A new food and farm experience is in the works in the Adelaide Hills, where hand-feeding deer in open paddocks, sipping rare, velvet-infused spirits and settling in for a paddock-to-plate venison feast are the norm. With all this and more, Hahndorf Hirschgarten will be the latest addition to South Australia’s agritourism industry when it opens in May 2026.
This is the latest project from the family behind Hahndorf Venison, a name long respected by chefs across Australia. Located just outside the Hahndorf township, the new project will combine a restaurant and cafe, a deer park, a cellar door, a butchery and a specialty shop all into one immersive location. “It’s been thoughtfully designed to create a connection to the venison grown right here on the farm,” shared chef and family member Ryan Hewlett. “From the paddock to the plate, we want it to be a place where visitors can taste, experience and appreciate the outstanding produce grown right here in our community.”
Ryan says the idea has been brewing for years. “This isn’t an idea that happened overnight,” said Ryan. “The project has been building momentum for many years as we’ve observed how people are increasingly seeking out authentic culinary experiences and wanting to connect with those who produce their food. There’s also been an increasing demand for healthy and sustainable alternatives to traditional red meats, which helped bring this concept to life.”
At the centre of it all will be a seasonally driven dining experience led by Ryan, which is designed to showcase venison in a way that feels approachable. With hearty, warming dishes on the winter menu, and lighter plates through the warmer months, this is aimed at gently introducing first-timers to venison. The goal is simply to make venison feel like an everyday choice rather than a special treat.
Joining the restaurant will be an on-site butchery and shop, which will make it easy to take the experience home. The shop will have premium cuts, ready-to-eat meals, barbecue snags and recipe inspiration. There will also be a curated range of deer antler products like jewellery, gifts and pet chews, alongside shaded spaces to sit with a coffee and watch the deer.
The cellar door is another exciting element, where visitors will finally be able to taste and purchase Spirit of the Stag 100 Years liquor. Blended with mead and infused with deer velvet, the limited-release spirit has subtle honeyed floral notes and reflects the family’s ethos of using the whole animal without waste.
Making this an experience for the whole family is very important to the team. On-site, there will be opportunities for children to hand-feed deer and learn about the natural cycles of antler growth and shedding, debunking common myths along the way. Educational experiences, private functions and guided tours will round out the offering, including access to an on-site taxidermy museum for the curious.
Located on River Road, just around the corner from Sidewood Estate, Hahndorf Hirschgarten is shaping up to be a place that invites people to slow down, connect and return again and again.
Hahndorf Hirschgarten
When: May 2026
Where: River Rd, Hahndorf, SA 5245
For more information, click here.
