The Kitchen Door at Penny's Hill in McLaren Vale is a culinary delight. Head Chef Tom Boden ensures that your taste buds will leave The Kitchen Door, wanting to return - not out of hunger but out of desire to try each and every dish on his delicious menu. An entrée of Prosciutto & Rockmelon, followed with Buffalo Mozzarella & tomato paired with a glass of crisp bubbles is the perfect way to begin your day at The Kitchen Door, with picturesque views of the surrounding estate vineyards through a glass window that emulates a television screen, because the view is so clear. The main meals are designed to share, but I for one am greedy when it comes to amazing food. I chose a main of pumpkin & ricotta gnocchi, pine nuts and sage... well, let me just say that Nonna would be as proud as she could be with this soft and subtle dish. The guests that I dined with chose, BBQ rib eye with green onions & salsa Verde and the other menu choice was smoked pork & peaches with charred gem lettuce & jus. Needless, to say these women are hard to impress and they both individually critiqued Tom's work, with one stating that it was 'one of the best mains, that she had eaten anywhere in the world' and 'the local produce used was the finishing touch...' - she herself is a well rounded traveller and a visitor from Perth, she said that she 'would recommend The Kitchen Door to anyone travelling to South Australia, especially the McLaren Vale Wine Region'. We paired our main courses with Penny's Hill 'The Agreement' Sav Blanc- which was pure bliss! For me, the food was everything that I could have imagined and the service, headed by Jo Bradley is second to none. This beautiful lady knows her stuff, from food to wine, her suggestions are well worth trying if you love divine food paired with equally exciting Penny's Hill wines. The smile that Jo possesses is enough to show you that she loves her task at hand and it is encouraging enough to tempt you into dessert, my final selection- the buttermilk, honey & lavender panna cotta with biscotti is the most delightful dessert that I have had (ever!) and as this is my favourite course of any meal, it can not be skipped! In order to fit in the final element, you can inspect the estate and walk around Penny's Hill to view their cellar door, or look outside at the sheep and chickens that live on site... then come back to your dining table made of varnished hard wood and your dessert will be waiting for you, if you dare a coffee or an aperitif as well. Also, tried and tested was the impeccable chocolate fondant & salted caramel ice cream (11/10!) and the stone fruit summer trifle - what a finish to an incredible lunch experience. The Kitchen Door, at Penny's Hill is placing McLaren Vale on the culinary map, Adelaide is on par with the rest of the world, thank you to the premium food and wine experienced at The Kitchen Door. We will be back, time and time again. #SouthAustralia #GreatWineCapital #SAWine

Delicious pumpkin gnocchi that was to die for matched with a French rose. Superb lunch experience. Thank you Tom and staff.