Here’s a pub you never knew you needed to find, but trust us, you really do! Families, ditch the crappy servo food and skip the greasy bakery line on your next road trip that takes you through Port Wakefield, because this hotel feed blows our socks off every single time. We actually wish it was our local.

Meander less than 1km off the main highway when travelling to or from Yorkes, or the North of South Australia, for this unexpectedly incredible pub food, friendly service and a really fun atmosphere. Find all of the country pub classics on the menu (yes including a little salad bar), and also a heap of gourmet dishes and Asian inspired treats too. So fresh and tasty! The kids menu has a big handful of options, and if you didn’t know, Port Wakefield sits at the top of St Vincent Gulf and is home to some of our states fabulous professional fishing, so you guessed it – there’s additionally some pretty great seafood on offer.

No doubt the menu changes seasonally or from time to time, but we enjoyed eight choices on the kids menu (priced between $10 and $13 which includes a juice or soft drink) plus a ripper option to add a side of fruit or veg sticks for just $2. That’s how you welcome families folks!

On our most recent visit, in addition to our excellent kids meals, we enjoyed eating loaded nachos, a Vietnamese noodle bowl with sticky Asian pork belly, shared bao buns, the best buffalo wings we have ever experienced (with blue cheese sauce and celery of course) and a divine laksa. See – told you; unexpected, fresh and soooo bloody tasty. This food is prepared and presented with passion, skill and pride. Love that.

Indoors you’ll find a traditional country pub front bar and also cosy tables for dining. The real magic though? Out the back. Now, we travel with our dog, a lazy old gold lab ‘Ivy’ and she also rates this place, with it’s large enclosed back lawn, plentiful water bowls and rustic beer garden. It’s picture perfect and every thing that kids need for a road trip break with swings, a sandpit, boat, highly decorated shipping container cubby / play shop counter and more.

Great (nope, excellent) food, a perfect rest stop, happy kids, happy dog and a fun and quirky alfresco area and garden with umbrellas, festoon lights and styling that’s telling of the towns port history and fishing industry. Nothing boring about it.

Bookings are appreciated, phone ahead while you are on the road even.

Lastly, I don’t care what any one says, family owned and run pubs will always have the best service and attention to detail. This is fabulous country hospitality at its best.

Give it a go next time you are passing through. We usually time our return trips home to Adelaide around meal time just so as we can stop, because lets face it after a week or weekend away, there’s no food in the fridge at home. Who knew Port Wakefield had so much more to offer than just fuel! Well, we did actually and we can’t hold out on you any longer.

PS Don’t miss the beautiful huge mural on the side of the building up Walter Street by talented artist Kyle Armstrong (Whale Tale Art)

Rising Sun Hotel
Location: 30 Edward Street, Port Wakefield, South Australia 5550 (about an hour north from Adelaide)
Opening Times: Every day for lunch and dinner from 10am (11am on Sundays)
Phone: (08) 8867 1023
Find them on Facebook or Instagram