Oscars

One of the very few restaurants in McLaren Vale that is actually open for business on a daily basis and that is for lunch and dinner. That alone is worth a call out but Oscars also falls into the rare category of offering solid good food at very reasonable prices, with plenty of pasta and pizza options. Perfect for the casual night out.

Situated in the heart of McLaren Vale, at what I call the picturesque end of town, Oscars is perfectly located to combine a lunch or early dinner with a visit to the historic Hardys Tintara cellar door and winery (a must is to check-out their old winery from the viewing platform with lots of displays and interpretative signs; Thomas Hardy converted the old flour mill building back in 1878 into the winery still in operation today) as well as the adjoining Fleurieu Arthouse, a mix of artisan studios, art gallery and retail shop (both, the Hardys cellar door and the Arthouse close at 4pm though).

At Oscars you have the option of dining outside under shady trees, slightly elevated from street level and watch the traffic going by (thanks to the recent ‘wombat crossing’ traffic slows here and other than I had expected is no bother at all) or dine inside, with a fire going in winter. Seating looks a bit dense inside and it can be a bit noisy when larger groups are there but overall it is a very pleasant dining atmosphere.

Oscars proudly supports other local businesses, with food sourced locally where possibly and the wine list featuring an extensive selections of McLaren Vale wineries by the glass and bottle.

Known for its gourmet pizzas (and yes, they are really good, although I am personally a traditionalist when it comes to pizza and would stick to the true Italian versions rather than having a Texan BBQ, Mexican or Tropical pizza) it is not just another pizza place, but Oscars has a lot more to offer with a large range of pasta options as well as Mediterranean style meat and seafood dishes.

Everything we have tried to date was very good and providing what we think excellent value for money.