Hahndorf Inn, Adelaide Hills: What makes this German restaurant unusual?

The Hahndorf Inn in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, goes all out on the theme. This German restaurant’s menu offers schnitzels, pork knuckles and Australia’s biggest hot dog.

The Hahndorf Inn in the Adelaide Hills town of Hahndorf is a German restaurant. A very German restaurant that doesn’t like you to forget at any point that you’re in a German restaurant.

Hahndorf Inn German restaurant in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia — The Hahndorf Inn in the Adelaide Hills is an unmistakably German restaurant. Photo by Jonathan Kissock – JK Imaging Pty Ltd.

Run by the descendants of a German family that arrived from Bremen in 1847, the Hahndorf Inn is unashamedly kitsch. It plays into Bavarian beer hall fantasies, and throws the kitchen sink at the theme.

This Adelaide Hills restaurant was established in 1863 and has several separate areas. These include a main dining room, a casual bar area, a smaller saloon bar and – most importantly – a traditional beer hall. All have open fire places, and all are prone to having oompah musicians wandering around.

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Barossa Valley tours: 1. Wine-tasting with lunch 🍷. 2. Food and wine tour. 3. Small group wine tour with exclusive VIP tastings.
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Adelaide Hills tours: 1. Sights plus Murray River lunch cruise combo. 2. Small group cheese, chocolate & wine tour with Hahndorf German village.
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Hahndorf Inn food menu

The German music is just part of the deal, however. What the Hahndorf Inn specialises in is belt-loosening food. There are some local options, including the pan-seared salmon or the lamb shank. But the whole point is going for the hearty German food. There’s a separate wurst menu for the sausage-inclined, while there’s also a range of schnitzels to choose from.

Hahndorf Inn pork knuckle

Less well known dishes include the Berliner Eisbein – a pork hock pickled in brine – and an enormous pork knuckle.

This German restaurant also serves what is claimed to be Australia’s biggest hotdog. The one metre-long sausage cost $38.90. The truly hungry can tackle one of the decidedly meat-heavy platters. The full menu is on the restaurant website.

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German beer in the Adelaide Hills

German food requires German beer, and the Hahndorf Inn doesn’t disappoint there. It offers various options from Bavarian brewer Hofbrau, and sells beers by the litre for anyone wanting to pretend they’re at Oktoberfest.

Other top spots for a drink in the Adelaide Hills include the Howard Vineyard in Nairne. There’s also the Lane Vineyard in Hahndorf, Golding Wines in Lobethal, the Uraidla Hotel in Uraidla and the Applewood Distillery/ Unico Zelo in Gumeracha.