Eat & Drink
Paddock-to-plate dining and village cafes
The best eat & drink in Adelaide Hills
From German bakeries in Hahndorf to acclaimed regional restaurants and roadside produce stalls, the Hills serves up some of South Australia's best paddock-to-plate eating.
The Adelaide Hills eats well at every level, from a flaky pretzel grabbed on the run to a long, garden-driven lunch. The region's deep larder of orchards, dairies and market gardens feeds a food culture that punches far above the size of its villages. In Hahndorf the German heritage runs through bakeries, beer halls and smallgoods, while produce-led kitchens around Summertown and Uraidla build short, seasonal menus from what's growing over the fence.
Village pubs are a regional institution. Restored coaching inns like the Crafers Hotel and grand old hotels in Stirling pour Hills beer and wine alongside proper pub food, while cult rooms like Lost in a Forest at Uraidla turn out wood-fired pizza and natural wine.
Mornings belong to the bakeries and cafes - sourdough, strudel and excellent coffee - and weekends bring farmers markets and cellar-door kitchens into the mix. Wherever you stop, you're rarely more than a short drive from the next good meal.
Browse eat & drink by area
47 places
Adelaide Hills Farmers Market
$Saturday-morning regional produce market
A long-running Saturday farmers market in Mount Barker, gathering Hills growers, bakers, makers and coffee in one bustling weekly meeting.
Aldgate Pump Hotel
$$Classic Hills pub in the heart of Aldgate
A much-loved village pub in Aldgate serving hearty counter meals, local beer and wine in a leafy, family-friendly setting.
Aldgate Village
$$A leafy Hills village of cafés, the famous pump, and an easy main-street stroll under the gums.
Anderson Hill
$$A hilltop cellar door above Lenswood with knockout valley views and a kitchen to match the wines.
Barristers Block
Family wines and a relaxed cellar door near Woodside
Family wines and a relaxed cellar door near Woodside
Beerenberg Farm
$Six generations of jam-making and seasonal strawberry picking
A famous family farm shop selling jams, sauces and relishes, with seasonal pick-your-own strawberries that make it a family favourite.
Bird in Hand
$$$Sparkling, pinot and polished cellar-door dining
A glamorous, family-owned winery near Woodside celebrated for its sparkling and pinot noir, with a restaurant, art exhibitions and a busy events calendar.
Bridgewater Mill
$$A turning waterwheel beside a historic flour mill
The landmark 1860s flour mill, with its enormous working waterwheel on Cox Creek, now home to a cellar door and dining beside the rushing water.
Charleston
FreeA quiet Onkaparinga Valley village
A small historic village in the Onkaparinga Valley, a peaceful stop on the touring route between Woodside and the eastern wine districts.
Crafers Hotel
$$A handsomely restored 1840s coaching inn at the top of the freeway, pouring Hills beer and serving proper pub food.
Echunga
A gold-rush village turned quiet country town
A gold-rush village turned quiet country town
Fabal Adelaide Hills
Italian-leaning wines from the Onkaparinga Valley
Italian-leaning wines from the Onkaparinga Valley
Fred Eatery
$$Aldgate's acclaimed all-day eatery
A much-loved Aldgate institution serving inventive all-day breakfast and lunch from a seasonal, produce-driven menu with excellent coffee.
Golding Wines
Family cellar door with lawns and a kitchen at Lobethal
A family-owned cellar door near Lobethal with sprawling lawns, a kitchen and estate-grown cool-climate wines, a relaxed and family-friendly stop in the Onkaparinga Valley.
Hahndorf Main Street
$$The heart of Australia's oldest German town
A plane-tree-lined main street of Fachwerk buildings, German bakeries, beer halls, galleries and providores that draws visitors year-round.
Howard Vineyard
$$A family cellar door and kitchen set among towering gums, big lawns and estate-grown wines near Nairne.
Kersbrook Hill Wines & Cider
$$A family winery and cidery pouring its wares in a converted pub in the heart of Kersbrook, seven days a week.
Lobethal Bierhaus
$$Craft beer in a historic mill town
A friendly independent brewery in the old woollen-mill town, pouring a rotating range of craft beers in a relaxed cellar-door taproom with food.
Longview Vineyard
Hilltop cellar door and Italian-leaning wines near Macclesfield
A family-owned hilltop estate near Macclesfield in the southern Adelaide Hills, with a popular cellar door, accommodation and wines spanning Italian varieties, shiraz and riesling.
Lost in a Forest
$$Wood-fired pizza and natural wine in an old church
A cult Uraidla pizzeria and wine bar set inside a beautifully restored old church, pouring natural wine beside blistered wood-fired pizza.
Meadows
A rural service town on the southern Hills plateau
A rural service town on the southern Hills plateau
Melba's Chocolate Factory
$Watch chocolate made the old-fashioned way
A heritage chocolate factory in Woodside where you can watch traditional chocolate-making through viewing windows and sample the wares.
Mismatch Brewing Co
$$Hills craft beer at the Adelaide Hills Distillery precinct
A respected craft brewery sharing a buzzing Oakbank precinct with the Adelaide Hills Distillery, pouring fresh ales and lagers beside Hills gin.
Mount Lofty House
$$$$A grand 1850s manor turned luxury hotel, perched on the ridge with sweeping views over the Piccadilly Valley.
Eat & Drink in Adelaide Hills - frequently asked questions
What is the Adelaide Hills known for when it comes to food and drink?
The Hills is celebrated for paddock-to-plate dining built on its orchards, dairies and market gardens, paired with cool-climate wines like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The historic German village of Hahndorf is a drawcard for its bakeries, smallgoods and beer halls, while spots such as Lost in a Forest and Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard show off the region's garden-driven, regional restaurant scene.
Where should I go to eat and drink in Hahndorf?
Hahndorf's bustling main street is lined with German bakeries, smallgoods outlets, pubs and cafes, where you can pick up traditional treats like pretzels, strudel and bienenstich. It is an easy place to wander on foot, and just outside town you can also visit cellar doors such as The Lane Vineyard and producers like The Hills Cider Company.
How many wineries and cellar doors are in the Adelaide Hills?
The Adelaide Hills has more than 50 cellar doors spread across its villages and valleys, making it one of South Australia's most concentrated cool-climate wine regions. Popular stops we list include Howard Vineyard, Pike & Joyce, Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard and The Lane Vineyard, many of which also serve food alongside tastings.
Do I need to book ahead for Adelaide Hills restaurants and cellar doors?
For sit-down lunches at acclaimed venues such as Lost in a Forest or a long lunch at a vineyard restaurant, booking ahead is strongly recommended, especially on weekends and over summer. Casual cafes, bakeries and many cellar door tastings are more walk-in friendly, though it is always worth checking opening days as some smaller producers open only Thursday to Sunday.
When is the best time to visit for fresh local produce?
The Adelaide Hills Farmers Market runs on Saturday mornings in Mount Barker, with stalls of seasonal fruit, vegetables, baked goods, honey and more from local growers. For pick-your-own strawberries, head to Beerenberg Farm at Hahndorf during the warmer months, roughly November to April, and look out for roadside produce stalls dotted along the Hills roads in season.