An Expert’s Guide to Wining and Dining in McLaren Vale

Want to eat at a restaurant with your feet in the sand, find the best breakfast of your life and drink wine at almost every stop? Follow chef Karena Armstrong’s lead through McLaren Vale.

“When I started, I had a chef’s view of this restaurant – it was all about the food,” says Karena Armstrong, head chef and co-owner of the acclaimed Salopian Inn in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. “But as the restaurant’s grown, I’ve grown with it. Now, we’re very much focused on experience in hospitality; everyone who walks through that door is a rock star. And that’s what I like when I travel. You carry those memories with you.” What hasn’t changed? Salopian’s status as one of the country’s leading regional restaurants for its emphasis on “eclectic food and wine”, as Armstrong describes it. And some of its most popular dishes have stayed the same, too. “The dumplings and pork buns are always there,” she says, laughing. When Armstrong, who is also co-director of the Tasting Australia food festival (28 April to 7 May), isn’t serving them up, this is where she’s getting her fill.

For Taiwanese-inspired bites: Muni

“This natural wine bar and restaurant in Willunga is run by two Taiwanese chefs [Mug Chen and Chia Wu] and it’s just magnificent. They do a beautiful steamed spring onion bun and the squid dish, with a housemade squid garum sauce, is exceptional.”

For the steak: Little Wolf at Mitolo Winery

“Little Wolf serves simple Italian food, matched to the wine. You know when you go to a winery and the food doesn’t match the wine? Here, it’s really integrated. I wouldn’t normally eat a big steak but chef Vincenzo [La Montagna] does an amazing bistecca, a Florentine-style steak. You do have to book and it is a set menu but it doesn’t feel formal. It’s ultra-modern and set in the middle of beautiful bushland.”

For the wine list: Silver Sands Beach Club

“Silver Sands is a very casual restaurant with one of the best wine lists you’ll come across. The food is delicious – I’ve had everything from a burger to prawn rolls – and you can pair it with a Benjamin Leroux wine. It’s that real juxtaposition that I enjoy. Plus, you’ve got your feet in the sand because it’s right on Aldinga Beach.”

For breakfast: Willunga Farmers Market

“There’s a business called Little Acre Foods that’s here every Saturday morning. They produce ethical charcuterie – you can buy pâtes and terrines and chorizo – but they also do a cooked breakfast and it is so good. It’s like a Spanish bocadillo, a crusty roll, and it’s filled with something different every week. They might use their chorizo or smoked brisket and it’s the best breakfast you’ll ever have.”

For coffee: Dawn Patrol

“Dawn Patrol has just set up a little cellar door down the road from us. They’re coffee roasters so there’s real attention to detail. It’s a cool spot but if you drove past you would think it was just a viticultural shed.”

For a late-night drink: Bodega Wine Bar

“This place opened late last year on Main Road. The other night I went and had some snacks and a bottle of albariño. They’re not trying to compete with the cellar doors during the day; it’s a place where you can have a late-night cocktail. It’s good for our region that people can come, have dinner with me or with Vince up at Mitolo but then they have somewhere to go afterwards.”

SEE ALSO: 6 Reasons Why McLaren Vale Should Be Your Next Weekend Escape