Images: McLaren Vale Hotel via georgesotiropoulos
South Australia clearly knows what goes into a great pub: the food, atmosphere and most importantly the great people behind it.
That’s why not one, not two, but seven South Australian pubs, with venues in Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Watervale have been recognised on a national gastropub list.
These include the Crafers Hotel, McLaren Vale Hotel, The Cremorne Hotel, The Scenic Hotel, Stanley Bridge Tavern, The Stag Public House, and the Watervale Hotel.
The Top 50 Gastropubs awards, run by Australian Hotelier and Hospitality magazine, are judged by a panel of industry figures celebrating both metropolitan and regional pubs.
Lots of the chosen pubs have already made a name for themselves, like the Watervale Pub which has won awards including Best Restaurant in a Pub or Club in Australia, and named Best Restaurant – Regional at the 2025 AHA National Awards.
Image: Watervale Hotel via Watervale Hotel
Included in the list was also the McLaren Vale Hotel, which is dubbed ‘the heart of the vale’ by its team and as the only pub in McLaren Vale, many locals would happily agree.
McLaren Vale Hotel marketing manager Kaitlin Trahar said the whole team was chuffed.
“It’s a real honour for us because I feel like it’s a team that really are passionate about the venue and about the food and what we’re putting out,” she said.
“I do think it is just the passion that the chefs put into the food and then also our front-of-house service,” Kaitlin said. “They put a lot of effort into making sure everyone has a great experience and everyone’s comfortable.”
Images: McLaren Vale Hotel via georgesotiropoulos
The menu brings together elevated pub classics and restaurant-style dishes, with a strong focus on South Australian produce.
Alongside staples like schnitzels, parmis and burgers, the kitchen heroes local seafood and regional ingredients through dishes such as South Australian silver whiting, local salt and pepper calamari, Barossa pork belly and pasture-fed beef cuts.
“I feel like the most popular from our current menu, that’s not a pub classic, would probably be our king oyster mussels,” she said. “Then we’ve got the South Australian prawn fettuccine as well.”
McLaren Vale Hotel also landed finalist spots for both Best Regional Gastropub and Best Wine List
Kaitlin said the pub works with as much local and South Australian produce as possible, which they’re super proud of.
The final rankings will be announced at the Top 50 Gastropubs Awards in Sydney on Monday 14 July.
Top 50 Gastropubs Awards
When: Monday, 14 July.
For more info, click here.
