Dining out in the Adelaide Hills.
Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant
is the grand showpiece of the restored Mount Lofty
House, offering carefully measured degustation meals with Japanese inspiration and original touches from chef Wayne Brown. The far-reaching international wine list and cellar developed by sommelier Patrick White is a key attraction, with his astute recommendations in tune with the menu.
e Summertown Aristologist
is a relaxed cafe/bistro/bar propelled by a compact menu that changes rapidly with seasonal availability. The cellar has about 1000 low-sulphur wines from Adelaide Hills and abroad.
Lost in a Forest
is a charismatic wine lounge in the former St Stephens Anglican Church in Uraidla, where a giant domed oven commands the space where the altar once stood.
A small but frequently shifting array of intriguing organic pizzas are complemented by a bar stocked with wines from Basket Range, with a few fresh, sulphurfree wines syphoned straight from winery barrels.
e Lane Vineyard
near Hahndorf has a beautiful tasting pavilion overlooking the vineyard, where chef
James Brinklow masterfully captures regional freshness with a spark of ingenuity. His Chef’s Table presents a degustation matched to reserve wines and back vintages.
Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard
has a handsome, rustic tasting and dining room with several deck levels overlooking its steep rows of vines. The seasonal menu is elegant and sophisticated, as are the estate’s high-altitude wines.
Bird in Hand
is a grand Tuscan-style venue crowned by a gallery and dining space next to its cellar door tasting room. Chef Carlos Astudillo has designed tasting menus to complement Bird in Hand wines.
e Uraidla Hotel
leads a new era of sophisticated pub dining in the hills, with a smart regional menu. A conservatory is planned to extend the existing dining room, and the building next door will house a bakery and distillery.