WINE AND DINE IN ADELAIDE AND BAROSSA VALLEY, AUSTRALIA
WHYGO: Sure, it’s a bit of a hike to get halfway around the globe, but if time allows, travelling to Adelaide delivers big on being both memorable and delectable. Along with its scenic coastline, and Port Adelaide’s colonial buildings, South Australia’s state capital is also a most gracious cosmopolitan city with a burgeoning food scene plus noteworthy events such as the Adelaide Fringe and WOMADelaide arts and music fests in February and March.
EXCEPTIONALTO-DO’S: There is plenty to do and see in Adelaide, but its close proximity to Barossa Valley, one of Australia’s most important wine regions, means a visit, and perhaps a stay, is a must. The Louise is a luxury vineyard boutique property providing the ultimate in country getaways, while Appellation, its award-winning hotel dining room, is a food lovers’ destination unto itself, with a menu that features upwards of 85% regional ingredients, including produce and herbs harvested from the hotel garden. Exclusive excursions and bespoke experiences abound, including wine tours and tastings, and a distinctly unique-to-the-region“Breakfast with the Kangaroos” set in a nearby conservation park. WHERETO EAT: Epicureans will want to plan ahead to reserve a coveted seat at Restaurant Orana in Adelaide’s city centre. The kitchen is headed by one of the U.S.’s most renowned chefs, Jock Zonfrillo, whose passion for indigenous wild and foraged ingredients is evident throughout rotating seasonal tasting menus, including such regionally-inspired dishes as wattleseed and kangaroo risotto with wild grasses. WHERE
TO STAY: With a rich history dating back to the mid-1800s, Adelaide’s first fire station is now a quirky-yet-refined boutique inn. Splendidly converted into three unique and individually themed suites, Fire Station Inn includes both the brilliant, family-friendly Fire Engine Spa Suite complete with fire pole and a 1942 fire truck parked at the end of the bed, and the impeccably designed five-star Residency Penthouse Apartment with balconies, fireplace and gourmet kitchen.