Penobscot Farm Tour and Six Course Degustation Dinner with Drinks Pairings

The Watervale Hotel is a gorgeous old country pub in the heart of Watervale, Clare Valley, South Australia.  Nicola & Warrick took this historic in 2018 and have transformed it into an integrated food and hospitality business from farm to plate…and back again… 

We are self confessed ‘Ethical Epicureans’. We are devoted to providing sensual pleasure through the food, wine, ambiance and service in a way that is morally right. Our ethical principles will see us growing as much as we can organically, sourcing from the local region, recycling our waste, and treating our staff like family. At the end of the day the success of our ethical approach will be measured by the pleasurable experience we create.

The Watervale Hotel offers surprisingly good, genuine, flavour-somefood in a variety of casual and comfortable spaces – front bar, veranda,cocktail lounge, dining rooms, beer garden and even a self contained convertedjail.

We have a range of single serve tasty snacks, a wideselection of small and larger sharing plates, and sides that complete the meal.

Our desserts of the day feature Penobscot Farm produce –seasonal fruit, ice-cream, gelati, semi-freddo.

The Watervale Hotel features fresh produce from the organicand bio-dynamic Penobscot Farm one kilometer away as well as other foods oftraceable provenance sourced from farmers that both grow outstanding food andshare our ethics.

We prefer to buy local, but will source more broadly todeliver more flavor and support ethical farmers where-ever they are. Part ofthis ethical platform is elimination of plastics, and reduction of harm toanimals.

We have a no waste philosophy that sees us endeavor to usenose to tail, flower and seed, stem and leaf, fruit to root in recipecomposition. We aim to utilize all off-cuts and bi-products in animal food,soaps, candles or return to the farm as compost.   

JohnHorrocks first made his way through Watervale in 1840 before settling inPenwortham.

Watervalewas established in 1847 when the ‘Stanley Arms’ Hotel was built. The StanleyArms had a rough reputation for bare knuckle fights and as a drinking hole forbullock drivers making their way between Burra and Port Wakefield.

The Hotelchanged its name to the Watervale Hotel in 1866 when the Publican alsosuccessfully applied to build a jail on the property under his management. TheHell Hole jail was completed in 1868.

Around the turn of the century the Watervale Hotel partially burnt down, a candle was left burning in an open window and caught the curtains. The Hotel was rebuilt on the original foundations around 1910.

These days the Hotel offered amazing food and beverages in a  range of spaces, dining experiences, cooking classes, farm tours, wine educations. The Hell Hole is one of our private dinning spaces these days. You may get locked in for a 6 course degustation.