While it’s fairly typical to experience above average food in wine country, it’s exceptionally unusual to find one with a spectacular view of the ocean and overlooking sandy beaches and a rugged coast line. The Star of Greece Restaurant at Port Willunga is located just fifteen minutes from the cellar doors of McLaren Vale, South Australia. It makes for an excellent diversion from wine tasting and touring and should be on your must visit if travelling through McLaren Vale, South Australia.

Restaurant Review: The Star of Greece, Port Willunga, SA, Australia.

After about 10 or so tastings, it was time for brunch. We were getting pretty snacky by this point. Our wonderful friends took us to what would be the highlight of dining on this trip. Of course, thanks to the addition of copious amounts of wonderful McLaren Vale wines, the Australian accent simulations started by this point as we tried to pronounce the signs on the way.

Getting to the Star of Greece:

1 Esplanade, Port Willunga SA 5173, Australia

We set off from McLaren Vale toward Port Willunga. The Star of Greece Restaurant is located right on the Coast of the Gulf of St Vincent off the shores of Australia.

We rolled into the sea side parking lot at our lunch restaurant: Star of Greece. It is situated on the coast in Port Willunga near McLaren Vale. We were pretty much blown away with the view. It turned out to be a real gem with views of the Gulf of St Vincent that you wouldn’t easily forget. We’ve been to a few wine regions around the world, but none with a coastal view quite like this one. 

Inside the Star of Greece:

Once we got past that, we headed inside to a quaint little restaurant. We were among the first guests for today’s lunch service. 

The Star of Greece has nothing to do with Greek food. Rather the restaurant is named after a ship that sank locally in the surrounding area. The restaurant focuses on fresh food that is locally sourced from the nearby region. While it does have a Mediterranean feel, it’s not a location that you’d expect to see souvlaki or roast lamb on the menu.

The Meal: A Two Course Lunch

We started with an Amuse Bouche

This was accompanied with fresh house made bread, balsamic, and braised Port Willunga olives.

Our first course consisted of Local Oysters on Salt, both fresh and breaded. While oysters are usually presented in a massive ice bucket, I enjoyed the presentation of these oysters.

We had the local specialty of nearby Kangaroo Island “Whiting Fish and Chips. It was prepared nicely. I had the battered version whereas MrsWT73 had the poached version. 

It was paired today with a light and delicately crisp Sauvignon Blanc Wine from Eden Claire Valley.

We had a really enjoyable lunch experience. It was such a spectacular view point, we opted for a group photo to commemorate the day.

---

Our meal at The Star of Greece:

All in all it was a fantastic meal and a memorable dining experience on a beautiful day. It was easily the highlight of our restaurant dining during this holiday and had a view that matched the food. I’’d definitely make this place a must visit if you happened to be in Adelaide. It’s a mere 40 minutes from the Adelaide Central Business District. The fact that you can visit world class wineries on the way too and from is a certain bonus as well. I am looking forward to our return trip here the next time we find ourselves in Adelaide.

---

If you’ve dined at the Star of Greece, were you as impressed with the location and the meal as I was?

---