4 Best Restaurants in The Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Bird in Hand winery has grape varietals from the Adelaide Hills, Langhorne Creek, and Tasmania, and chef Jacob Davey draws a line between those three regions for the eight-ish course degustation menu in the art-filled on-site restaurant. Produce from the fertile kitchen garden is augmented by some unusual additions—you’re unlikely to find muttonbird or tammar wallaby on any other local menus—with often thrilling results. Add in wine pairings drawn from the cellar and you have a long lunch to remember.

Pram-wheeling parents, hikers resting their walking poles, and friends catching up on gossip keep this red-and-blue café and adjoining organic supermarket buzzing all day. Reasons to linger include tasty focaccias and soups; rich, indulgent baked goods like home-baked muffins and cakes; and all kinds of purportedly healthy and unquestionably delicious drinks.

If you suffer from vertigo, think twice about dining here; this glass-front building atop Mt. Lofty is all about dining with altitude. Breakfasts range from a simple grilled cheese sandwich to an imposing three-tiered "brekkie tower" that comfortably feeds four. Leisurely all-day breakfasts spill over into lunch (the kitchen closes at 2:30), and the kitchen can also whip up high teas for groups that book in advance.

Started by three hospitality heavyweights, this all-day venue combines elements of a café, bistro, and purveyor into one cute little package. Stop by for a morning coffee, then stay for a lunch of “European country cooking” with a strong emphasis on sustainability and lesser-used parts of animals–think lamb brains on toast or nannygai (a local fish) “wings” glazed with miso butter–and natural-leaning wines. There’s also a small retail section you can use to build a picnic.