Temperance, the quietly ambitious fine dining room inside Hotel Renmark, has just been named South Australia’s Best Regional Restaurant at the 2026 Adelaide Dining Magazine Awards, a win that places the Riverland firmly in the national dining conversation.
Recognised alongside respected dining rooms including Botanic Lodge and OZIN, Temperance now sits in rare company. For the team behind the restaurant, the award is both affirming and energising.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognised statewide,” the team said. “We’re so grateful for the incredible support that makes moments like this possible — from our passionate team and our amazing local producers and suppliers, to every guest who walks through our doors.”
The Dining Magazine awards were announced earlier this month at Howard Vineyard during the launch of the magazine’s 2026 print edition, hosted by Channel Seven’s Rosanna Mangiarelli.
“We’re spoilt for choice in South Australia,” she said on the day, pointing to the creativity and commitment shown across the state’s hospitality industry.
Set within Hotel Renmark, Temperance is driven by a shared belief that great food begins with sourcing. Executive Chef Hugh Hazelwood brings experience from hatted kitchens in the UK, while Head Chef Anthony Cresp applies a foraging-led, nose-to-tail approach that ensures every ingredient earns its place on the plate. Together, they work closely with producers across the Riverland and beyond, stretching their supply network as far as the Murray Mouth.
The menu shifts with the seasons and is offered both à la carte and as the eight-course Austerity menu, with optional wine pairing. Recent dishes have included spring vegetables with house-made ricotta, mulloway, local lamb, blue swimmer crab tortellini and Adelaide Hills venison carpaccio.
The dining room mirrors the food. Plush and softly lit, it nods to the building’s 1920s heritage while remaining relaxed and contemporary. Service is personal and informed, with diners guided through the stories behind each dish and the people who produce it.
ADM Director Shantal Hart said the awards continue to celebrate venues that elevate South Australian hospitality. “We’re proud to recognise businesses that showcase the incredible quality found across the state,” she said.
First published in 2014, Adelaide Dining Magazine is an independently owned annual publication distributed throughout major hotels, business lounges and tourism hubs nationwide.
For Temperance, the award marks a milestone. For the Riverland, it signals something bigger. A region long known for citrus farms and wide skies is now firmly delivering refined, contemporary dining worth travelling for.
“Feeling proud. Feeling grateful. And feeling inspired to keep pushing the boundaries of regional hospitality,” the team said.
Other 2026 Adelaide Dining Magazine winners included Botanic Lodge for Best Restaurant CBD, OZIN Restaurant for Best New Venue, Skillogalee for the SA Sourced Award, and The Currant Shed for the Eco Eats Award. Find more info on the Adelaide Dining Magazine awards here.
Temperance Restaurant
Where: Hotel Renmark, 81 Murray Ave, Renmark
For the website, click here.
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