From June to August, Adelaide’s top chefs and food artisans embrace this rich, umami-packed ingredient, transforming it into indulgent seasonal dishes. Whether you’re foraging in the Adelaide Hills or enjoying truffle-infused creations at some of the city’s finest restaurants, truffle season promises a truly special dining experience.
What are truffles?
Revered as the “black diamond” of the culinary world, truffles are subterranean fungi that grow in symbiosis with the roots of oak and hazelnut trees. Unlike mushrooms, which sprout visibly above ground, truffles develop beneath the earth’s surface, relying on specialised scent-detecting dogs to locate them. The intense, earthy aroma is what makes them so highly prized, with just a few shavings capable of transforming a dish into something extraordinary.
The black winter truffle (Tuber melanosporum), the most common variety found in South Australia, has an aroma and flavour profile that’s both robust and complex, offering notes of earth, garlic, and even hints of chocolate. Its rarity and difficulty to cultivate only add to its mystique, making it one of the most luxurious ingredients in the world.
South Australia’s truffle heartland
Adelaide’s cool-climate regions, particularly the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula, provide ideal conditions for truffle cultivation. Over the past decade, a handful of dedicated truffle growers have mastered the delicate art of nurturing these elusive fungi, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience the thrill of the hunt firsthand.
Where to experience a truffle hunt
- Quercus Truffles – Nestled in the picturesque Piccadilly Valley, Quercus is a family-owned farm known for its premium black truffles and immersive experiences. During the winter season, guests can join their renowned truffle hunt tours—a two-hour adventure that includes both hunting and a gourmet tasting. For a more immersive outing, Quercus offers a four-hour experience, starting with morning tea by the fire, followed by a guided hunt, and ending with a truffle-infused degustation paired with premium Adelaide Hills wines. Find out more: quercustruffles.com.au
- Lovely Valley Truffles – Located in Myponga on the Fleurieu Peninsula, this family-run truffle orchard supplies some of South Australia’s top restaurants. Their seasonal truffle hunts provide a fascinating insight into the cultivation and harvesting process, complete with truffle-infused tastings and wine pairings. Find out more: lovelyvalleytruffles.com.au
- Adelaide Hills Truffle Co. – This boutique truffle farm in the Adelaide Hills hosts immersive truffle hunts during winter, where guests can follow expertly trained dogs as they sniff out truffles beneath the cool forest floor. The experience is capped off with tastings that highlight the depth of flavor this delicacy brings to simple, well-crafted dishes. Find out more: adelaidehillstruffles.com.au
A taste of truffle
Once harvested, these luxurious fungi are delivered to Adelaide’s top chefs, who craft dishes that highlight their intoxicating depth of flavour. Truffles are best enjoyed fresh, ideally within 4-5 days, as their distinct aroma and flavour diminish over time. When fresh truffles appear on a menu, it’s worth asking where they’re from to support the local South Australian truffle industry.
Restaurants that proudly serve and support South Australian truffles include:
- Anchovy Bandit – Prospect
- Anvers Wines – Kangarilla
- Crafers Hotel Restaurant – Crafers
- Dolly Bar – Unley
- Good Gilbert – Goodwood
- Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant – Mount Lofty House
- Lune Bar – Beulah Park
- LVN Restaurant – Woodside
- Mount Lofty Ranges Vineyard – Lenswood
- Ondeen – Verdun
- Sequoia Lodge – Mount Lofty
- Topiary – Tea Tree Gully
Bringing truffles home
For those looking to source fresh truffles during the season, they can purchase directly from the growers. Quercus has a stall at the Adelaide Farmers Market in Wayville every Sunday, while Adelaide Hills Truffle Company can be found at the Stirling Market.
