In the heart of Angaston, Otherness is quietly redefining what a Barossa food-and-wine experience can be. Equal parts wine bar, cellar door, and restaurant, this small but mighty venue has become a local institution, thanks to its ever-evolving menu, generous spirit, and deep-rooted connection to people and place.

Recently awarded a Slow Food Award during Tasting Australia 2025, Otherness celebrates flavour without fuss. Dishes shift with the seasons, wines come from both near and far — including their own Otherness wine label — and the space is as welcoming to a solo diner with a book as to a long-table lunch crowd.

Grant Dickson, musician, wine man and former co-founder of Tanunda’s legendary fermentAsian, is at the centre. With a background that spans hospitality, music, and storytelling, Grant has created something entirely his own: a venue that is serious about flavour but never takes itself too seriously.

In the kitchen, Sam Smith, Emily Thomas and Sandor Palmai craft a constantly changing menu inspired by the Barossa’s best seasonal produce. On any given week, you might find fried brik pastry stuffed with rapini, whiting with chermoula and sugarloaf cabbage, or dry-aged scotch fillet with kalamata olives and parsnip chips.

Charlie Schulz and Tess Mathai run the front of the house with effortless warmth.

Their hospitality skills and genuine connection with regulars make Otherness feel more like a friend’s dinner party than a formal restaurant.

The venue also serves as the cellar door for Otherness Wines — a small but expressive portfolio made in collaboration with a close-knit group of South

Australian winemakers. Whether it’s a surprising Urth Riesling, a savoury Fratres Cabernet Franc, or the deep, smoky savour of the Harmonica Aglianico, each wine is carefully selected and often poured by the people who made it.

Beyond their label, Otherness also curates a wine shop featuring a rotating collection of bottles across Australia and the world. The list is ever-changing, thoughtfully chosen, and designed to surprise, educate, and delight both locals and visiting wine lovers alike.“People come here because it feels personal,” says Dickson. “The wines are made by our friends. The cheese is made by someone we know. The food is designed for sharing. We’re not here to impress — we’re here to connect, surprise and delight.”

That commitment to community, detail, and deliciousness makes Otherness something special. For those who think they’ve ‘done’ the Barossa, this is your invitation to discover it all over again.

WHERE: 38 Murray Street, Angaston