One of the only times I’ve travelled to the Barossa was to catch a glimpse of One Direction playing golf when they stayed at the Novotel in September 2013 for the Adelaide leg of their Take Me Home Tour.

So when the state government announced in November last year it would take the annual footy festival Gather Round up north in 2025, I was excited, but unsure how this would appeal to my generation.

Sure, the weekend away would involve wine and some food – with sides of footy of course – but let’s be frank, hitting the staples of Lou’s Place, Seppeltsfield Wines and Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop aren’t akin to my regular hot spots in Adelaide.

So I ventured up there myself to see what was in it for us Gen Z-ers, and the results did not disappoint.

If you hold a valid Gather Round ticket, then you can jump on one of the Bounce Around the Barossa buses for free – they’re obnoxiously bright and blue and can’t be missed. The service is hop-on hop-off dropping patrons to over 45 local businesses in the area. The buses depart from the Gawler Train Station and will be on three different route loops all weekend. On Thursday and Friday, the buses will operate from 12pm until 5pm, then Saturday and Sunday from 9:45am until 5pm.

So jump on the Gawler Central train line and follow our Gen Z guide to the Barossa this Gather Round.

To eat:

Mikes

I am still thinking about the meal at Mikes and would happily drive the hour and a bit just to eat this bloody burger again.

Mikes is owned by Hentley Farm’s current executive chef Kyle Johns and his wife, who live next door to the burger joint, which opened in August 2023. We ordered the regular beef burger and were promised the “usual suspects”, without knowing the details.

We trusted Mike, and he rewarded us.

This burger, along with crinkle-cut fries coated in cheese curds and dark roasted gravy (that’s real poutine if you’re not Canadian) had us drooling.

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Barossa Farmers Market

The bustling farmers market was – according to locals– not that busy on the day CityMag visited. But the shed was packed with people lining up for their favourite goodies.

I could sense the local kinship and noted warm embraces and loud welcomes as people walked to and from the stalls. Top picks were pork dumplings from ManMa Barossa Kitchen, smashed avo bagel from Barossa Bagels and a venison sausage roll from Birdwood Venison.

Harvest Kitchen

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Driving up the Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre’s long winding road made me feel like I was on my way to a palace.

I was greeted by friendly faces at the front desk and advised to head left into the restaurant, Harvest Kitchen. This was after passing a mural made from bottles of, you guessed it, Jacob’s Creek.

Owners Alex and Pete served us and explained how Harvest Kitchen prides itself on catering to everyone. They give us an example of a family dining in the restaurant at the time, who had one vegetarian on the table. They didn’t want that one vegetarian to feel they had just an alternative replacement for the meat. They wanted that person to feel like they had options. They’ve catered the menu for every type of dietary and this means a fresh, vegetable-driven and tasty menu.

Otherness

Located in the heart of Angaston, Otherness was the highlight of the entire trip.

This cellar door, wine bar, and bottleshop also offers food, with a menu that changes based on seasonal produce. On this particular day, fresh, earthy meals are on offer.

There was a choice for an $85 or $105 tasting menu, the only difference was a piece of steak for the main. Picking the steak didn’t disappoint; it was cooked just right, with oozing jus and olives sprinkled on top. Like Mikes, I haven’t stopped thinking about this meal.

Vino Lokal

After a jam-packed weekend of tasting food and sipping wines, it was nice to relax, and the comfortable seating by the window at Vino Lokal was perfect for a pause.

The extensive yet precise menu is complemented by a range of sweet treats, ranging from croissants and Portuguese tarts, effortlessly displayed on the counter.

My menu pick — mushroom ragu with eggs — was oozing with flavour, and I particularly loved the inclusion of three pieces of toast to line my stomach for the next adventure.

staġuni

457 Seppeltsfield Road, Marananga

This picture: supplied.

When Clare Falzon cooks, they usually let the ingredients do the talking. Clare likes to find one ingredient to be the hero of most of their dishes and then find complimentary flavours based on that first initial ingredient. At staġuni, this is no different.

Staġuni is influenced by neighbourhood restaurants and bistros around Europe, and Clare wants people to “come, relax, have a good time”.

Clare says the seasonal menu is inspired by flavours from the “Mediterranean, Middle East, North Africa, and, of course, Malta, which sits in the middle of all of them”.

To drink:

Seppeltsfield Rd Distillers

436 Seppeltsfield Road, Marananga

The first stop of the trip was the newly renovated Seppeltsfield Rd Distillers.

It was a cold night, so a bar stool table inside was the go, but the outdoor area, covered in fresh timber and a glass wall showing where the spirits are made, looked enticing.

A top pick was the vintage ’24 Barossa Shiraz Gin. I enjoyed a sip or two neat, then mixed it with lemon-lime bitters to experience the full flavour.

Spinifex

Opening the door at Spinifex, I was greeted by a fluffy white furry friend named Buddy and a warm hello.

Co-owner and co-founder Magali Gely has created a new home and tasting room, which is a modern space filled with artwork. Her guidance through a tasting of various reds and whites is so friendly that it’s the most memorable part of the entire experience.

I imagine this is what all Spinifex guests will feel upon leaving, which just makes me want to return even quicker.

Rieslingfreak

The Rieslingfreak cellar door is high-end, with terrazzo flooring speckled with green spots to match the Rieslingfreak logo. Jamie ‘The New Girl’ not only leads me through an informative riesling tasting, she also runs through the nicknames of the crew — John Hughes who is ‘The Freak’ and founder, his wife Belinda Hughes nicknamed ‘The Freakette’ and Mark Thomas who is ‘The Other Guy’.

The wine industry is a close-knit community, and the crew at Rieslingfreak epitomise it.

Ministry of Beer

It was a quick stop in at the Ministry of Beer for a satisfying pale ale on tap.

The brewery was a 10-minute drive away from where I’d spent most of the trip, but it’s within walking distance from Barossa Park – the oval that will host North Melbourne vs Gold Coast, then Richmond vs Fremantle this weekend. While the $40 million upgrade replicates Adelaide Oval’s hospitality offerings, my bet is that most punters will take a stroll to the Ministry.