The Clare Valley feeds visitors as well as it pours for them. Here’s how to eat your way through the region, from bakeries to long lunches.
It would be easy to visit the Clare Valley and think only of riesling, but that would mean missing half the pleasure. The region's food scene has quietly come into its own, built on local produce and an unhurried, country sensibility.
Start at the bakery
The valley's bakeries are institutions. A pie or pastry from a country bakery in Watervale, Clare or Burra is the right way to start a day of exploring, and a reliable cure after one tasting too many.
Markets and makers
The Clare Valley Farmers Market brings the region's growers together, while producers like the local olive oil makers offer tastings as considered as any wine flight. Seek out regional produce to take home; it travels better than memories alone.
The long lunch
The valley does the cellar-door lunch beautifully, with vineyard restaurants pairing seasonal plates to estate wines. Book a table among the vines, order generously, and let the afternoon stretch out. In the Clare Valley, lingering over lunch isn't laziness; it's the whole point.
