Golding Wines, Adelaide Hills, South Australia © Meaghan Coles
Australia Recommends: Gourmet Escapes
Two ingredients make Australia’s food scene so special: the freshness of the produce and the beauty of the places in which we gather. Here’s where the locals are getting their foodie fix in 2025.
Imagine a meal almost too beautiful to eat. Now imagine a backdrop of one of the most iconic harbours on the planet (not to mention the Sydney Opera House). That’s the experience at Sydney’s Quay restaurant, which has held award-winning status for more than twenty years. Everything here is meticulous, from the ingredients that come from boutique farms to the tableware crafted exclusively for the restaurant. A dinner at Quay is one you won’t forget.
Australia’s wine industry walks the perfect line between being both high quality and unassuming. We’re not pretentious around here, but that doesn’t mean we don’t produce some of the world’s best drops. Australia has more than 60 wine regions, and the Barossa is a local favourite. Expect bold shiraz and crisp semillon, along with experiences that tell the story of what you’re tasting. Don’t be surprised if you get caught up in a long chat with the Aussie behind the tasting bar; they might tell you with pride that the Barossa is home to some of the oldest vines in the world.
Sweet, salty, succulent – when it’s fresh, seafood is unbeatable. And with an abundant coastline, Australia does fresh seafood better than anywhere else. Where do locals think is the freshest of them all? In Tasmania, you can hop on a boat where abalone, oysters and lobster are plucked from the water and cooked then and there. It’s fresh like you’ve never tasted before.
A gourmet getaway is one that has it all – local wine, delicious restaurants, buzzing cafés and fairytale charm. In 2025, Aussie locals recommend the Adelaide Hills, a charming escape just 30 minutes outside of Adelaide. When you arrive, you’ll check into accommodation nestled in the quiet Aussie bush, and when you leave, it’ll be with a belly full of local produce, wine, chocolate, honey, fresh berries...you get the idea.
