelaide’s CBD. The crusty sourdough baguette is a dream.

Sidewood Estate
Hahndorf

Many-a visitor drops in on their way to Hahndorf to taste wine in the family-friendly cellar door with its own private dining room and lounge. Kick back with a wood oven pizza and a glass of award-winning fizz, a leisurely meal at the restaurant, or laze the day away in the gardens or day beds. Inside, it’s like an art gallery. Walls are adorned with large-scale artwork by world-renowned artists, collected by owners Owen and Cassandra Inglis. On Sundays, the renovated garden bar hosts live music sessions.