Howard Winery

I recently went a tour of the Adelaide hills with some friends from the UK. We visited a number of wineries and the Melba chocolate factory but the venue of most interest for hot chocolate lovers was the Howard Vineyard. We had a pleasant lunch overlooking the lawns and the grape vines, consisting of platters of various dips and nibbles.

The hot chocolate was served in a glass mug and saucer. It was rich and dark and was topped with a white froth and sprinkle of chocolate powder. The cost was four dollars.

St Georges Bakehouse

Merkel and Myrtle visited the St George’s Bakehouse at 476 Portrush Road recently. This was a well-stocked bakery sporting a number of awards for it production of meat pies. The coffee was Grinders Organic Blend. The hot chocolate was good and rich but was more expensive than the coffees at four dollars. The hot chocolate was served in a ceramic cup and saucer and topped with a white froth.

Amalfi Pizzeria Ristorante

Amalfi, at 29 Frome Street, has been established in Adelaide for many years. Merkel met there recently with old friends who had first dined together at the Italian restaurant more than twenty years ago. Amalfi has a good menu of pizzas, pasta and other Italian dishes. The service was excellent as exemplified by Nicholas, our attentive waiter.

The hot chocolate came in a brown ceramic cup and saucer. It was topped with white froth and liberal sprinkle of chocolate powder. The flavour was rich, dark and not too sweet.

Perfect Blend

The Perfect Blend coffee shop takes replaced Crust ‘n Crumbs in Cumberland Park shopping centre on the corner of Goodwood Road and Cross Road. This is a little bakery and coffee shop. It has been tastefully redecorated since it was Crust ‘n Crumbs.

The hot chocolate was $3.50 and came in a glass with a metal handle on a saucer. The hot chocolate was topped with forth and a sprinkle of chocolate powder it was richer and tastier than the one provide at Crust ‘n Crumbs.

Young Street Café

The Young Street Deli has had a big makeover and is now the Young Street Café. This is on the corner of Young Street and George Street, Unley. The seating is more comfortable and the décor is more like a Café and less like a deli.  Merkel and Myrtle visited there for breakfast and indulged in muesli and pancakes.

The hot chocolate came in a glass and Saucer with a white marshmallow. It was topped with a pile of white froth and a sprinkle of chocolate powder. The hot chocolate was good and rich and not too sweet.  The cost was $3.70.

Bakery Girls

Bakery Girls has has replaced Duthy’s Bakehouse at 82 Duthy Street, Malvern next to Doof Doof. It provides comfortable wooden tables and upholstered chairs inside and there a couple of table outside. This is now a comfortable café with a nice selection of inexpensive snacks.

The hot chocolate was served in a bright yellow ceramic cup and saucer. It was topped with a white froth and sprinkle of chocolate powder. The hot chocolate was pleasant and well presented.

Stumps

A new café has been established at 150 King William Road, Hyde Park. Stumps replaces Café Paradiso after this Café had provided many years of dependable service. The Café was thoroughly renovated before opening and the new establishment is more spacious with more modern décor.  It has thick polished timber tables and has an oversize set of cricket stumps as a feature. It is open for breakfast and lunch and provides seating inside or under the awning looking over King William Road.

The hot chocolate came in a red Vittoria cup and saucer. It was topped with white froth and a sprinkle of chocolate powder. Your reviewer preferred the hot chocolate from the old Café Paradiso as it was richer, less sweet and came with marshmallows.