Fresh Finds: What's New in the Adelaide Hills
Experience
Just outside the village, Hahndorf Flower Farm has become a colourful new favourite for slow wanderers and flower lovers. Open seasonally (generally September to early April), these guys offer Pick Your Own flowers, self-guided tours, and rows of beautiful blooms as far as the eye can see. It’s family-run, super chilled and a blissful place to spend an hour or two strolling, snipping and soaking up our fresh Adelaide Hills air. Keep an eye on their socials for bloom updates and opening days.
One of the newest creative hubs on Main Street, Hahndorf Pottery is all about slowing down and getting your hands dirty in the best way. Choose your ceramic, paint your design, and have the crew glaze and kiln-fire your masterpiece, ready for collection. The cosy studio also hosts kids parties (think: Unicorn Magic, Farm Fun or Under the Sea), clay play and wheel throwing sessions, along with private group sessions for all occasions. Because who couldn’t use a little creative therapy, right?
For something truly different, Donkey Discovery offers a two-hour immersive experience with a herd of gentle, personality-packed donkeys just outside Hahndorf. You’ll meet characters like Gregory, Tinker, Willow and Lulu, learn about donkey behaviour, groom and connect with them, then relax over afternoon tea. It’s intimate, heartwarming, and perfect for families, couples or basically anyone needing a gentle reset.
Drink
Tucked into historic Hahndorf, Sensory House is a beautifully curated space to settle, sip, shop and savour handcrafted South Australian spirits and wines. Home to Full Circle Spirits, With Grace Whisky and Rose Kentish Wines, it’s part tasting room, part gift space, and part sensory retreat. Expect guided tastings, thoughtful gift ideas, rotating cocktail masterclasses (think: Whisky Sours and Perfect Martinis) with sustainability at its core, including a handy return-and-refill program, and creative releases like perfumes inspired by local landscapes.
A funky laneway bar that’s quickly become a local favourite, Stirling’s Naughty Neighbour is all about cocktails, wines, share plates and village vibes, dishing up more than a few reasons to extend your afternoon session through to the evening, with creative concoctions, long necks in ice buckets, lively music and infectious energy. It’s the kind of spot you’ll find the locals gathering as a group, with one drink usually turning into a few more!
It’s wine, but not as you know it! Bottle Shock flips the script with gamified blind tasting flights, over 150 wines by the glass, and themed experiences that make learning about vino an unforgettable adventure. A brainchild of the teams behind Unico Zelo and Applewood Distillery, this Gumeracha gem is relaxed, cheeky, and welcoming whether you’re a total newbie or a serious sipper. Oh, and don’t skip the snacks from Michelin-experienced chef Jeff Trotter.
Set among apple orchards and rolling lawns, Lenswood Cider Co’s brand-new cellar door is built for long, lazy days with friends. Crisp ciders flow on tap, the build-your-own Lenswood Larder platters are generous, and the space blends high ceilings indoors with outdoor lounges and orchard views. Everything’s Hills-grown and Hills-made here, with a relaxed, family-friendly vibe that’s very easy to settle into.
Hidden among cherry orchards and vines in Lenswood, Jauma Farm's brand-new farm cellar door is a cosy, community-driven space to experience their cult natural wines, precisely where they’re made. Open Saturdays, it’s intimate, rustic and full of personality (think: vinyl spinning, sunny verandah sips, and “living” additive-free wines poured by the people who craft them. It’s a cellar door with soul in every sense of the word.
Housed in a repurposed bacon factory, Tin Shed Distilling Co’s new Nairne cellar door brings whiskies, gin, rum, smokehouse BBQ and live music all together under one roof. There’s a balcony with treetop views, a cosy bar, hydronic heated outdoor areas and regular Friday to Sunday music sessions. It’s bold, lively and the perfect spot to assemble your crew for a sneaky session or a special occasion.
Cult Basket Range label BK Wines has finally opened its own tasting room and it’s as rock and roll as you’d expect. Vinyl on the turntables, skateboards on the walls, tattoo-style art and small-batch wines being poured in a super cool, creative space. It’s less traditional cellar door, more underground studio hangout. Book ahead if you can. This one’s for those who like their wine with a splash of personality!
Taste
Foodies, this one’s big. Lobethal’s That’s Enrico Pizza is the passion project of Italian pizzaiolo Enrico Sgarbossa, whose obsession with dough, fermentation and technique has created one of the most exciting pizza experiences in the Hills. Expect naturally fermented bases, seasonal toppings, Italian tomatoes, local produce, and a feed me menu that showcases the full experience. It’s serious pizza culture, served with classic Adelaide Hills hospitality.
In Stirling, La Viennese is proof that sometimes the smallest shops have the biggest stories. This tiny gelateria is the passion project of Andrea Calabrese, who quite literally grew up in his grandfather’s gelato shop in Italy. Every flavour here is made in small batches with obsessive attention to detail, using top-tier ingredients like Sicilian pistachios, Piedmont hazelnuts and local Fleurieu cream. Classics rule, the pistachio is rightly legendary, and seasonal sorbettos follow the rhythm of the Hills rather than the supermarket. It’s old-school craftsmanship in a modern Hills setting, and once you’ve had a scoop, you’ll understand why Andrea calls gelato his “baby”.
Hahndorf’s new German ice cream café and festive wine bar, Eis Haus and Glühwein Hütte is fully laden with specialties for every season. From warm weather favourites like spaghetti ice cream, playful sundaes and classic Eisbecher desserts to cosy treats like Flammkuchen (flatbread), Gegrilltes Belegtes Brot (open toast melts) mulled wine, cherry punch and festive European drinks - all poured in traditional Christmas market mugs - it’s pure fun and nostalgia!
Adelaide’s cult vegan favourite, Veggie Vie has now landed in the Hills, bringing its colourful 100 percent plant-based menu to a bigger, sunnier Hahndorf space. Expect vibrant bowls, burgers, hotpots, smoothies and big outdoor seating. All made fresh, with no animal products - and a full palate of flavour. Even non-vegans become converts here!
Rounding out Hahndorf’s tasty new additions is Hahndorf Brezelhaus, bringing a proper dose of European bakery comfort to the main street. As the name suggests, this is all about pretzels done right, alongside other German-inspired baked treats that are perfect for a quick snack, a casual lunch, or something to nibble while you wander the village. It’s simple, satisfying, and exactly the kind of place you’re glad exists when the smell of fresh baking hits you mid-stroll.
Stay
A fresh new chapter for one of Hahndorf’s biggest accommodation sites, Reisen Hotel has officially launched, bringing refreshed, playful branding, modern rooms and a strong focus on community connection. With big plans, hands-on owners and a central Main Street location, it’s becoming a go-to base for exploring the Hills (whether you’re a group, couple or family), with champagne-on-arrival energy.
Just outside Hahndorf in Verdun, Nestled Cabins offer two architect-designed tiny retreats, Spiegel and Finster, built for total immersion in nature. Think low-key luxury, outdoor baths, fire pits, floor-to-ceiling windows, minimalist design and serious quiet. It’s high-end, low-impact, and perfect for a romantic rendezvous or quiet getaway with friends.
Up in Mount Torrens, Hollows Hut is a cosy, design-led hideaway made for switching off. Set on a quiet hobby farm with wide views over the Bremer Valley, this couples-only retreat pairs an industrial-chic fit-out with indulgent touches like a king bed, round bathtub and a deck for slow breakfasts and sunset drinks. With a fully equipped kitchen, local breakfast supplies and big windows framing rolling hills and grazing animals, it’s the kind of place that makes staying in feel like the whole point.
These latest finds are just some of the exciting experiences currently making a name for themselves in the Adelaide Hills. From first sip to last stay, it’s easy to see why the very best part of getting away can be discovering what’s just opened!