The first MICHELIN Guide to Australia landed in mid-October, and South Australia came out of it remarkably well. Of the 12 stars awarded nationally, Adelaide alone holds six, plus 12 Bib Gourmand awards across the state and a stack of restaurants in the guide's selection of 50 establishments. For anyone who plans trips around the dinner table, this is now one of the strongest short-haul propositions in the country.

The credentials were already there. South Australia produces roughly half of Australia's wine and about 80 per cent of its premium drops, across regions synonymous with Penfolds and Wynns. Add Adelaide Central Market (trading since 1869), Coffin Bay oysters, and chefs like Jake Kellie and Scott Huggins, and the red-cheque-book nod feels overdue.

Start in the city itself. The Central Market remains the heart of the local food scene, then move on to starred rooms including arkhe, Aurora, Esmay, Restaurant Botanic and the two-starred Magill Estate Restaurant. The cheaper eats are strong too — Parwana for Afghan, Osteria Oggi for Italian, Ong for Vietnamese — and Adelaide picked up a dozen Bib Gourmands between them.

The Barossa, an hour from the city, holds some of the oldest vines in the world alongside household names like Penfolds, Henschke and Yalumba, plus a younger wave at Spinifex, Rieslingfreak and Artisans of Barossa. Eat at fermentAsian, Fino at Seppeltsfield or Appellation at The Louise, and note that Hentley Farm now carries a star. McLaren Vale is even closer — practically on Adelaide's southern fringe — with d'Arenberg's bizarre five-storey Cube as its landmark, newer labels like Bondar and Ministry of Clouds, starred Maxwell Restaurant, and the Bib Gourmand-listed Salopian Inn.

The Adelaide Hills are the state's experiment lab, home to forward-thinking producers such as Ngeringa, Murdoch Hill and CRFT. Three restaurants there — LVN at Bird in Hand, Aptos and Anvers — hold one star each, while Hardy's Verandah earned a MICHELIN sommelier award. Farther out, the Clare Valley (90 minutes away) pairs top riesling from Grosset and Jim Barry with starred Skillogalee Barrel House and Bib Gourmand pick Antidote Kitchen. Kangaroo Island rounds it out with its own wineries, Tirage's new Bib Gourmand, and Southern Ocean Lodge, which scored three MICHELIN hotel keys.

Why it matters: until now Australia lacked a MICHELIN Guide entirely, so this gives travellers an internationally comparable benchmark for the country's best dining — and it confirms that a single week based in Adelaide can cover a major city food scene plus four distinct wine regions, all within 90 minutes' drive. There's also a promotion running at southaustralia.com/ultimatereservation to win a food-focused trip with a former MICHELIN inspector.