Where to eat on the Riesling Trail

The Rising Sun Hotel A charming historic pub on Auburn’s main street, The Rising Sun Hotel (therisingsunhotel.com.au) offers a two-speed menu of pub classics and more ambitious contemporary fare such as octopus with chorizo and white beans.

Terroir Auburn In a converted 1862 general store in Auburn, brothers Dan and Rohan Moss do great things with a determinedly locavore menu at Terroir (terroir auburn.com.au). Order the haloumi made by Rohan, pan-fried and served with besan tempura broccolini and sumac-spiked yoghurt.

Mr Mick’s Kitchen The younger offshoot of Clare Valley stalwart Tim Adams Wines, Mr Mick’s Kitchen (mrmick.com.au) has a beautiful courtyard. It’s the place to go on a sunny day, with an even sunnier tapas menu of Iberian tastes such as salt-and-pepper squid with sour cherry sauce and albondigas (meatballs) with capsicum and jalapeño relish.

Seed Winehouse + Kitchen The hip new player on the valley’s food scene, the chaff mill reborn as Seed Winehouse + Kitchen (seed. kitchen) is chock-full of atmosphere and offers gorgeously imagined modern dishes such as whole trout steamed in paperbark with house-made mascarpone and radish – a stunner. Paulett Wines The views! At Paulett Wines (paulettwines.com. au), it’s all about the sweeping views from the covered balcony but the café menu brings a taste of terroir by incorporating bush ingredients from the native garden – think chicken liver pâté with a lemon myrtle twist.

(Clockwise from far left) Haloumi and tempura broccolini with sumac yoghurt at Terroir Auburn, courtesy of chef Dan Moss (left) and butcher/ cheesemaker Rohan Moss; Seed Winehouse + Kitchen; the restaurant’s local figs and honey with crumbed buffalo curd