Loosen your belt buckle and get ready for a gourmet feast like no other. Tasting Australia is back better than ever in 2021 with Byron Bay-based Three Ducks Founder Darren Robertson bringing his serious culinary-cred to this year's festival as food curator. Joined by local chef icon Simon Bryant, Tasting Australia is a foodie's heaven showcasing the best produce from around Australia from 30 April to May 9 2021.
Hungry? From long lunches, to exclusive dinners and farm tours, to tastings, masterclasses and food parties, whet your appetite with our top picks of the best events at Tasting Australia 2021.
1. Town Square, Adelaide
The sizzling heart of Tasting Australia, Town Square is the perfect spot to meet, grab a bite to eat and explore with the family. Free to enter and in prime position in the heart of Adelaide - Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga - you'll find a smorgasbord of stalls dishing up South Australian produce and bars pouring up some of the state's finest drops.
2. Town Square Kitchen, Adelaide
Dinner is served at Town Square Kitchen with an extensive range of curated events served up by some of Australia's best chefs. Taking centre stage in Town Square, this exclusive dinner series plates up special, one-off experiences showcasing local produce and cuisines from across the globe. Our top picks include Seed and Soil, a vegetarian spread by Kane Pollard, Mark Labrooy and Paul Carmichael, and The World's Table featuring Cheong Liew, Louis Tikaram, Paul Carmichael and Mat Lindsay.
3. East End Cellars Masterclasses, Adelaide
Drink in the best beverages from across South Australia at East End Cellars' Masterclasses. Sip, slurp, shake, pour, uncork and brew as you top up your drink's knowledge from the best local experts and producers of wine, beer, spirits, cocktails and coffee. Learn the tricks of the trade, see how your favourite drinks are made and taste some of the best beverages from across the state. Shake it up at Spirit Awards Cocktail Libation or become a true coffee snob at Veneziano Coffee Sensory Experience. Love craft brews? Beer Sensory is for you.
4. Ragini's "I HATE CURRY", Adelaide
Sit down for an epic Indian feast… without a curry in sight? Forget butter chicken and lamb rogan josh, Ragini's "I HATE CURRY" is the ultimate long lunch for lovers of Indian cuisine looking to spice things up. Celebrated Indian-born Adelaide spice queen Ragini Dey will cook up some of her signature dishes for this five-course lunch, shining a new light on some of India's lesser known but equally delicious specialties.
5. Scoffed Presents: An Edible Chocolate Garden from Your Little Petal!, Adelaide
There's even something on the menu for budding master chefs; a chocolate cooking class just for kids. Hosted by Scoffed Cooking School and suitable for ages 8 and above, a qualified pastry chef will teach your little ones how to create an edible chocolate garden to take home during an hour-long workshop. Better still, while they are kept busy in the kitchen, you can taste your way around Town Square.
6. Meet the Grower, Taste the Region, Eat the Street, Fleurieu Peninsula
Coffee? Check. Chocolate? Check. Beer? Check. Wine? Check. Italian food? Check. Meet the Grower, Taste the Region, Eat the Street showcases the best food and drink from across the Fleurieu Peninsula. Jump on a chartered bus from Adelaide and head to McLaren Vale for an indulgent day filled with artisan produce and local creations. Tour the Willunga Farmer's Markets, sit down for a beer tasting at Shifty Lizard Taphouse, sample hand-made chocolates at Four Winds Chocolate, then settle in for a private wine tasting and three-course lunch at Vigna Bottin.
7. Angler Sustainable & Ethically Sourced Seafood, Adelaide Hills
Nestled in a leafy Adelaide Hills hamlet isn't exactly where you'd expect to find an epic seafood extravaganza. But head minutes from the city to Stirling, where the table is set for a fresh feast at South Australia's first sustainable and ethically sourced seafood restaurant. Dine on South Australian seafood while you learn about how Angler is leading vital innovation and change in the industry at Tasting Australia's the Angler Sustainable & Ethically Sourced Seafood event. A must for lovers of fish and chips, and the planet.
8. Master's Apprentices, Barossa
Unearth what the future holds for one of Australia's oldest and most celebrated wine regions. Steeped in history and spurred on by a new generation of boundary-pushing Barossans, dig into the region's best food and drink, learn about the local legends and meet up-and-coming mavericks at Master's Apprentices. During this exclusive event, you'll taste wines from 10 local winemakers and sit down for a five-course meal prepared by five of the Barossa's leading chefs.
9. Pizza Party, Riverland
Pizza and gin… need we say more? Throw down a picnic rug on the lush lawns of Renmark's Twenty Third Street Distillery and settle in for an afternoon filled with wood-fired pizza paired with award winning gin and spirits. Pizza Party is the perfect excuse for a weekend away in the Riverland.
10. A Day in Mintaro, Clare Valley
Discover one of South Australia's oldest wine regions and taste for yourself what makes the Clare Valley so special. The team from Reillys Wines and the Magpie and Stump Hotel will be your personal tour guides for A Day In Mintaro as they show you around historic Mintaro in the heart of the Clare Valley. Meet local producers, learn how to brew the perfect coffee, discover secrets to sourdough baking, blend your own wine then sit down for a two-course meal wine matched meal.
The feast continues in Adelaide
Continue your gastronomic adventure at one of Adelaide's best restaurants. From boundary-pushing Japanese, to Napoli-style pizzerias, South African inspired diners and Australia's official best restaurant, check out our guide to the best places to eat and drink in Adelaide.
