SA Trip 2026 Day 3 - Hahndorf

 If you've never been to Hahndorf (South Australia - actually not sure why I provided a geographic explainer here. This is the only one in the world), it can be difficult to explain why its managed to be a "must visit" place every time I am in or near Adelaide.

For Victorians unfamiliar with this town in the Adelaide Hills, its roots are German, with settlers from there establishing the town back in 1839, only 4 years after John Batman established Batmania Melbourne.

 I've been trying to come up with any direct comparisons of the main street in Hahndorf with a Victorian equivalent. A bit of Akland Street, some Lygon Street, Sorrento Village mixed in with the Healesville shopping precinct. However this doesn't it do it justice.

Hahndorf has leaned heavily into its German origins to provide a food and cultural experience that is its own unique thing.

Can you buy cuckoo clocks? Yes. German beer? Absolutely. Do cafes sell strudels, does oompah music feature heavily in the "ambient" music, can pork knuckles, kassler chops and bratwursts be ordered at the restaurants and pubs on the main road? Yes, yes and yes. 

There are more than 100 shops in the main shopping strip of Hahndorf, stretching out more than a kilometre.

And whilst every second shop may be some form of eaterie, there are plenty of the more unusual retailers as well. Byzantium artwork (replicas). scented candle retailers (at least 5),  leatherworks (2), knife sellers (2) and more.

I have a couple of favourite shops over the years. The German Pantry sells a range of sauces, pickles, chocolates and other goodies sourced from Germany and surrounding European countries, as well as selling a large range of smoked and cured meats. The German Shop (original branding there) sells a range of cuckoo clocks, Christmas ornaments, wooden toys as well as souvenirs. 

I have a couple of favourite places to eat as well. Hahndorf Inn has never failed me, and their German platters will easily feed a family of four. Then Gepetto's, an Italian restaurant, provides a nice change to German heavy fair. There are other cuisines available here as well. Apart from standard Aussie pub grub (parmas, steaks and pasta), you can also treat yourself to Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Spanish or Greek. German is the dominant cuisine, however.

Anyway, enough spruiking the town. What did I do?

Eating, walking and a bit of shopping. 

Breakfast was at The Haus, with the German breakfast (what else?), including sauerkraut, bratwurst, and sourdough.

Lunch was at Otto's Bakery (pie review to follow) and tea at the aforementioned Gepetto's (wagyu carpaccio, veal saltimbocca and tiramisu).

After

 Presents were bought for the family (and myself) and there was lots of walking. Lots and lots of walking.

The temperature got to the mid twenties, making it a t-shirt and shorts type of day. Lots of people about, all enjoying themselves.

Today was a good day.

Pie Review

Otto's Bakery, provided me with a steak and mushroom pie. A bigger pie than the first day, a thicker pastry, making it a more substantial pie as well.

 The taste though, wasn't.  I probably expected a more mushroomy flavour than what I experienced. Slightly blander flavour. All up, 7/10