Station Road

Station Road entered the Adelaide dining scene in 2024, with all the fanfare that often goes with the latest restaurant opening. But local enthusiasm shows no sign of waning – and there’s little wonder why.

With the East End Cellars group behind the venture, it is backed up by the pedigree of some of Adelaide’s most successful food and wine merchants to keep diners coming back for more.

You may be lured by its beautiful appearance, but you’ll come back for its world-class wine list and inspiring menu overseen by co-owner, Mathieu Smeysters, and Head Chef, Baine Stubbs (ex Vue de Monde).

Smeysters is also the Beverage Director and has taken an approach to the wine list that will satisfy wine geeks and enthusiasts alike. At 49 pages long, the list honours traditional winemakers as well as young, up-and-coming producers from across the globe. Local South Australian producers dominate most categories, but there is a bias toward France, which Smeysters says is heavily influenced by his personal love for Burgundy. Whilst there are some rare and high-end options available, there are plenty of value-for-money and quality alternatives. “Our intention was to ensure we’d put together a variety of wines capable of accommodating a large demographic of wine drinkers and simultaneously provide quality options to a wide range of budgets,” he says.

To this end, Smeysters lists a large selection of wines by the glass, according to variety. “I believe more guests want to indulge in just one or two glasses of wine, whether it’s a Champagne, something interesting red under Coravin, or a Madeira.” By the bottle, Australian wine favourites are listed upfront to appeal to those more budget conscious, “so that you don’t get intimidated by the vast array of other wines and pricing,” he says.

Against a chic but paired-back setting, Station Road is a venue that succeeds at keeping drinking at a fine dining restaurant accessible, and interesting, with something new to discover each time, no matter how often you go.