by Gail Kavanagh

Created on: July 08, 2010

South Australia is known for the quality of its fresh produce, and the skill of its chefs. In 2010, no less than 52 South Australian restaurants were awarded the The Australian Good Food and Travel Guide's Chef Hats for the superlative quality of their food. That's a lot of restaurants to sample, but some have risen even higher than the rest, and can lay claim to being the favorite restaurants of local and international diners.

Standing head shoulders above the rest is Auge Ristorante, in the heart of South Australia's capitol city, Adelaide. This long established restaurant serves modern Italian cuisine, complemented by a fine wine list. The setting is timelessly elegant and very Italian. Visitors will enjoy the sight of a motorized scooter parked on the tiles! The pasta is handmade every day on the premises, and the restaurant  uses locally sourced salami, olives and wine. Fresh produce and preparation are a watchword at Auge. The menu offers such delights as venison rack rolled in brioche, broccoli soup with semolina dumplings, and ravioli stuffed with autumn vegetables and goat's curd. Don't expect the ordinary here - it doesn't exist beyond these doors.

The House of Chow has been one of South Australia's favorite Asian restaurants for 25 years. In the past six years it has received four awards for its excellence in cuisine and service. This family business is like a home away from home for diners, with a magnificent Asian menu, and a huge wine menu. Like a real family, the House of Chow takes good care of every dietary requirement, and makes sure everyone who walks in can enjoy a delicious meal without any problems. Enjoy chicken with walnuts in bean sauce, Shanghai fried duck, Thai lamb hot pot, Mongolian sizzling beef, and a range of other delicious dishes including seafood and vegetarian from the menu, or order a banquet or takeaway.

Jolley's Boathouse, on the banks of the Torrens River in Adelaide, provides a fresh, in season menu all year round, and has one of the prettiest views of any restaurant in South Australia. The Torrens rolls leisurely past the dining room windows, and diners feel relaxed at any time of day, in any season. The dishes are fresh and delicious, and change according to what's in season, but you can expect to enjoy wagyu beef, blue fin tuna, milk fed lamb, and seafood fresh from the ocean.

South Australia's Barossa Valley is a famous wine producing region. It also has some fine restaurants, like Appelations, in Angaston, and 1918 in Tanunda. The latter offers a selection of Middle Eastern dishes spiced lamb pide, and a constantly changing menu of fresh, seasonal modern Australian food.

The Adelaide Hills is home to the Windy Point restaurant, owned by celebrity chef Justin Miles. Visitors are as stunned by the views, where you can watch the sun set over the city of Adelaide below, as they are by the food. You can choose from pan roasted Spencer Gulf snapper, roast chateaubriand of beef, or lime and vanilla steamed barramundi from Western Australia. The menu is both classical and innovative, and there are vegetarian options available. More than a restaurant, Windy Point is an experience you won't want to miss.

Do visitors go to South Australia just for the food and wine? Arguably so - and with 52 restaurants worthy of awards, justifiably so.

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