MICHELIN Is Coming to South Australia. The Fleurieu Is Ready.

For the first time, South Australia will be represented in the world-renowned MICHELIN Guide, with the inaugural MICHELIN Guide South Australia 2027 selection to be revealed in mid October.

Anonymous MICHELIN inspectors have been visiting restaurants across South Australia, assessing the quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques, harmony of flavours, personality of the cuisine and consistency.

For those of us who live and work on the Fleurieu Peninsula, it feels like an exciting moment.

South Australia has long understood that exceptional food does not begin in the kitchen.

It begins with the landscape.

With growers, farmers, fishermen, winemakers and producers. With seasonality. With people who know where their ingredients have come from and chefs who know how to let those ingredients speak.

At Merilli1885, that connection between food, place and hospitality is already part of what we offer.

Guests can choose an exclusive in-house dining experience with MICHELIN-trained chef Luca Guiotto of Aromi Dining, bringing beautifully considered, restaurant-level dining to the table without ever leaving the farm.

So as MICHELIN turns its attention to South Australia, we will be watching with particular interest.

Which McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Peninsula restaurants will be recognised when the Guide is revealed?

What Does a MICHELIN Distinction Mean?

Being included in the MICHELIN Guide does not necessarily mean receiving a Star.

The Guide recognises restaurants in several ways.

One MICHELIN Star recognises high-quality cooking and is described as “worth a stop”.

Two MICHELIN Stars recognise excellent cooking that is “worth a detour”.

Three MICHELIN Stars, the Guide’s highest distinction, recognise exceptional cuisine considered “worth a special journey”.

Restaurants may also receive a Bib Gourmand, recognising good-quality cooking at good value, or be included as MICHELIN Selected, identifying restaurants inspectors believe deserve a place in the Guide.

So when the South Australian selection is announced, there will be plenty to watch beyond the Stars themselves.

For regional South Australia, the opportunity is significant.

Recognition on an international platform such as MICHELIN has the potential to introduce a whole new audience to the places, producers and people already making the Fleurieu such an extraordinary place to eat and drink.

Why the Fleurieu Peninsula Is One to Watch

McLaren Vale is internationally recognised for wine, but food has become an equally compelling reason to visit.

And the story extends well beyond McLaren Vale.

The wider Fleurieu Peninsula brings together the wineries and producers of Langhorne Creek, restaurants and cafés in Goolwa, Middleton and Port Elliot, local seafood, farm gates, growers and small producers.

What makes the region special is how closely these things sit together.

You can spend an afternoon over a long lunch in McLaren Vale, explore Langhorne Creek the following day and be beside the ocean at Port Elliot or Middleton before dinner.

Somewhere in between, you pass the farms, vineyards and producers that provide much of what eventually arrives on the plate.

From the Fleurieu Paddock to Your Table

At Merilli1885, food and place are particularly close to home.

Our luxury accommodation sits on a 90-acre working Angus cattle farm at Currency Creek, surrounded by paddocks, horses, old gums and the changing seasons of the Fleurieu.

Guests can head out to explore restaurants, cellar doors and wineries throughout the region.

Or they can stay in and let dinner come to them.

One of our exclusive in-house experiences is private dining with MICHELIN-trained chef Luca Guiotto of Aromi Dining.

Luca brings the experience and precision of fine dining into the cottage, creating a multi-course dinner served around your own table.

No restaurant booking to rush for.

No drive home afterwards.

No need for anyone to be the designated driver.

Just beautifully prepared food, good wine and the luxury of staying exactly where you are.

It feels particularly fitting as South Australia prepares for its MICHELIN Guide debut.

But for us, it is also something simpler.

Good ingredients. Thoughtful cooking. A sense of place. And time to enjoy all three.

Stay Between McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and the Coast

Merilli1885 offers a different kind of base for a Fleurieu Peninsula food and wine getaway.

Located at Currency Creek, around an hour from Adelaide, Merilli1885 places guests within easy reach of wine country, coast and countryside.

McLaren Vale is close enough for long lunches, cellar doors and winery dining.

Langhorne Creek offers another of South Australia’s historic wine regions, with wineries including Bleasdale, Lake Breeze and Bremerton.

Closer to home, Goolwa, Middleton and Port Elliot bring coastal dining, local produce and the simple pleasure of being beside the sea.

It means you do not necessarily have to choose between wine country, farm and coast.

You can experience all three.

Come for Dinner. Stay for the Fleurieu.

The arrival of the MICHELIN Guide will inevitably shine a brighter international light on South Australia’s restaurants.

But perhaps its greatest opportunity is encouraging more people to travel beyond a single meal.

Book the restaurant you have been meaning to try.

Take the long lunch.

Meet the winemaker.

Stop at the farm gate.

Discover somewhere you have never heard of.

Then stay another night and explore a little further.

Because some of the best food experiences are not simply about what arrives on the plate.

They are about understanding where you are.

And on the Fleurieu Peninsula, place is very much part of the menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the MICHELIN Guide South Australia 2027 be announced?

The inaugural MICHELIN Guide South Australia 2027 selection is scheduled to be revealed on 14 October 2026, marking the first time an Australian destination has been featured in the MICHELIN Guide.

Will Fleurieu Peninsula restaurants be included?

The final selection has not yet been revealed. Restaurants across South Australia have been assessed by anonymous MICHELIN inspectors, and we will be watching closely to see how McLaren Vale and the wider Fleurieu Peninsula are represented.

Can we have a private chef at Merilli1885?

Yes. Merilli1885 offers an exclusive in-house dining experience with MICHELIN-trained chef Luca Guiotto of Aromi Dining. Guests can enjoy a private multi-course dinner prepared and served at the cottage.

Where is Merilli1885?

Merilli1885 is private luxury accommodation in Currency Creek on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, close to Goolwa, Middleton and Port Elliot and within easy reach of McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek.

How many guests can stay at Merilli1885?

Merilli1885 accommodates up to four adults across two king suites and is offered on an exclusive-use basis, with only one booking at a time.

Planning a Fleurieu Peninsula Food and Wine Escape?

The MICHELIN Guide South Australia 2027 may give us some new names to add to the list in October.

Until then, there is already plenty worth travelling for.

Stay in the countryside.

Explore the vineyards.

Find a table by the coast.

Or stay in and have a MICHELIN-trained chef cook exclusively for you.

Then give yourself a few days to taste a little more of the Fleurieu.

Explore Merilli1885 and plan your stay at www.merilli.com.au.