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

Kassia ByrnesBy 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.

More to watch

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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How a $1 deal saved Bendigo’s historic tramways

    Megan ArkinstallBy Megan Arkinstall
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    The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.

    It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.

    inside the historic Bendigo Tram
    Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.

    The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.

    a tram heading to Quarry Hill in 1957
    A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.

    A new chapter for the city’s fleet

    the old Tramways Depot and Workshop
    The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.

    a Gold Mine Bendigo Tram
    The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

    Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.

    During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.

    the historic post office turned visitor centre in Bendigo
    Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.

    Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.