Follow your stomach on the ultimate foodie trail across South Australia

When the hit cooking show MasterChef whisked its way onto Australian screens back in 2009, nobody knew just how much of an impact it would have.

In the most recent series, contestants were taken to Adelaide, South Australia and introduced to the judge’s favorite chefs, restaurants, and produce and aired on MasterChef Australia for six episodes of the series.

The show has been so influential in the culinary and travel spheres that the South Australian Tourism Commission is now running a competition for the ultimate foodie getaway to South Australia. The prize includes return flights to Adelaide, and a 5-day holiday in South Australia including an intimate masterclass hosted by MasterChef Australia’s celebrity chef judge Gary Mehigan.

For those of you who aren’t aware, South Australia has an exceptionally diverse food scene taking influence from every corner of the globe and MasterChef has undoubtedly whet the appetite of foodies around the world who are eager to discover new flavours and aromas.

But Adelaide’s dynamic dining culture isn’t just reserved for those who know their mozzarellas from their provolones.

South Australia wants to inspire everyone to taste sensational food. And what better way to explore a state than through its rich and diverse culinary offerings?

Let your senses lead you on an appetizing food safari where you can handpick colourful local fruits, gulp down fresh oysters, explore farm-to-table cooking styles, and become awestruck in South Australia’s vibrant markets.

And with direct flights from Malaysia and Singapore to Adelaide, there’s no excuse not to treat your taste buds to an adventure they crave.

Here are a handful of our top food tours, restaurants and markets across South Australia from Adelaide to Barossa and beyond.

Let’s begin the journey at the 149-year-old Adelaide Central Market, perfect for some picnic treats. MasterChef host Gary Mehigan claims making the trip to Adelaide and not coming to this market is an “absolute crime.”

It has been a pulsating hub of culture and food since 1869. Gastronomes can nibble their way from stall-to-stall sampling fresh crusty loaves, local cheese, sweet honey, tangy jams, cold cuts, delicate pastries, and so much more.

If you want to explore beyond Adelaide on a gourmand-infused tour, the Epicurean Way journey showcases some of the most incredible landscapes and foods in South Australia. The four-day drive is dotted with sun-soaked vineyards among rolling hills and farm shops selling local produce including Udder Delights for the fromage-inclined palate.

Extend your foodie adventure towards the enchanting sounds of the pulsating tides on the Seafood Frontier tour and reward your taste buds with the most delicious delights the ocean has to offer.

The triangular Eyre Peninsula is south of Adelaide and bounded by the Great Australian Bight and the Spencer Gulf making it a playground for tasty ocean treats.

Travellers can sample buttery Port Lincoln tuna then make their way to Ceduna, gear up in a pair of snazzy waders, and pluck fresh oysters straight from their beds.

The Eyre Peninsula pulls out all the stops to deliver the finest fishy frenzy the briny deep has to offer.

For seafood lovers, this tour is a must.

Tours and markets are grand for farm-to-table experiences and taking home a little something extra from a vacation. However, everybody craves a little TLC – Tasty Lavish Cuisine – from time to time, cooked for them by creative chefs in incredible settings.

And Adelaide is the perfect place for this.

Luckily enough, MasterChef Australia’s 2018 judges left a trail of restaurant recommendations after they explored the region earlier this year. If you, like many others, are indecisive when it comes to dinner time, here are a few hot-off-the-press recommendations to wow your senses.

While it might sound simple, pizza is a dish loved by millions across the world and Adelaide is home to the retro and wonderfully kitsch Sunny’s Pizza, one of MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris’ favourite South Australian restaurants.

Dig into wild pizza topping combinations such as smoked pumpkin, smoked Scamorza, confit garlic, goats cheese, pepitas, and sage, perfect for the herbivore traveller.

Beyond pizza, the Brussels sprouts salad is also a must try alongside a refreshing juice. Here, the beets aren’t just in the salads and on the pizzas, they’re also spinning on the turntables of the live DJ.

Celebrating something special? Andre’s Cucina and Polenta Bar is not only sensationally trendy and worthy of a spot on your Instagram but also utterly delicious.

In fact, the restaurant was set up by ex-MasterChef contestant Andre Ursini and sits high on the list of Mehigan’s best Adelaidean restaurants.

The sophisticated yet casual and lively atmosphere combined with simple, yet creative and seasonal Italian dishes provide guests with an eye-popping, awe-inspiring dining experience.

The “Menu Fiso” is what they’re famous for. Cue vibrant Carpaccio Assaggini grazing boards, a fresh pasta interlude, followed by the incredible course of “carne, pesce, polenta, and contorini.”

Andre’s is all aboard the dietary requirements train too with equally as delicious gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options available.

Believe us when we say South Australia’s culinary funfair comes with rides to suit every taste. A tour of the region will leave you full and satisfied from fantastic cuisine and with a desire to recreate the dishes in your own kitchen.

The best souvenir, ever right?

So, if reading this has got you salivating, head to South Australia to satisfy your culinary cravings. Lovers may follow their hearts, but foodies? They follow their stomachs.

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Source: travelwireasia.com