McLaren Vale restaurants: Our guide to the best spots 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.

More than just a celebrated wine region, McLaren Vale has evolved into one of South Australia’s most exciting culinary destinations where chefs draw on the region’s abundant local produce to craft dishes for a long degustation lunch or a relaxed meal with friends – here are the unmissable McLaren Vale restaurants to try.

The shortlist

Best for large groups: The Kitchen at Bec Hardy
Casual eats: Pizzatecca
Best views: Silver Sands Beach Club
Great for special occasions: Star of Greece
Best wine list: The Salopian Inn

The Salopian Inn

Ask where to go for dinner in the McLaren Vale wine region and The Salopian Inn is the first restaurant to be mentioned.

The kitchen makes everything from scratch, using ingredients sourced straight from their garden, which supplies much of the fruit, vegetables and herbs. When it’s not homegrown, it’s sourced from nearby growers and producers who share their passion for ethical, sustainable food. The menu shifts with the seasons, from what’s harvested to what’s preserved or fermented, and every dish celebrates the region’s best pasture-fed meats and ethically sourced South Australian seafood.

Choose the ‘feed me’ menu or order à la carte with small plates like steamed pork buns with hoisin, ginger and chilli sauce, or Paroo kangaroo tartare with green olive and spring onion oil. Larger dishes such as grilled Coorong wild mullet or slow-cooked lamb shoulder with green olives, sumac onions and chickpeas are dishes to remember. Pair it with a choice from their award-winning drinks list – over 200 local and international gins, plus an extensive selection of local, Australian and international wines by the glass.

Cuisine: Asian and modern Australian
Average Price: $$
Atmosphere: Relaxed and comforting
Location: Corner Main Road & McMurtrie Road, McLaren Vale

Star of Greece

It’s hard to resist Star of Greece for a long lunch or elegant dinner overlooking the sea at Port Willunga. A South Australian icon for more than 20 years, this cliff-top restaurant delivers some of the most spectacular views on the Fleurieu Peninsula – best enjoyed with a glass of local wine in hand.

Whether you’re after classic fish and chips from the kiosk, drinks on the deck, or a three- or four-course feast in the restaurant, every experience is refined but welcoming. The menu isn’t Greek, but rather modern Australian with a Mediterranean influence where seafood gets a good run. Think: Kangaroo Island King George whiting (battered, crumbed or grilled) served with Greek salad and chips, or Szechuan pepper squid with green mango, apple and nahm jim.

Book ahead for special occasions and settle in to watch the sun dip into the water – it’s McLaren Vale wine region dining at its finest.

Cuisine: Mediterranean
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Coastal elegance
Location: 1 Esplanade, Port Willunga

Fiore

Down the Rabbit Hole has so much to offer, including Fiore , a bright and welcoming Italian restaurant set among the estate’s picture-perfect gardens. Headed by executive chef Nick Tadija, Fiore delivers nourishing, feel-good dishes crafted from seasonal and locally sourced produce.

The Feed Me option is perfect for long, relaxed lunches – simply share your preferences and dietary needs, then let the team surprise you with a curated feast. On Friday nights, the Nonna’s Table experience brings a touch of Italian warmth with a set menu of antipasti, handmade pasta, hearty sides and classic desserts.

For something more casual, settle into the garden for wood-fired pizza and wine on Thursdays, or enjoy live music under the stars every Friday night from November to April – it’s the kind of place that captures the easy-going spirit of McLaren Vale.

Cuisine: Italian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Intimate
Location: 233 Binney Road, McLaren Vale

The Kitchen at Bec Hardy

Set beside the vines in a beautifully repurposed winemaking shed, The Kitchen at Bec Hardy does exceptional, share-style food that celebrates the best of the region. With its blend of rustic charm and refined touches – heritage oak vats, soft lighting and polished tableware – it’s a space designed to let the wine and food shine.

The menu focuses on fresh, seasonal and sustainably sourced local produce, much of it grown at the Tipsy Hill Estate gardens. Go simple with a charcuterie board from Ellis Butchers, paired with cheese, house-made arancini and a garden pear and greens salad. Or share one of the showstoppers – the 12-hour slow-cooked lamb shoulder on labneh with pearl couscous, preserved lemon and herbs, or the pomegranate-glazed spring chicken with dukkah, green romesco and orange-fennel salad.

Round out a meal with a tasting from the estate’s three wine ranges, choosing from the Pertaringa, Bec Hardy and Lot 94 BSR ranges, each showcasing a different side of this family’s 45-year winemaking legacy.

Cuisine: Italian
Average price: $$$
Atmosphere: Warm and welcoming
Location: 327 Hunt Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171

Little Rickshaw

Located within a warm tin shed – once a blacksmith’s workshop – The Little Rickshaw is a modern South-East Asian kitchen and bar that’s built a well established reputation with visitors to the area.

Owner Trinh Richards and her mother take inspiration from their Vietnamese heritage, blending traditional flavours with local, seasonal produce to create inventive, beautifully balanced dishes.

The restaurant offers a set menu only ($92 per person), featuring the chef’s weekly selection of dishes that might include bluefin tuna sashimi with daikon, kalamansi ponzu and sake capers, duck and kombu potstickers with bush tomato and soy dashi, or chargrilled wagyu striploin with honey, tamarind chilli sauce and cracked rice.

Open for lunch and dinner, the dining space includes a sheltered courtyard (with heaters in cooler months).

Cuisine: South-east Asian
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Trendy and refined
Location: 24 Old Coach Road, Aldinga

Pizzatecca

At Pizzateca , generations of pizza-making tradition meet the best of South Australia’s local produce. Techniques have been passed down through the family, with every pizza made in Neapolitan style with a thin base, a perfectly puffed crust and just the right amount of char from the wood oven.

Start with their signature hand-stretched ball of mozzarella, filled with stracciatella and cream, served with seasonal sides and house-made crostini. Then move on to the 35cm wood-fired pizzas that let the ingredients shine including the deceptively simple Starita with sliced garlic, baby tomatoes and pecorino, to the fiery Diablo with salami, asiago cheese and house-made chilli honey, or the indulgent Bianco topped with portobello mushrooms, fior di latte, basil, parmesan and a drizzle of truffle oil.

It’s rustic Italian food done right – generous, honest and full of soul and designed to share with large groups of family and friends.

Cuisine: Italian
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Fun
Location: 319 Chalk Hill Rd, McLaren Vale

Silver Sands Beach Club

Nothing beats a meal at the local surf club – particularly one as good as Silver Sands . Situated in front of the Aldinga Life Saving Club, the venue makes the most of the sea views with floor-to-ceiling windows. With plenty of space inside and out, it’s easy to spend a long lunch here with friends or feed the family after a morning at the beach.

Portions are generous, starting with the surf club puffy break freshly baked to order and coming with a variety of toppings including whipped woodside goat’s curd and hot Bush Organics honey.

There are Gazander oysters with apple and seaweed dressing, Nomad chicken coq au vin, a butcher’s cut of the day and beer-battered Coorong mullet with spring slaw.

Wash it down with a local beer or wine while marvelling again at the view.

Cuisine: Modern Australian
Average price: $$
Atmosphere: Elevated surf club
Location: The very end of Norman Road, Aldinga Beach

Video credit: Tourism Australia

From pink salt landscapes to oases fringed by forests of red gums, the lakes of this rural region are astounding.

You’re going to find peace and quiet when you take a road trip through the lakes of the Wimmera Mallee region. Whether it’s mirror-like pink salt lakes that look like an inland sea, or lakes fringed by forests of red gums that showcase Victoria’s arid beauty, there’s a lake for you out here somewhere.

1. Lake Tyrrell

Located in the dead heart of the Mallee, Victoria’s largest salt lake, Lake Tyrrell , is a landscape photographer’s dream – especially at sunrise and sunset when the pink salt flats look like a gigantic mirror. It’s easy to camp or park a caravan nearby, too, though the tiny town of Sea Lake is just south (with accommodation). In winter, shallow water covers the salt, creating surreal reflections of the sky.

2. Nhill Lake

There’s a permanent water source here, so there’s always plenty of water for water skiing, swimming and fishing (the trout and redfin fishing here is legendary). Located beside the pretty heritage town of Nhill with its main street of historic buildings, there’s options for eating and drinking right next door. There’s also a barbecue area with plenty of shady picnic spots and a boardwalk for walking around the lake.

3. Lake Bringalbert

Lake Bringalert is a great spot for aquatic adventures.

Located south-west of the pretty Mallee town of Kaniva, Lake Bringalbert epitomises the best of ‘outback’ Victoria. It’s ringed by red gums and red mallee and feels completely hidden from the world – you’ll barely ever see another person. There’s basic camping on its foreshore and Kaniva offers more accommodation options. It’s the perfect lake for swimming, kayaking and skiing, and the stars at night come without even a hint of city glow.

4. Lake Hindmarsh

If you’re a bird fan, you’ll love Lake Hindmarsh . Located north of Dimboola, Victoria’s largest natural freshwater lake is like an inland sea full of pelicans, swans and numerous species of ducks – but it also teems with everything from spoonbills to parrots. Sunsets here will blow your mind – the lake is a mirror for the pinks and golds you’ll see on the horizon. There’s free camping spots along the foreshore if you’d like to really contemplate the magic of the lake.

5. Pink Lake

Also known as Loch Lel , the summer months offer up some seriously vivid pink water colour at this lake north of Dimboola. The pink varies throughout the year, but is best after rain (hence why summer is the time to visit).

There’s plenty of birds, including wedge-tailed eagles, but you’re as likely to spot big lace monitors, kangaroos and echidnas. Nearby, check out the uber-cute heritage town of Dimboola and its eclectic shops, and Little Desert National Park, full of walking trails through mallee heathland.

6. Lake Lascelles

On a hot summer’s day, there’s nowhere better for a cooling dip, kayak or boat ride. You can camp by the lake , or at powered caravan sites – or the pretty town of Hopetoun offers numerous accommodation options a short walk away. At night you’ll see the lights of Hopetoun reflect off the lake. Fish for yellow belly, redfin or catfish, or try water-skiing. There’s also a great walking trail around the lake, where there’s more birds than you can count.

Our guide to the best McLaren Vale restaurants to book now