There’s something irresistible about a winery lunch that turns into an afternoon - good wine, honest food and a landscape that asks you to slow down. From the misty folds of the Adelaide Hills to the sunlit calm of Clare and the lake-bright Scenic Rim, these five destinations pair cellar-door character with restaurants worth the drive.
Expect cool-climate whites, elegant reds and menus that follow the seasons, leaning on local produce and confident, unfussy cooking. Whether you’re celebrating, escaping the city, or simply hungry for a view, this trail promises long tables, fuller glasses and time well spent together.
Hidden on Razorback Road where the Adelaide Hills fold into quiet farmland, Anvers Wines blends rustic romance with thoughtful dining. The ironstone cellar door, set in a lovingly restored old dairy, opens to lawns and north-facing vines that soak up sun by day and cool off under evening breezes. Tastings move from crisp whites to fragrant, medium-bodied reds and a supple Hills Shiraz.
The restaurant menu is all about seasonality and provenance: local Fleurieu and Hills produce, river and sea catches and slow-grown meat, treated simply to let flavour lead. It’s relaxed, generous country hospitality with a polished edge - made for long lunches that drift into the afternoon.
Set in the heritage village of Mintaro, Reillys Wines Restaurant welcomes you into a circa-1856 slate cottage where history and hospitality meet. The verandah gazes over Clare Valley vines, while inside, timber beams and a fire make lingering easy in any season. Estate-grown Riesling and Shiraz lead the tastings, joined by smooth Cabernet blends and bright, aromatic whites.
The menu tracks the vineyard’s rhythm with a seasonal, regional focus - Hills and valley produce, seafood and slow-raised meat, treated simply and paired to let the wines sing. It’s a long, unhurried pause in the Clare, equal parts cellar door and country table.
Perched high in Lenswood among apple orchards and cool-climate slopes, Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard shows the Adelaide Hills at their freshest. Neat vine rows trace red-brown soils, cooled by altitude and long, slow ripening. The cellar door is intimate and unhurried, pouring bright, mineral whites, fragrant Pinot and Shiraz with a fine-boned, spicy edge.
The restaurant keeps the mood grounded and generous all day, with a seasonal menu built around Hills produce, local meat and seafood and simple, precise cooking designed for the wines. Settle by the window and let the landscape and the glass do the talking.
On a green island in Lake Wyaralong, Roast Beef and The Frog is the heart of The Overflow Estate 1895 - part vineyard, part escape. The approach feels like a country holiday, opening to a deck that skims the water and looks across rolling Scenic Rim hills. Inside, the dining room is airy and refined, balancing rustic warmth with white-table calm.
The kitchen leans into a French-English fusion: classic technique, hearty comfort and a playful sense of indulgence, built to pair with the estate’s wines. Settle in, linger and let the lake light soften everything as afternoon slowly slides toward gold dusk.
On the banks of the Molonglo River, Pialligo Estate by Create Catering is a garden-wrapped retreat just minutes from Canberra, yet it feels a world away. Wisteria-lined paths lead to a light-filled pavilion that looks over vineyards, olive groves and big country sky. The cellar door and dining room move together: estate-grown fruit in the glass, seasonal Australian produce on the plate and a steady respect for provenance.
The menu is modern and generous, shaped by smoke, fire and careful technique, designed to pair easily with the estate’s wines. Come for lunch, linger into dusk and leave feeling quietly restored.
