Step beyond a standard food festival as Australia's official wine capital, Adelaide, comes to life with Tasting Australia Presented by RAA Travel. Reward your curiosity and discover hole-in-the-wall bars, unbuckle your belt for a full-day degustation or board a plane for a unique regional dining experience like no other. Between May 3 and 12, witness the magic when local legends are joined by some of Australia's best talents, as South Australia transforms into a foodie haven. Hungry yet? With over 150 events across all 12 regions, prepare your palate and start planning with our top picks of the best events at Tasting Australia 2024.
DINING GALLERIES, TOWN SQUARE
How best to illuminate eating and drinking in Australia right now? Meet our Dining Galleries. Part restaurant, part art showcase, this brand-new Tasting Australia series will feature the best and brightest in national hospitality. Choose from over 10 Dining Galleries and settle in for the night as you join Australia's hospitality royalty including Matt Moran, Jake Kellie, Kane Pollard, Justin James, Duncan Welgemoed and more. Menus matter but so do memories. Make them here.
MAKE, TOWN SQUARE
Add finesse to your cooking in these fresh new sessions. Held in a Town Square Dining Gallery and led by local chefs and artisans, each Make session will cover a simple skill on the path to professional results. Roll pastry. Shape sausage. Fold dumplings. Knead clay - and hear hosts' fascinating stories too. It's fun and immersive, with no assumed knowledge, plenty of guidance and a drink as you go. Sessions run for 90 minutes and include a beverage, sample of the dish being prepared, recipe card and Tasting Australia bag.
MASTERCLASSES, TOWN SQUARE
Delve into drinks at their most compelling at the University of Adelaide Masterclass Pavilion. Our masterclasses are led by distillers, brewers and winemakers united by a love for the diverse world of beverages. Avid connoisseur? Keen to learn more? Come on in. All are welcome as we open the very best bottles, with emerging stars to share the spotlight with internationally celebrated names.
WINE! WINE! PARTY! PARTY!, TOWN SQUARE
Friday evening calls for a drink. But when it's also Tasting Australia opening night? That's a party. Our kick-off revelry returns for a second year, with more than 20 winemakers joining the fun. Sip. Chat. Find a new favourite. Each producer will bring one or two highlights from their range, making this the perfect chance to try a selection entirely of the moment. Wrap the working week in style and expect big first-night energy.
TASTING AUSTRALIA AIRLINES, LIMESTONE COAST & EYRE PENINSULA
Ready for a new adventure? Welcome aboard. Tasting Australia Airlines is back and jetting guests to some of South Australia's most curious destinations for the ultimate tasting odyssey. Venture further, discovering some of South Australia's most beautiful regions alongside leading chefs inspired by their produce. Buckle up for an overnight adventure to the Limestone Coast or dine on a private island nestled amongst the rugged coastline of the Eyre Peninsula.
COORONG LONG LUNCH: KUTI SHACK X THE JOINERY X PIPI CO
Explore the pristine Coorong National Park and be immersed in this culinary and cultural experience. Guests will begin with a cruise over the Goolwa Pipi Co barge, then fish and forage for pipis with guidance from a Ngarrindjeri elder. Next is a long lunch prepared by the Kuti Shack team with matched wines from 2021 Young Gun of Wine winner Charlotte Dalton and Ben Cooke of Port Elliot cellar door The Joinery. Learn, relax and take in a precious stretch of South Australian coastline. Return coach transfers from Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga (departing at 9am and returning at 5pm) are included in this Tasting Australia event.
TENDER, Kangaroo Island
TENDER is a Kangaroo Island tasting experience like no other. Depart Penneshaw on Brindabella, an iconic superyacht that took line honours in the 1997 Sydney to Hobart race, while enjoying delicious canapés and wines during a scenic morning sail to American River. On arrival at American River, enjoy an exclusive oyster shucking experience hosted by Kangaroo Island Oyster Farm owners Todd and Marissa Packer. Travel to The Cliffs Kangaroo Island, a world-class destination golf course set to tee off in 2025, for an unforgettable food and wine experience perched on the clifftop overlooking the Southern Ocean. You will be one of the first to experience this spectacular development with a private tour of the golf course and surrounding property.
After lunch, depart for a twilight sail along the scenic coast of Kangaroo Island, enjoying sundowners as you take in the breathtaking views. The journey finishes back at Penneshaw, bringing an unforgettable day to a close. With only 16 spots available, secure your place now for a day of exceptional food and wine, amazing people, experiences and breathtaking scenery.
PAUL CARMICHAEL 2KW TAKEOVER
Gather for a rooftop dinner unlike any other as Paul Carmichael takes over 2KW alongside its executive chef and his mate Sam Christopher. The revered Carmichael began working for the Momofuku group in 2010, starting at New York City's Má Pêche and landing in Sydney five years later to take over the executive chef position at Momofuku Seiōbo. He cooked at Seiōbo until the restaurant's closure in 2021, honouring his Caribbean heritage across its celebrated menus. Now, for one night only, Carmichael and Christopher will cross over menus and vibes with matched beverages from 2KW sommelier Dan McEvoy. Expect the unexpected with spice, fire and all things Caribbean.
THE FEAST OF CANDELA: ALKINA X EL ESTANCO
It's a partnership for the ages: El Estanco chef Julian Velasquez is joining Alkina winemaker Amelia Nolan for a culinary pairing of food, fire and micro terroir-focused wine in the heart of the Barossa Valley. With roots deeply embedded in the heart of Latin America, Velasquez brings a vibrant array of flavours, culture, and traditions to his cooking. Candela represents the radiant spirit of fire, which Colombians employ to symbolise the passion within their culture, so expect fire-fuelled creativity, seasonal vegetables from Alkina's organic Kitchen Garden and a creative take on paddock to plate cuisine, with a menu inspired by Latin American cooking and Greenock's tapestry of terroir. Nolan is set to journey into ancient stones, soils, organic and biodynamic viticulture, and the creation of unique, micro-terroir wines from the vineyard just down the road.
SIDEWAYS: EVENT SCREENING & WINE TASTING
The Piccadilly North Adelaide is excited to relive one of the greatest wine movies ever made in beautiful 35mm on the 20th anniversary of its release. Sideways tells the darkly comic story of two men reaching middle age with not much to show for it but disappointment. They embark on a week-long road trip through Californian wine country just as one is about to walk down the aisle. Tastings from some of South Australia's best winemakers will be paired with this beloved film.
WASH IT DOWN IN ADELAIDE'S BOOMING BAR SCENE
What's a meal without a great drink to match? Finish the night off with a glass of South Australian wine, craft beer, cider or spirits with our best bars in Adelaide guide.
