Cruising up the iconic Penfolds driveway, you’re met with a landscape steeped in history and one offering some of South Australia’s most iconic views. 

Nestled at the very top of charming terraced vines and against the backdrop of the Adelaide foothills, you will find Magill Estate Kitchen. 

The lunch menu is high on the yum scale – from the deep flavoured potato bread, sumac and olive oil down to an extremely serviceable 4+ wagyu pepper fillet, tawny cream and parsley salad, each dish is a testament to the kitchen’s commitment quality cooking.

The ‘a la carte’ menu is a love letter to seasonal South Australian produce – from Polacco scallops to SA Gulf prawns, you can expect to find ingredients which make up the rich tapestry of the state’s famed producers. 

What isn’t sourced is grown lovingly in the restaurant’s private Ernabella garden. 

Visit during spring and you could find yourself indulging in garden-fresh zucchini grilled over red gumwood and seasoned with sherry vinegar, sea salt, pine nuts, olive oil, mint and parsley – a vibrant spring medley. 

For those with a penchant for mid-morning conversations and quick escapes, the MEK brunch menu offers an irresistible blend of comforting classics and inventive flair. 

A standout is the creamy avocado on freshly baked potato bread, enhanced with cultured cream, a perfectly poached egg, and fresh herbs.

The ‘chefs shared menu’ option further provides a culinary journey that will leave your mates battling forks on the shared plate. 

For a mere $98, you can ‘sit back, relax, and let the chef feed you’ – choose to add a wine pairing or go by the bottle, their short and punchy list digs deep into the Penfolds catalogue.

MEK is making a compelling case to be considered not just one of South Australia’s best winery restaurants but, by logical extension, one of Australia’s too. 

Under the discerning eye of culinary maestro Scott Huggins, MEK has blossomed into its own unique experience holding the same degree of care, craft, and attention as its fine-dining sibling, but with an everyday, approachable vibe.

Find Magill Estate Kitchen at 78 Penfold Road, Magill SA.