When it comes to food and drink, South Australia truly is the land of legends. There is no better time to celebrate all the best eating and drinking experiences that the state has to offer than during Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel.
If you’re planning your visit during the first weekend of the festival (3 until 5 May), we have events that are sure to satisfy your cravings, taste, and budget. Plus no Tasting Australia experience is complete without a visit to Town Square - our free festival hub in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga – it’s a must on your festival itinerary! Mix & match events based on your preferences, or browse our online program to see what else is happening.
WEEKEND ONE: MORE FOR LESS
Tasting Australia is for everyone. Ready to get out and explore? Our budget-friendly itinerary for the festival’s first weekend is good to go.
FRIDAY 12PM: TOWN SQUARE CANTEEN – THE PRAIRIE HOTEL
Make your first stop Town Square Canteen: a new festival destination all about bringing treasured regional restaurants to the city. The Prairie Hotel's chef Angus Love is city-bound for this new dining experience.
FRIDAY 6PM: WINE! WINE! PARTY! PARTY!
Friday evening calls for a drink. But when it’s also Tasting Australia opening night? That’s a party. Kick-off revelry returns for the second year running – and we have more than 20 winemakers joining the fun. Sip, chat, and find a new favourite drop. Next, grab dinner from a Town Square food vendor and see where the night takes you. Dance floor, anyone?
SATURDAY MORNING: FLAVOURS OF THE MARKET
A Saturday stroll through the Adelaide Central Market is an Adelaide tradition. First stop: coffee. Next stop: whatever you fancy. Peruse stalls laden with the freshest produce, then grab some snacks to fuel you for a journey to the Barossa. A free 50-minute audio tour of the market – linked on its website – is a great way to unearth hidden gems.
SATURDAY 1PM: SALTRAM UNDERGROUND TOUR & TASTING (BAROSSA)
An hour north of Adelaide is the Barossa: home of world-renowned wine and a thriving food culture. Saltram, one of its oldest estates, is hosting this three-course meal. You’ll begin with a tasting, tour the winery’s cellar and listen to a ghost story or two before surfacing for lunch and a glass of wine.
SUNDAY 11AM: MAKE – GNOCCHI WITH MITOLO FAMILY FARMS
Add finesse to your cooking with our fresh new Make series. Each 90-minute session is designed to help you master a kitchen skill, and this Sunday morning slot is perfect for those craving the comfort of gnocchi. Join South Australian chef and restauranteur Callum Hann as he works with locally grown potatoes from Mitolo Family Farms.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON: ALL SA PRODUCERS' SHOWCASE @ BOWERBIRD
South Australia’s premier design market looks better than ever. Discover more than 30 local producers offering everything from gin, wine and beer to condiments, biscuits, chocolates and other sweet treats. Each ticketholder will receive a tote bag entitling them to special offers and samples.
SUNDAY 4PM: CINCO DE MAYO AT MERRYMAKER
Hola! It’s time for a fiesta at Adelaide’s highest bar. Merrymaker – found atop Hotel Indigo Adelaide Market – is set to celebrate the Mexican festival of Cinco de Mayo through a five-course feast made with local produce. Expect a DJ, cerveza-style beers and tequila by Agave Australis at this colourful carnival.
WEEKEND ONE: INDULGE
Ready to celebrate? You’ve come to the right festival. Tasting Australia offers ample opportunity to indulge. Let’s push the boat out.
FRIDAY 11.30AM: TASTING TABLE – HEDONISM
Be a bon vivant and join a maximum of 12 guests at Adelaide’s Fino Vino for this special tasting. Host and wine expert Jono Hersey will share treasured French bottles and stories from his regular buying trips to Europe. These are true luxury releases – and a perfect way to welcome the weekend.
FRIDAY 5.30PM: WAITE 100 GALA
The exclusive Waite 100 Gala will be a black-tie, stand-up cocktail affair celebrating 100 years of the enduring Waite Gift. Featuring food by celebrity chef Matt Moran and supported by East End Cellars, this night of nights is a once-in-a-lifetime event not to be missed.
SATURDAY 1PM: TRANSCEND BY PENFOLDS MAGILL ESTATE
Parting ways with traditional wine tastings, Transcend by Penfolds allows guests to truly immerse themselves in rich storytelling and experience the Penfolds Collection like never before. This unique experience combines a soundscape, storytelling, visuals and lighting to create a truly intimate connection to iconic Penfolds wines.
SATURDAY 7PM: DINING GALLERIES – PASTA PARTY
Big. Loud. Shared. Spectacular. It’s pasta – and you just know it’s a party. We’ve united four bona fide afficionados for this Saturday night extravaganza: Trisha Greentree, Adam D’Sylva, Andrew Davies and Rosa Matto. Simple and generous, but never dull. That’s pasta at its best. And that’s our kind of party.
SUNDAY 1PM: AFRICOLA X AMBLESIDE (ADELAIDE HILLS)
It’s time for another regional sojourn – this time to the Adelaide Hills. Beloved city restaurant Africola is headed to Hahndorf distillery Ambleside for a next-level Sunday lunch. Chef Duncan Welgemoed will craft three unforgettable courses. To drink? Paired cocktails all the way.
Still can’t decide? Explore the full program here.
