Eat & Drink
Long lunches & local produce
The best eat & drink in Penwortham
From winery restaurants and historic pubs to bakeries, providores and country cafes, the Clare Valley plates up seasonal regional produce with generous country hospitality. Olive oils, smallgoods, cheeses and just-picked fruit appear on menus that pair effortlessly with the valley's Riesling and Shiraz.
Eating in the Clare Valley is a slow, regional affair built around great wine, historic stone hotels and produce grown within sight of the table. Many of the best meals happen at winery kitchens, where long lunches stretch into the afternoon among the vines around Sevenhill and the Skilly Hills.
The valley's heritage pubs are an experience in themselves. The Sevenhill Hotel and the beautifully restored Watervale Hotel pair honest country cooking with deep local wine lists, while atmospheric dining rooms in Mintaro and Auburn set refined cooking inside 1850s cottages and stone buildings.
For something more relaxed, the region's bakeries, cafes and the monthly farmers' market showcase olives, cheese, bread and small-batch produce — the Clare beyond the wine glass. Wherever you eat, the wine list will almost always be loaded with Clare Valley Riesling and old-vine reds. Book ahead on weekends, when cellar-door visitors fill the valley's best tables.