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This South Australian winery made a historic debut on the AGFG hatted list for 2026

Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
A South Australian winery has made a historic debut on the Australian Good Food Guide annual Chef Hat Awards list.

The highly anticipated Australian Good Food Guide (AGFG) list of restaurants earning Chef Hat Awards has been released for 2026, and some exciting newcomers have entered the list. Most notably, a boutique Adelaide Hills winery and restaurant has made dining history with the first-ever 17-point debut in South Australia: awarded to Anvers Wines with a debut menu by Executive Chef Connor Bishop.

“Executive Chef Connor Bishop is on our list of rising stars of Australian dining," said Joseph Steele,  National Operations Manager at AGFG. “We will be keeping a keen eye on him and what he does over the next year. His Long Story menu is absolutely stunning."

Beetroot, garden verde and chevre at Anvers Wines
Anvers Wines made a historic debut for SA venues.

It was that menu – judged by the Australian Good Food Guide and assessed on a highly confidential criteria that we do know involves ingredients, taste, presentation, technique, value, consistency and overall dining experience – that earned Anver its hats, and placed it in the top 0.25 per cent of venues nationally. It was crafted by Bishop as a holistic sensory experience, built around the best seasonal, local produce. Think menu highlights like rich dairy from Fleurieu Milk Company, Ox Tongue from Willunga, Spring Ridge venison, and select ingredients sourced from the surrounding region.

“Since coming on board to lead the kitchen at Anvers, I’ve been constantly inspired by the team and the quality of ingredients we have at our fingertips here in the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula," shared Bishop. “This award is a recognition of craft, discipline and a steady pursuit of ‘better’, reflecting the work carried out over time by the team who execute it, and the guests who return for it. It’s a proud moment for everyone, as well as the incredible South Australian producers we are so lucky to work with."

About Anvers Wines

Anvers Wines in south australia
Take in the surrounding views from the converted cellar door.

Since 1998, Anvers Wines has been creating cool climate wines and telling the story of their unique patch of land on the cusp of McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills winegrowing regions. Visitors can soak in the old dairy turned cellar door, dating back to 1949, with rolling vineyard views able to be enjoyed through floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

In those vineyards, a unique terroir consisting of limestone, buckshot ironstone, shoal and quartz with medium clay soils creates tasty results. The estate aims for a minimal intervention approach to winemaking and has been a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia since 2023.

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Port Lincoln Hapuka with Blue Lip Mussels and Salmon Roe at anvers wines
Discover what to try after Anvers Wines.

While many venues earned themselves more hats than ever, it’s the newcomers to the list who are causing a stir. Only one point behind Anvers Wines, Tasmania’s Oirthir entered the list in 2026 at 16 with an experience Steel says is “one of the most unique dining experiences that we’ve come across in terms of ingredient use, provenance and overall creativity. Definitely another one to watch". Its menu pays tribute to the Scottish heritage of co-owners and chefs, husband-and-wife team Bob Piechniczek and Jillian McInnes. The couple’s experience in the French culinary tradition also shines through.

In Brisbane, the modern take on traditional Korean cuisine at Suum debuted with 15 points. Garaku at Prefecture in Sydney earned 14 points for its Kaiseki style dining (a traditional Japanese, multi-course meal). Malin in Melbourne, Barragunda Dining on the Mornington Peninsula and de’sendent in the Margaret River, all also debuted with 14 points.

The Details

Location: Anvers Wines, 633 Razorback Rd, Kangarilla
Opening hours: The restaurant is open for lunch from midday to 3pm, Thursday to Sunday. The cellardoor is open daily from 11am to 4pm.
Website: Anvers Wines
Full list: Find the full list of AGFG Chef Hat Award winners on the website.

Kassia Byrnes
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
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The best places to wine and dine across regional Victoria

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    French plate at Le Foyer Brassiere, Bendigo
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    Felix, Geelong

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    a plate of food at The Perch, Lavers Hill
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    The Shared Table in Ballart.

    If you go for the ‘Dine without Decision’ option at this beloved eatery, you’re free from the tyranny of food envy with a chef-selected procession of dishes that highlight the bounty of the Midwest region. Think mochi gnocchi with pumpkin and XO or Western Plains pork cotoletta.

    Barragunda Dining, Mornington Peninsula

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    This fine diner, which opened in early 2025, has been lauded as one of the region’s most ambitious and significant openings in recent years. Set on a 400-hectare, cliffside Cape Schanck property that delivers the kitchen with a cornucopia of produce, it’s elegant and honest paddock-to-plate dining at its most refined.

    Mount William Station, Grampians

    plating a dish at Mount William Station, Grampians
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    du Fermier, Trentham

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    Annie Smithers’ intimate, farmhouse-y French fine diner is not at all new, but it is every bit iconic. It’s long attracted food-lovers to its charming dining room for a set menu that undulates with the seasons. If you’re a gourmand to your core, book into one of Annie’s delightfully informal masterclasses.

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