Scenic Hotel - Norton Summit, South Australia

KAH

A great stop for a delicious feed if you’re driving though the Hills. Great food and service! The sun was out so we opted for a seat on the balcony and to take advantage of the views. The menu was full of so many goodies so opted to share a whole lot of plates – Anchovies stuffed with Sicilian Olives, Stracciatella with roasted vegetables, the most Moorish duck liver pate (OMG!) and a chicken schnitzel which was served with shoestring fries and a refreshing slaw. We also tried a couple of wines and loved that there seemed to be lots of local varieties. In fact, we like one so much that our next stop was a short drive to the cellar door to purchase! Downstairs they had a whole lamb on the spit sizzling away and we would be keen to come back another time to participate. The long outdoor seating under the canopy of trees also looked divine and would be a great spot in summer with friends or a private gathering. Highly recommend!

Tanika J.

My partner and I drove 40 minutes to have dinner here for date night. We were out on the balcony with a magnificent view at sunset. We ordered the salumi and cheese platter with sour dough, and we each ordered a chicken parmi for our main meal and we cannot fault the food, it was delicious.
The service was great and the staff were very friendly.
After dinner we also enjoyed a few games of 8 ball in the upstairs pool lounge, and ordered some coffee which was also delicious. We were surprised to find out the 8 ball was free and we found the atmosphere of the restaurant and pool lounge very cosy and inviting. We'll definitely be back! 😊

Jamie H.

My treasure-like place in Adelaide. I'm so lucky that I can get here within 10 minutes from my home. If someone had discovered this place long ago, before Google Maps existed, it would have been an oasis for them. Sitting on the balcony is great, but sitting inside is just as nice. The menu is interesting, with plenty of options, and it’s perfect to pair with a cold beer or a great wine. I’m not usually a fan of chicken schnitzel, but at the Scenic Hotel, I can enjoy it.

Alice L.

Very nice restaurant just a few cases from the city. Location is the strength of this place, peaceful and relaxing. I’m curious to come back for a drink on night time, I’m sure the atmosphere is even better during sunset! Menu a bit short but food is delicious!

Marie H.

My family has returned here five times - every time we have been to Australia to visit close family over the past five decades. This is the kind of place you go if you want not just a good meal, but a beautiful memory too. The interior, exterior, view, food, service, atmosphere, everything will exceed whatever expectations you might have. This is where you take your dad who you haven’t seen for ten years to reconnect over a good dinner. This place is like a bubble in time, exempted from the stresses of modern life - the atmosphere is incomparable. I will recommend it to others with almost embarrassing passion. Beautiful, relaxed, happy place - the food is great too, and the service makes it evident that the employees love the place too. See you next time!

Rachael A.

Beautiful views from the balcony. Lovely wines. Food was nice but not super special. My hanger steak was two pieces and a bit fatty. I usually love hanger so bit of a shame. The sauce was unique and interrsting. Good fries.

Damian M.

After years of curiously driving past the Scenic Hotel during my working day I grabbed the wife and we headed up the hill for lunch and a couple of drinks.
Look, the best way to get to this hotel would be in a red sports car with Matt Monroe singing 'On days like these' coming out of the speakers. However all we had was a beige Valiant with K.G and Cornesy coming out of the AM radio, my wife screaming in panic at every tight corner. (You can just see the old bomb in the photo I've included in this review. So no issues with parking!)
The food we ordered was spot-on so bravo to the chef and the young fellow who brought it out to us finding us hidden in the garden.
Given the location of this hotel, if I were to be picky I'd say a greater selection of light beers on tap would be appreciated as the drive up and down the hill is challenging enough without a beer or two or three under your belt. Certainly motorcyclists making the journey to the Scenic shouldn't be drinking full strength beer but each to their own.
Best part of the Scenic Hotel is their staff. Everybody we spoke to had a great sense of humour which made our visit even more enjoyable.
However what sets the Scenic Hotel apart from any other pub I've ever drank at is having a cat as the resident bouncer. One word of profanity and the cat's straight up to your table giving you stink eye.
Cheers!

Paul H.

For some punters buying a fine house is all about location, location, location. When dining out for me it is all about food, service, location. The Scenic Hotel on Norton Summit has to have one of the best dining locations in Adelaide with views from on high of the urban Adelaide plains. It screams relax! Previous visits to this leafy and shady oasis in the hills have shown that the Scenic has a consistently high quality menu standard. It changes frequently - so frequently that by the time I pre-selected my mains choice from the online menu it had been removed from the menu by the time I got there.

Not to worry, there were several equally appealing options. Not too many mind you that the chefs would be over-taxed, but top quality meat, fish and veggie options to meet most palates head on. No ‘specials’ menu just the nine key mains menu items to which culinary TLC is skilfully applied. We enjoy the ambiance first up. A choice of indoors wooden-cum-art, a balcony with the view, or a rustic garden under the trees. Choose according to the weather and season.

Our group opted for stuffed courgette flowers for hors d’oeuvres – delicate and cheesy. For mains we selected kangaroo steaks, oven baked barramundi and tender lamb shoulder. All dishes were presented with flair and panache and there was no annoying delivery delay to the table. The taste was, well … tops. Nothing left on our plates. A delicate Adelaide Hills Manyara sauvignon blanc. Coopers Ale for one co-diner and there’s lots of Coopers beers on tap.

Service was generally good if a little short on the peripheral vision side. I don’t really want to get up to order another bottle of wine. Small point but still room for a bit of quality tweaking.

Would we go back? Well, yes of course. The Scenic is hard to beat and the staff always have those all-important smiles gracing their faces. Bookings probably recommended on weekends, though mid-week you may be able to turn up on spec. Onyer! Scenic. Keep up the good work.