Food Drink

The Currant Shed recognised as #1 restaurant in McLaren Vale

The Currant Shed now boasts a 5-star rating and 1,000 reviews from previous guests – 900 of which are 5-star reviews.

We all love a feel-good story from a local business, and this winner ticks all the boxes. The Currant Shed, a family-owned restaurant at the heart of McLaren Vale, is now the number one restaurant in the region on TripAdvisor.

What’s more, The Currant Shed now boasts a 5-star rating and 1,000 reviews from previous guests – 900 of which are 5-star reviews.

The Currant Shed’s Tourism Manager, Chloe Gogoll, says the restaurant chalks its success up to its commitment to its great hospitality offering.

“We are really humbled at how well the restaurant has been received since we started,” said Chloe. “It’s all been word of mouth of us. SA is such a beautiful, collaborative state and we all do so much for one another. We don’t get tall poppy syndrome in SA.”

“What we all collectively believe it is [the reason for our success] … is our authentic, genuine hospitality. From back of house to front of house, there is a homely and consistent level of service. We have lots of repeat customers, from couples and families a few times a year.

“It’s been beautiful watching the business growth from strength to strength. The TripAdvisor reviews mean the most, because people have taken the time out of their day to jump online and make a review. It means more than you could ever imagine. We’re proud of what we’re doing here.”

The shed hosting the award-winning restaurant was originally built in 1916. As the name suggests, the building was formerly a currant-drying shed which prepared and dried currants for export.

Located on Shottesbrooke Winery’s estate, the restaurant was taken on by Managing Director and Head Winemaker, Hamish Maguire, and his wife Emily Dowie, who managed the famed Star of Greece.

“Emily is an incredible industry figure and used to work at the Star of Greece in its heyday,” said Chloe.

“The last few years, we’ve also opened accommodation on-site. So, it’s the really natural progression from a beautiful, fine-dining experience on the property, to a winery producing high-quality varietals, to a place to stay.”

The accommodation on the Shottesbrooke estate includes to B&Bs – Clements House and Hillside House. Clements House is one of the original homesteads and is within walking distance from The Currant Shed.

The Currant Shed is also a favourite long lunch destination, open for lunch everyday except Wednesdays. The restaurant is open for bookings between 11:30am – 3:00pm, but guests are welcome to linger longer.

“Wayne Leeson is our Head Chef. He is an incredible creative and an incredible chef in the way that he brings together different types of flavours. I definitely recommend 3-4 hours for the 6-course chef degustation.

In general, there’s a plethora of dishes from different cultures and the signature dish is the pork belly.

“In the whole time that I’ve worked here, there’s only one dish that has remained on the menu for the entire time and that’s the pork belly. It’s just everyone’s favourite. If that disappeared from the menu, there would be an absolute riot.”

To find out more about The Currant Shed via the website, Facebook or Instagram.

The Currant Shed is located at 104 Ingoldby Road, McLaren Flat SA 5171.

More News

To Top