hero media

Our guide to the best cafes in McLaren Vale

Tegan Forder Tegan Forder
Fuel up ahead of a day exploring the McLaren Vale the right way with coffee and breakfast at these standout cafe spots.

Before the beach or McLaren Vale wineries, their needs to be coffee and a hearty breakfast. Luckily the region is home to plenty of coffee holes-in-the-wall, charming brunch spots and cafes with a view. All these McLaren Vale cafes offer up fresh local produce and the baristas take their craft seriously – serving up quality flat whites time and time again.

The shortlist

Best coffee: Dawn Patrol
Family-friendly spot: Manna McLaren Vale
Casual eats: Hey Juj
Best views: Pearl Kiosk
Best for Vegan/Vegetarian: The Slow Food Kitchen

Dawn Patrol

a look inside Dawn Patrol cafe, McLaren Vale
Kickstart your day with a warm brew. (Image: Tony Zolek)

Coffee enthusiasts know Dawn Patrol is the place to get a good brew. The team is passionate about their coffee and aim for 100% traceability of their ethically sourced beans. The Brew Bar allows you to sample seasonal filter and espresso options while there’s a small bagel menu and pastries for a grab-and-go option, with GF options available.

Stock up on their beans – anything from The Toucan Espresso Blend – beans grown in Mexico with toffee apple and chocolate or the floral and lemony San Jose – a dry Gesha blend hailing from Nicaragua.

Cuisine: Baked goods / Specialty Coffee

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Hole in the wall

Location: 402 Main Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171

Visitor Centre Stump Hill Cafe

Tucked down along the main strip, Stump Hill Cafe at the McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre feels like a welcome stop – or start – on a morning exploring the McLaren Vale township.

The building has leafy lawns and vine views, with a nature-play area and wide outdoor space for kids. The menu features slow-cooked pies, house-made cakes and locally roasted coffee.

Delivered with a relaxed, genuinely friendly service it’s a great way to be welcomed to town. Pop next door to the Visitor’s Centre to plan the ultimate McLaren Vale itinerary.

Cuisine: Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Warm

Location: 796 Main Road, McLaren Vale

Hey Juj

Hey Juj cafe exterior, McLaren Vale
Hey Juj is a cafe by day and bar by night.

For a solid flat white and a sandwich on the run, Hey Juj is a go-to. Breakfast options range from avo toast to acai bowls, but it’s the sandos that really steal the show. The brekkie sando is stacked with crispy bacon, fried egg, relish and hash browns, while the vego version – with pumpkin, capsicum, eggplant, baby mozzarella and a hit of spicy mayo – is just as good.

It’s a reliable, easy-going spot that locals love as much as visitors. Licensed all day, book in for a bottomless brunch or add a Bloody Mary to breakfast. Come Thursday through Saturday, the place shifts gears into a wine bar from 3pm, pouring a generous selection of whites, reds and local gins.

Cuisine: Australian 

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Relaxed

Location: 150 Main Road, McLaren Vale

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Manna McLaren Vale

preparing coffee at Manna McLaren Vale
Order specialty coffee from Manna McLaren Vale.

Sometimes one coffee is not enough which is why Manna’s Barista’s Breakfast tasting paddle with filter brew, white coffee and espresso is a godsend first thing in the morning.

The cafe’s menu changes with the seasons: in winter enjoy the sticky date porridge, smoky tomato soup or German apple hotcakes. It’s hard to resist the loaded croissant pocket stuffed with pork sausage, cheese, hash brown, fried egg, jalapeños, pickles and house-made brekkie sauce.

Kids are well catered for, and there’s even a free storytime every Monday morning in the Manna Studio, which also hosts regular craft workshops – another reason to linger a little longer.

Cuisine: European-Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Family-friendly

Location: 211 Main Road, McLaren Vale

Willa

pouring milk over coffee at Willa, McLaren Vale
Get your caffeine fix at Willa.

Start the day right at this quaint coffee shop inside a heritage building on Willunga’s main strip. With coffee by Altura and milk by Fleurieu Milk, Willa loves its local producers.

Much of the produce is sourced locally, including Willunga Meats, The Sourdough Story and Onkaparinga Creamery, with juices from The Garden Farmers, kombucha by Gather Brewing, and coffee from Altura.

The menu is packed with filling egg dishes, crumpets with nitrate-free bacon and maple syrup, or an indulgent croque monsieur. Look out for seasonal dishes like smoked beans and market fritters made with whatever is good at the time.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $$

Atmosphere: Rustic charm

Location: 17a High Street, Willunga

Wild Flour Willunga

It’s worth the walk up the hill along Willunga’s main street for Wild Flour’s simple, lovingly prepared dishes. The food is cooked with genuine care, and the team couldn’t be more welcoming.

Housed in the original, heritage-listed Atkinson’s Bakery building, the cafe’s nineteenth-century facade gives way to a cosy interior that instantly feels like home. Their generous, home-style menu celebrates fresh produce from across the Fleurieu Peninsula – the All Day Breakfast is hard to beat as are the Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Croissant French toast and freshly baked cookies.

On Friday nights, Wild Flour reopens from 4pm for cocktails, wine and share plates – the ideal way to ease into a weekend in the Vale.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Cosy

Location: 44 High Street, Willunga

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Pearl Kiosk

outdoor dining at Pearl Kiosk, Aldinga Beach
Dine by the beautiful Aldinga Beach. (Image: Kate Potter)

Open Thursday to Sunday, Pearl Kiosk sits atop the cliffs overlooking Aldinga Beach – making it it one of the best views in the area for coffee and a beach stroll. Grab a takeaway and sit on the adjacent lawn or head down to the beach to sit on the sand.

The breakfast sandwich – free-range eggs with crispy bacon or haloumi, tomato and capsicum salsa, and house greens – is a winner, but so is the Port Lincoln ocean jacket fish sandwich with pickled grape, dukkah and preserved lemon. Come lunchtime, it’s a tough decision between the classic calamari and chips, the Port Lincoln mussels, or the shawarma-spiced pumpkin with tahini yoghurt and chermoula.

Cuisine: Middle-Eastern Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Coastal vibes

Location: Boat Ramp, Aldinga Beach

Goodness Coffee Co.

the cosy corner inside Goodness Cafe, McLaren Vale
Goodness Coffee Co. freshly roasts in small batches. (Image: Dan Hill and Aaron Hill)

Another coffee specialist in the area, Goodness Coffee Co. freshly roasts in small batches on the Fleurieu Peninsula – choose from the Colombian, Ethiopian Guigi ‘Alaka’ or House Blend to take home.

While primarily a coffee spot, their cabinet always has something to tempt from bliss balls and cakes to croissants, pastries and vegan pies.

Set up in a cosy indoor nook, out in the sunny front yard, or find shade in the charming courtyard. Doggos aren’t forgotten – the cafe stocks treats from Veggie Paws.

Cuisine: Australian

Average price: $

Atmosphere: Rustic country charm

Location: 24 Old Coach Road, Aldinga

The Slow Food Kitchen

For a pick-me-up breakfast full of fruit, leafy greens and fresh juices, The Slow Food Kitchen always hits the spot. The light-filled interior is beautiful, with sun streaming through the windows, while outside tables are dotted amongst the flowers.

Nourish bowls are packed with colourful veg, while the buckwheat waffles are topped with coconut whip, poached pear, chai reduction, maple and fresh fruit. They really hero local produce with the relish made from local organic tomatoes and seasonal fruit adorning most dishes. Make sure to stock up on their seed oil–free ready meals for later.

Cuisine: Australian

Average price: $$$

Atmosphere: Laidback

Location: 173 Port Rd, Aldinga

Tegan Forder

Tegan Forder

View profile and articles
things to do McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale

This coastal wine region serves up world-class shiraz, fresh produce and scenic trails

Come for the food and wine, and stay for the rugged coastline, long walks and adventuring.

Read more
the restaurant exterior of Silver Sands Beach Club, McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale

Our guide to the best McLaren Vale restaurants to book now

With paddock-to-plate fine dining and coastal seafood meals with sweeping views, McLaren Vale’s dining scene delivers flavour, creativity and a true sense of place.

Read more
a modern cottage in Wine Down, McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale

Our guide to the best McLaren Vale accommodation

Stay in style at one of these comfortable retreats.

Read more
the scenic Coriole Vineyards, McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale

The best wineries and cellar doors in the McLaren Vale

With more than 80 cellar doors, the McLaren Vale wine region offers something for every wine lover – from family-friendly cellar doors to boutique tastings. 

Read more
hero media

6 reasons the best way to experience the Kimberley is by cruise

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Continue
    This remote corner of Australia is one of the world’s last frontiers. This is how to see it properly.

    Vast, rugged and deeply spiritual, the Kimberley coast in Australia’s North West feels a world away from everyday Australia – and there are countless ways to explore it. But if you want to reach ancient rock art, hidden gorges and lonely waterfalls, it has to be by boat. Whether you’re aboard a nimble expedition vessel or a luxury yacht with all the trimmings, exploring by the water brings exclusive experiences, shows unique views and makes travel easier than any other mode. And that’s just the beginning of Australia’s North West cruises.

    The True North Adventure Cruise in between sandstone cliffs.
    Adventure starts where the road ends.

    1. Discover Broome, and beyond

    Explore your launchpad before you set sail: Broome. Here camels and their riders stride along the 22 kilometres of powdery Cable Beach at sunset. That’s just the start.

    At Gantheaume Point, red pindan cliffs plunge into the turquoise sea, whose low tide uncovers fossilised dinosaur footprints. Broome’s pearling history runs deep. Japanese, Chinese, Malay and Aboriginal divers once worked these waters, and their legacy lives on in boutiques where South Sea pearls still shine.

    If the moon’s right, you may catch the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay. Or simply kick back with a cold beverage and a film under the stars at Sun Pictures, screening since 1916.

    Ride a camel along Cable Beach as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, casting golden light across the sand and sea.
    Ride a camel along Cable Beach. (Image: Nick Dunn)

    2. Unmatched access to The Kimberley

    Once you’re onboard, expect a backstage pass to some of the most isolated places on Earth. No roads. No ports. No phone reception.

    At Horizontal Falls/ Garaanngaddim, 10-metre tides surge through twin gorges like a natural waterpark ride that’ll make your palms sweat. Then there’s Montgomery Reef/ Yowjab: a giant living platform of coral and seagrass, where the sea pulls back to reveal waterfalls, sea turtles and ospreys.

    Up north, King George Falls/ Oomari rage 80 metres down red cliffs. Zodiac boats often nudge in closer so you can feel the spray on your sun-warmed cheeks. You might even fly in to reach Mitchell Falls/ Punamii-unpuu, a four-tiered cascade where you can swim in freshwater pools above the drop.

    Come spring, some itineraries veer west to Rowley Shoals: an atoll chain of white sand and reef walls. Then it’s up the winding Prince Regent River to King Cascade/ Maamboolbadda, tumbling over rock terraces, and into a Zodiac to view the Gwion Gwion rock art, whose slender, ochre-painted figures are older than the pyramids.

    A cruise drifts beneath King George Falls, where sheer sandstone cliffs frame the thunderous plunge into turquoise waters.
    Get closer to the Kimberley than ever before.

    3. Taste the Kimberley with onboard hospitality

    You might spend your days clambering over slippery rocks or charging past waterfalls. But when you’re back on the water, it’s a different story. Meals are chef-prepared and regionally inspired: grilled barramundi, pearl meat sashimi, mango tarts, and bush tomato chutney. One night it’s barefoot beach barbecues with your shipmates; the next, alfresco dining on the ship.

    Small expedition ships each have their own personality, but many carry just 12 to 36 guests, making being out on the water a whole other experience. You might sink into a spa on the foredeck or sip coffee in a lounge while watching crocodiles cruise by. It’s choose-your-own-relaxation, Kimberley style.

    4. Expert-led excursions through the Kimberley

    These voyages are led by people who know the Kimberley like the back of their sunburnt hand. Attenborough-esque naturalists might gently tap your shoulder to point out rare birds or tell the story beneath a slab of rock. Historians can explain exactly how that rusted World War II relic came to rest here.

    If your ship has a helipad, you might chopper straight to a waterfall-fed swimming hole. If not, you’ll still be hopping ashore for that wet landing at a secret creek.

    Then come the evenings: songlines shared by Traditional Owners under the stars, or astronomy sessions that link what’s overhead with what’s underfoot and what’s within.

    A small group glides through Kimberley’s rugged coastline by boat, passing ancient cliffs.
    Explore with naturalists and historians by your side.

    5. Relax in luxurious lodgings

    Just because you’re off-grid doesn’t mean you have to rough it. These Kimberley vessels are small in size, but mighty in luxury. True North’s ships come with their own helicopters and a no-sea-days policy, so you’re always in the thick of it. Try the luxurious offerings from Ocean Dream Charters for exploration in style. Kimberley Quest offers a fast boat for easy, off-ship adventures. On the larger end of the scale, Coral Expeditions has open-deck bars and curated wine cellars. And then there’s Ponant’s luxury yachts – sleek and incredibly stylish French sailing yachts.

    A helicopter soars above the sea, with a sleek cruise ship gliding in the distance.
    See the Kimberley from sky to shore.

    6. The adventure continues with pre- and post-cruise experiences

    You’ve already come this far – so, why not go further? Broome makes it easy to ease in before you board, or wind down when your voyage ends, and there is no reason to stop there.

    Head an hour and a half south to Eco Beach to stay off-grid and off the clock. Join a Yawuru guide for a mangrove walk or ocean forage. Dive even deeper into Broome’s pearling past at Willie Creek or Cygnet Bay, where divers and craftspeople still pull the seawater-slicked gems from the deep.

    If you’re still craving adventure, it’s time to go further. Soar over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or detour inland with a 4WD trip along the Gibb River Road. Book a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles. Or – because you never know when you’ll be back – do all three.

    aerial of people walking on eco beach in the kimberley western australia
    Stay off grid at Eco Beach. (Image: Tourism WA)

    Find out more about your trip to Australia’s North West at australiasnorthwest.com.